Visits: 237
Immense cliffs, Egyptian vultures flying above, shade from holm oaks, pines and irrigation ditches remind us of past times. We are entering a place of great ecological and cultural value, notable for its legends and history that hides Es Moli de Baix, a farm newly incorporated into the network of the Land Stewardship Scheme.
We are welcomed for a visit there by Flora Ritman, the owner and manager of the farm, and whom you are sure to have seen at a fair or market with her original pumpkins, cultivated in the ravine, that she hand crafts herself.
The Algendar ravine is an environmentally fragile place, but is a haven for nesting birds as well as for plant life that has adapted to the area. It is a special place of high natural value, a haven for wild animals and flowers and remarkable for its landscapes … it also has high cultural value closely related to its agricultural activity. The land is fertile and protected from the wind and is dedicated to the production of fruit. Loquats, apples, peaches and avocados are some of the fruits we will see as the visit progresses.
Seeking a balance between growing fruit trees and maintaining the natural environment has led to signing up to the Land Stewardship Scheme. The intention of both Flora and GOB is to achieve economic viability for the farm´s produce while conserving the natural elements that are characteristic of this area.
Vestiges of irrigation ditches, water tanks and bridges, or the old mill that gives the farm its name, are a reminder of the important work that was done historically to make maximum use of available water distributing it by the sails of the mill. Water here is managed responsibly and the wish is to add to it by exploiting rainwater.
The farm has ecological certification and sells the fruit crops direct to individuals and to some shops. Farming is combined with guided tours, outside the breeding season, in order to explain to people about this special place.
The measures agreed by signing up to the Land Stewardship Scheme commit the farm to responsible management affecting the improvement of its agricultural produce.