Italian translation from a website

Cathy · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 2681

I know someone in the family owned a grocery store in the neighboring town of San Fili. Below is an except from a website about San Fili that I believe refers to the same grocery store. Can someone translate it for me? Babelfish is not working too well with this text.
Thanks.
Il periodo della raccolta delle castagne (secondo la tradizione compreso tra la settimana dedicata a nostro Santo Patrono San Francesco di Paola e il giorno di Tutti i Santi) nel nostro paesino era gioia per tutti: dai grandi ai più piccoli, tutti, fermo restando il periodo di magra, si poteva gioire di qualche soldo in più nelle tasche... si arricchiva il corredo delle pulzelle, sulla tavola si poteva sgranocchiare qualcosina ed i giovani potevano persino dar vita a qualche pazzia quale andare a vedere un film al cinema. Ancora oggi, a San Fili, qualche parvenza di Circo, Giostra o autoscontro viene a spillarci qualche quattrino proprio in questo periodo. Per il paese, in quegli irripetibili giorni, venivano improvvisati svariati magazzini per la raccolta delle castagne: di una certa importanza erano quelli di Vincenzo Speziale (leader indiscusso del settore), Raffaele Comandé, Francesco Nigro e Pasquale Granata, Martino Lombardo, Francesco Corrado, Antonio Lio, Raffaele Cesario, Gisberto Napoletano e Enrico Crispini i quali, a fine campagna, arrivavano a contare un immagazzinamento, ciascuno, dai 100 ai 150 quintali del prelibato e ricercato frutto. C'era comunque spazio anche per le piccole ditte (magari legate ad una sola stagione) quali quella di Stano Cirillo e Francesco Assise, Giuseppe Cesario, Antonio Ruffolo e Mario lazzolino: tutto il paese era in fermento, tutti, nessuno escluso, erano impegnati in questa magica attività che li riportava al diretto contatto con la natura circostante.

Santa Vennera, i Cozzi, Topa, la Silvia, Uncino, Torre Bruciata, Tanzia e Favale erano considerati veri e propri castagneti in quanto i loro nomi erano legati a poche famiglie proprietarie di grossi appezzamenti (o partite): i Blasi, i Miceli, i Gentile, i Caracciolo (Gesuiti) e i Vercillo (Bucita). Non mancavano comunque i piccoli proprietari. A San Fili confluivano, in ogni caso, anche le castagne raccolte in comuni e zone più o meno vicine: Caldopiano, Gesuiti, Parantoro e lo stesso San Benedetto Ullano. Avevamo una stazione ferroviaria a disposizione e anche questo, all'epoca, significava ricchezza

Carole

All 'done and dusted' Cathy! Hope it's OK....

The harvest period of the chestnuts (according to tradition including the week dedicated to our Patron Saint San Francesco of Paola and All Saints Day) in our little town was a joy for everyone: from the grown-ups to the little ones, all still and waiting for the lean times to stop, then they could rejoice with a few extra coins in their pockets…. they would enrich the maidens trousseau, from the table you would be able to munch something or other and the youngsters would even be able to create some madness like going to the cinema to see a film. Even today, in San Fili, you can see some aspects of the Circus, Carousels or dodgems came to get a few coins out of you in this period. For the town, in those unrepeatable days, many varied and improvised stores appeared for the collection of the chestnuts: of a certain importance were those of Vincenzo Speziale (undisputed leader in the sector), Raffaele Comandé, Francesco Nigro and Pasquale Granata, Martino Lombardo, Francesco Corrado, Antonio Lio, Raffaele Cesario, Gisberto Napoletano and Enrico Crispini all of whom, at the end of the excercise, came together to reckon the storage costs, warehouses each for 100 to 150 quintal (220lb) of the delicious and sought after fruit.

There was however also room for the little firms (perhaps involved for one season only) among whom were those of Stano Cirillo and Francesco Assise, Giuseppe Cesario, Antonio Ruffolo and Mario Lazzolino: all the town was in turmoil, everyone, no one excluded, was involved in this magic activity that brought them into direct contact with the surrounding nature.

Santa Vennera, the Cozzi, Topa, Silvia, Uncino, Torre Bruciata, Tanzia and Favale were considered to be true chestnut groves in-as-much as their names were linked to a few families who were owners of large tracts (or divisions): the Blasi, the Miceli, the Gentile, the Caracciolo (Jesuits) and the Vercillo (Bucita). There was no lack however of little owners. In San Fili they converged, at any rate, even the chestnuts gathered in the communes and the more or less nearby areas: Caldopiano, Gesuiti, Parantoro and the same San Benedetto Ullano. We had a railway station we could use and even this, at the time, signified riches.

Cathy · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 2681

Very interesting, thank you Carole. So, now I know why chestnuts are so big in the family...they were important in the town and probably grown on the farm in Parantoro.
You are wonderful Carole, thanks again! kiss