aSinamento is an organic Sardinian donkey farm in Berchidda, a village in the heart of the Sardinian hinterland. We breed, care for and rehome donkeys of a breed that was on the verge of disappearing — and that is now returning to what it has always been: a life companion of the Sardinian people.
Vineyards that give order to the hills. Granite mountains that slope gently down to the sea. Traditional costumes that women keep in wooden chests the way one keeps a language alive. Everything here follows an ancient rhythm — and it is within this rhythm that our donkeys are born and grow up free.
Berchidda is Vermentino country: tidy rows of vines, farming patience, and harvests that turn into village festivals.
Mount Limbara watches over the village: granite, wind and Mediterranean scrub. It is the natural pasture of our donkeys.
Here the mountain doesn't end: it descends. From the peaks of Limbara, the eye reaches all the way to the sea of Gallura.
Sardinians know the solitude of the countryside.
But those who stay learn that this solitude
is precious — and you are never truly alone,
when a little donkey walks beside you.
For centuries the donkey carried Sardinia's burdens: water, firewood, grain to the millstone. Then machines replaced it, and within a few decades the breed almost disappeared. But its destiny has changed — because the burden we ask it to carry has changed.
Su molente turned the grain millstone in village homes. Su burricu carried water from the springs, wood from the forests, and helped in fields where oxen could not go. Small, frugal, hard-hoofed: made for the island's rugged terrain.
"It carried the burden of labour, asking for nothing."
What was once its limitation — small size, modest strength — is today its greatest virtue. The Sardinian donkey has become a companion and therapy animal: gentle, empathetic, never startling. An animal that speaks to the heart.
"It walks with us, at a slow pace, into the depths."
aSinamento was born from the life of Antonio Mazza, spent in the countryside of Berchidda, and from his love for animals and the genuine rhythms of nature. It is a registered trademark and an organic farm where the donkeys live semi-wild, grazing freely, with a free-range breeding station: the stallion lives with the mares and is replaced regularly to protect the health of the bloodline. Every donkey is born with its own pedigree — whoever welcomes one, welcomes a story.
The Sardinian donkey is classified by the FAO as a "threatened" breed. Breeding and rehoming these animals means safeguarding a living heritage of the island's culture.
Every donkey born at aSinamento, with its certified lineage, is a concrete contribution to the survival of the breed — and as an ethical choice, our animals are never destined for slaughter.
The natural gentleness of the Sardinian donkey, its patience and its ability to form a spontaneous bond with people encourage relaxation, self-confidence and social skills — with particular benefits for children, the elderly and people with specific needs.
Excursions at a donkey's pace through the landscapes of Berchidda, in the Sardinian hinterland: an authentic way to experience the land, its scents and its silences.
Animal-assisted interventions in which the bond with the donkey becomes a tool for emotional, educational and social wellbeing.
Opening our gates to schools and families is one of the souls of aSinamento. At the educational farm, children meet the Sardinian donkey up close: they stroke it, brush it, walk by its side — and through it they discover the history of rural Sardinia, the rhythms of the countryside, and respect for animals and for a breed that was disappearing.
An authentic educational experience, where the lesson isn't listened to: it is lived, at a donkey's pace.
Prized since antiquity, donkey milk is now highly sought after by the cosmetics industry for its unique composition: it is the animal milk closest to human breast milk. Our milk is milked and frozen within one hour to preserve all its properties intact, and is mainly destined for cosmetics companies in Sardinia and across Italy.
Our donkeys are looking for families, not owners. If you have a bit of land and the desire for a slow-paced companion — or if you'd like to meet us for a walk, a donkey therapy programme or our donkey milk — write to us. We'll be glad to reply.
