The water-meadow is an incredible traditional farming technique used in the Po Valley. It was first established in the grange, large agricultural estates owned by abbeys. This technique involves gravity-fed irrigation, using water from natural springs even during the winter season.

During the summer, the meadows are periodically irrigated, while in winter, they are irrigated continuously. The spring water flows year-round at a constant temperature between 9°C (in winter) and 14°C (in summer) due to the gently sloping terrain. This incredible technique prevents the soil from freezing, allowing vegetation to continue growing through the winter. It enables at least seven cuts of forage per year, sometimes even nine, compared to 4-5 cuts obtained from the cultivation of the best permanent meadows.
The name water-meadow comes from the ancient practice of leaving the final winter cut to “rot” on the irrigated meadow.

Although the inventor of the water-meadow technique is unknown, monks from France commonly get the credit, particularly the Cistercians, who enormously contributed to its spread in the northern Italian countryside. The use of marcite allowed farmers to feed their livestock with fresh grass from the end of February, resulting in milk and dairy yields that were among the highest in Europe.

Source: Wikipedia