The Farmhouse is led by the Lorenzetti family, that boasts a secular tradition in the area in the field of the agricultural activity and the breeding of milk cows, as Guglielmo Lera describes in his book “Antiche Botteghe di Lucca” :
“The most famous brokers were Lorenzetti brothers, called Linchi, through whom all the transactions had to pass. An handshake at the presence of Stefano and Beppe Lorenzetti was enough to buy a milk cow or an heifer: at that time the word of honour was used instead of the stamped paper.”
Even nowadays the family cultivates “Cannellino” bean, the typical product of the area, and other products as cereals.
The farmhouse Ai Linchi and in particular the two houses, derive their names from the parents of Angelo, the present owner of the farmhouse: Renata and Giuseppe, called “Beppin de’ Linchi” just because “Ai Linchi” was the name by which since ancient times people referred to the place where the farmhouse is located, maybe for the presence there of the Linchetto, the famous elf of the land of Lucca…
The Linchetto is a malicious and impudent small elf which is very popular in the land of Lucca, especially in the country and on the Garfagnana mountains. He usually goes out at night looking for new “victims” for his jokes.He is often represented as a child dressed of green and he has particular powers like appearing, disappearing, making great leaps; it is capricious, fanciful and really obstinate! He moves out in particular at night, passing from house to house in order to take away the blankets to the one who sleeps or to sit on his chest so that he can’t breathe. It makes long plaits with the tails and the manes of the horses, he steals the fodder to the cows in the stables in order to give it to another cow that he likes more. He adores children and he dislikes old women. But in particular he likes to make jokes to young brides. If a Linchetto picks on you, you can just hope that he has a liking for you otherwise he won’t leave you alone so easily and he will make jokes to you until you won’t manage to make him go away. Old people teach us that you can keep away a Linchetto hanging a juniper branch to the front door of the house or of the stable: for some mysterious reason the Linchetto feels obliged to count the numberless berries of the juniper before entering, but he soon gets bored with counting and he renounces his spiteful designs running away.