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Between L’Agentina and Alcaidús there are 68 hectares of land managed by a young farmer full of hopes and dreams. Torralba d’en Salord has entered the Land Stewardship Scheme. This farm is run mainly for stock watered by rain, and its principal activity is for pasturing animals and sowing oats, both indigenous varieties of Menorca. With the intention of respecting the rhythm of the soil, the place is divided into two areas, one for grazing and one for sowing cereals, by rotation. Sowing legumes is one of the objectives, intended to be achieved soon, in order to improve the fertility of the soil.

The type of livestock and the environmental conscience of the farmer mean that various water points have been adapted very well as much for the livestock as for the wildlife. In the summer, animals look for water and many eventually die in the water containers because they fall in and cannot get out. By making ramps with small stones this problem disappears which is good for the wildlife that lives freely in the countryside.

A great number of rocks have been recovered and now the drystone walls have returned to their function of controlling livestock adding to the landscape and providing a refuge for many animals.

Born into a family dedicated to farming, this university graduated young man is part of a new generation of farmers looking for economic viability from land that also benefits environmental conservation.

With the signing of the Land Stewardship scheme, shared short-term objectives have been set making this double benefit so appealing that other farms are already applying them. Some of the next challenges are to start selling direct to the public with sides of lamb and supplementing income with a small production of fruit and vegetables.

Let us welcome these new localities that aim to help the economy and maintain the environmental values of Menorca.