Sting Is Charging People $345 A Day To Harvest His Crops

[Rickenbacker]

From Ultimate Classic Rock:

Going to a farm to pick fresh fruit is a popular pastime for many families. However, if you’re doing it on Sting‘s Italian estate, it’s not only going to cost you a pretty penny, it appears you don’t even get to keep your bounty.

The Telegraph has discovered that, at Il Palagio, Sting’s 900-acre estate in the Tuscany region of Italy, people can pay £208 ($345) to spend a day picking grapes and olives with his staff. “Roll up your sleeves and join the grape or olive harvest in the field of dreams at Il Palagio,” Sting says in a statement. “Start the day with a picnic on the expansive lawn and a briefing from the estate manager to help you understand your work as a farmer-for-a-day: learn about the soil, the vines and trees, and techniques for harvesting.”

For their troubles, those who take him up on the offer are allowed to sample the wine made on premises, which includes a red called ‘Message in a Bottle,’ which is billed as a “complex aroma of cherries, wild blackberries and spices.”

Sting, who is worth a reported $300 million, purchased Il Palagio in 1999 when the 16th century estate was in a state of disrepair. He restored the property and reactivated the farm, selling not just wine, but honey and olive oil which can be purchased on the premises. Demand has been so high that they will soon be offering them via mail order. Il Palagio also has six cottages that can be rented out for £6,000 a week.


Yeah, it's his property & he can do what he wants with it. Makes him look like an a-hole though. I do wonder if this story will be corrected in a week & I'd love to hear his side of it. If this is accurate, this is a prime example of why I feel little sympathy for long-established musicians who whine about piracy, etc.

[trurl]

Sting is, as far as I can tell, King Of Dicks.

[Scott Bails]

Why is he an a-hole or a dick? Is he forcing anyone to do this? If someone is rich enough or dumb enough to do this, isn't it on them? He seems pretty up-front about what you're getting and not getting.

[Mythos]

What what he charges to wash his car or shine his shoes?

[trurl]

Because he's arrogant and egotistical. Basically. He seems to have all the symptoms of a clinical narcissist.

[Oreb]

Start the day with a picnic on the expansive lawn and a briefing from the estate manager to help you understand your work as a farmer-for-a-day: learn about the soil, the vines and trees, and techniques for harvesting.”

For their troubles, those who take him up on the offer are allowed to sample the wine made on premises, which includes a red called ‘Message in a Bottle,’ which is billed as a “complex aroma of cherries, wild blackberries and spices.

Doesn't sound too different to a lot of those weekend adult education courses that are pretty popular these days. Target well-heeled urbanites with some dreams of a rural experience and throw in some basic info about the region etc.

Nothing unusual about it, even if this is at the high-end price-wise.

[rePete]

It's a business. And a successful one at that. He took something in disrepair and has made something of it - not to mention employing people in the region. Good on him.

[tom unbound]

Green Acres, 2014. I can hear Sting singing the theme song now..... "Greeeeeen Acres is the place to be, faaaaaaaaaaarm livin' is ....."

[Jerjo]

Other than those classic five albums, this is my favorite Police moment, an interview with all three in late 1999. Profane, irreverent, and hilarious.

http://www.thepolice.com/news/revolver-69026

[notallwhowander]

Does he play the lute for you while you do it?

[Plasmatopia]

On the plus side, I doubt you're actually required to produce any significant amount of output while you're there.

[rcarlberg]

Does he play the lute for you while you do it?

Chances are very good he's not at the estate on the dates when his well-heeled, but not very bright, fans are.

[ronmac]

"There's a little black spot on the sun today." And for a mere 500 clams, you can look at it from Sting's vast estate.

[Garden Dreamer]

Wow, that interview is hysterical!

[Jerjo]

Wow, that interview is hysterical!

The whole exchange about Sting's lawsuit with Puff Daddy was golden

[Vic2012]

I opened this thread just as a Sting song came on the jukebox. I swear it's true. Don't know the title but the chorus goes "if I ever lose my faith" or something like that.

[Vic2012]

I read that hilarious interview. Very edifying.....

[kayfabe58]

Self serving....if he were an American citizen he would be all for the Occupy Wall Street scam...

[rePete]

It's nice to see someone building something and succeeding. If it really were some sort of rip-off, and people didn't feel like they were getting their money's worth for the entire experience, then there would be no demand. Obviously that's not the case.

[ronmac]

Self serving....if he were an American citizen he would be all for the Occupy Wall Street scam...

Well, okay then.

[Gruno]

It's nice to see someone building something and succeeding. If it really were some sort of rip-off, and people didn't feel like they were getting their money's worth for the entire experience, then there would be no demand. Obviously that's not the case.

Well said and very true.

[Plasmatopia]

It's nice to see someone building something and succeeding. If it really were some sort of rip-off, and people didn't feel like they were getting their money's worth for the entire experience, then there would be no demand. Obviously that's not the case.

I don't think Sting relies on this business for his 900-acre estate to thrive.

[rePete]

I don't think Sting relies on this business for his 900-acre estate to thrive.

I don't know how much that part of the business contributes, I don't have access to that information. All I think that we can safely say is that he bought a place that was in poor shape, invested in it, made it successful, employs people in the area, and that he has created a demand for people to pay good money to experience it, which contributes to the success of the estate. It also gets the community involved and is good for tourism. None of these seem like bad things to me. On the contrary, it all seems pretty positive and constructive.

[Vic2012]

I don't think Sting relies on this business for his 900-acre estate to thrive.

I don't think so either. Frankly, I find the whole thing a bit repulsive. He should be hiring locals and paying them a fair wage to harvest grapes and whatever else. Nothing personal against the man, I've always respected him as a musician and songwriter. But Christ man, charging people to do physical work is wrong. I mean, it's not like a personal meet and greet where it makes sense to charge a fee. This is just as ridiculous as the NFL charging acts to play at halftime, for the "honor" of playing a SB halftime.

[Rickenbacker]

I don't think so either. Frankly, I find the whole thing a bit repulsive. He should be hiring locals and paying them a fair wage to harvest grapes and whatever else. Nothing personal against the man, I've always respected him as a musician and songwriter. But Christ man, charging people to do physical work is wrong. I mean, it's not like a personal meet and greet where it makes sense to charge a fee. This is just as ridiculous as the NFL charging acts to play at halftime, for the "honor" of playing a SB halftime.

Exactly.