In the 16th century, the Spanish King Charles V was so captivated with the cheese from Sicily’s Hyblaean Mountains that he declared it tax-free. Today, that royal legacy is carried on by farmers who battle much more than just taxes—they battle the elements.

We spent a day on a traditional Hyblaean farm just days after a tornado ripped through the valley. It missed the stalls by a hair, sparing the herd and the creamery.