Farming in Maro
Moving manure and hay closer to spread around trees.
Through WWOOF, I gained access to a farm list in Southern Spain and beyond. WWOOF, short for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is a global network that links volunteers with organic farmers. The concept is simple: volunteers, known as "WWOOFers," offer their labor in exchange for room and board on organic farms worldwide. This arrangement not only allows individuals to learn about organic farming and sustainable living but also exposes them to different cultures while assisting host farmers in their endeavors. It's a distinctive method for people to acquire hands-on agricultural experience and contribute to the organic farming community.
After more than 9 months in Càdiz, it was time to move on just like the out-of-state students and foreign students who came here to do their masters. At least from their side, they got homes to head back to while on my side, I had to figure out what was next. Under pressure, I rolled up my sleeves to get the search going. After many attempts and no definite responds from farm owners or even vineyards in Ribeira Sacra, I finally got an answer to call a person called Aurelio. It turned out that he was the owner of the farm. I gave him a call and there was a good rapport between us right away and even a date was set; this was a sigh of relief to have something definite. I couldn’t imagine myself living in Càdiz at the peak of the summer season.
It was a long bus ride to Malaga, then another bus ride going to Nerja. Luckily, Aurelio would pick me up in Nerja. I got here late at night and waited for Aurelio at the bus stop. We drove back to his place and walked me to my designated cabin. There was no electricity. He gave me a head flashlight to navigate through. It was a small cabin and I was by myself. I wasn’t sure about the cleanliness of the bed, but luckily I had 2 white bedsheets with me to cover the bed and with that I had a summer sleeping bag. With the bottled water I carried with me, I was able to use that to brush my teeth. I could hear waves while I was brushing outside, but didn’t bother to explore. I went to bed right away and fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes in the morning, I could more the sound of the waves. I peeped out and then, I stepped out to see the view and I got close to the cliff and had an overview of the ocean. What a sight! I walked around a bit to orient myself and finally, figured out how to get to the main house where I saw Aurelio. He told me that his family was in Germany spending a month of summer. He mentioned to me that we would go later to visit his farm on the other side. We took his jeep and headed to his farm. He showed me the avocado trees and banana trees. We also picked out figs before heading there. The figs were already flocked by ants, but still we managed to pick some good ones and that became our breakfast and energized us for the morning.
Avocado trees are known for their insatiable thirst of water. Luckily, water from the mountain was supplying water into the creek and that’s where … THE. He then took me to another farm and showcased his agricultural endeavors. Given the subtropical climate of the area, most of his crops consisted of bananas and avocados. While avocados require ample water, a stream originating from the nearby mountain irrigated most of the plants in the vicinity. However, concerns about the sustainability of this water supply due to climate change lingered. Nonetheless, at that moment, his crops were flourishing, with the avocados nearing harvest in about a month.
Life at Alpargata Farm was far from strict. Aurelio had only one rule for his guests: no smoking. We conversed a bit before he escorted me back to my cabin. Still unfamiliar with my surroundings, I relied on Aurelio's guidance and the faint glow of my headlight. Over the next few days, I began to acclimate to farm life, albeit with some initial difficulty navigating the terrain. Aurelio encouraged me to explore the farm at my leisure, affirming that it was up to me to familiarize myself with the surroundings. After a day of toiling in the soil, an outdoor shower provided a refreshing respite.