Rella mill - Folgaria (Mezzomonte)

In this mill, which is located near another hydraulic mill which retains a pan mill for the pearling of barley, there are two mills, a polisher and a crusher, machines which were driven by two water wheels, one of which also drove a circular saw and a planer. In the 1960s the wooden wheels were replaced by a single metal wheel and the machinery ran by means of transmission belts. The water is taken from the stream above the mill and conducted to the wheel through a channel 110 meters in length, ending in a millrace, also made of metal now, 6.2 metres long. The mill was owned by the same family of millers for at least three generations and remained in operation until the 1950s. Dario Rella, the last miller in the family, continued to grind corn for his private use until 1993. In 1998 the mill was purchased by the City of Folgaria. La Fonte organic farm now looks after it, putting on educational activities about the cycle of wool, milk and wheat, and offers classes on edible wild herbs and medicinal plants.