Agroforestry in the Dehesa, April 2022 by https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l Photos & notes by Clementine Sandison. Course developed by ARCH, funded through the Erasmus+ programme and hosted by Ernestine Lüdeke from Fundación Monte Mediterrane en-us 2022-05-09 07:48:20 UTC 2026-01-23 22:13:22 UTC hello@padlet.com clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175285131 2022-05-09 07:58:55 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175285131 clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175286131 2022-05-09 07:59:50 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175286131 clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175287765 2022-05-09 08:01:14 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175287765 Course location clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175296534 We were hosted in the training centre of Fundación Monte Mediterrane, a 700 Ha estate north of Sevilla in Andalucia. The Foundation offers a working example of traditional farming methods in The Dehesa, with extensive grazing of pigs, cattle, and sheep, plus cork production and a variety of research/educational projects on site.]]> 2022-05-09 08:08:54 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175296534 Cattle on the farm clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175297219 They keep native breeds Retinto & Berrendo. There is natural leadership in the Berrendo, who often lead the herd. The cows are with the bull from Dec - June, which leads to a long calving window (Oct-April) but they are easy calvers. They run one bull with 30 cows and they graze extensively with free access to 80Ha of wood pasture.]]> 2022-05-09 08:09:26 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175297219 The future of cork oak clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175298624 Trees are more at risk from bush fire when the cork is removed and are also at risk of attack by various pests. With increasing risk of droughts and bush fires due to climate change, and the stress to the trees from harvesting, I think this calls into question the sustainability of cork production longer term.]]> 2022-05-09 08:10:32 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175298624 Transhumance project clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175299449 Transhumance involves the moving of livestock (in this case sheep) from the dry land of the South to lusher mountain pastures of the North (Castilla & Leon). It's very like the traditional practice of taking cattle to the Shielings for the summer in Scotland, but they travel much larger distances in Spain! 

It takes 30-34 days for shepherds to walk the sheep, leaving in mid May, arriving in mid June. There is a network of special roads for the purpose (Cañada Real - royal route). Someone in the office calls ahead to each town/village to let them know shepherds will be passing through. 

Transhumance only provides work for 4 months, so the plan is to create a cooperative for shepherds to work on infrastructure in the mountains, to provide work the whole year.  ]]> 2022-05-09 08:11:12 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175299449 What is the Dehesa? clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175300641 The Dehesa is an ancient agroforestry system in Southern Spain, which involves the integration of animals and trees within a low input farming system.  This is also sometimes described as 'Silvopasture' - trees and grazing.]]> 2022-05-09 08:12:14 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175300641 Sheep on the farm clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175301207 The Merino sheep are managed in a separate area of the farm from the pigs and cattle. They run in smaller flocks each with at least one guard dog.]]> 2022-05-09 08:12:44 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175301207 Hay meadows clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175302827 The hay meadows are resown every two years. Due to the winter drought and poor growth rate, they decided to graze some of these meadows with the sheep rather than cut them this year.]]> 2022-05-09 08:14:10 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2175302827 More info about the ARCH Network course clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182552056 2022-05-13 08:09:00 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182552056 More about the practice of Transhumance clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182555717 2022-05-13 08:12:37 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182555717 Harvesting cork oak clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182596724 It takes about 50yrs before the first harvest can be taken. The 1st harvest of cork (Bornizo) is not usually used as it's not very valuable, ground up. By the 3rd harvest it is more valuable and can be used for bottle corks. 

A tree can sustain another 12 harvests, every 9-12yrs.  Cork is harvested June-July, and can only be separated when the cambium layer is humid enough, so it can’t be done on a dry year.  ]]> 2022-05-13 08:53:50 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182596724 Other uses of cork clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182606281 At the cork research institute they are working with artists and designers to develop products to show how the first & second cork harvests can be used, in furniture and insulation, to avoid waste and get the most out of each harvest.]]> 2022-05-13 09:03:15 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182606281 Understanding the supply chain clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182610258 We went on a number of visits to learn about the supply chain for products produced on the Dehesa - Merino wool, Ibérico pork, cork, organic vegetables and lamb.  

We were also given a talk about the 'Natural Park' system in Spain, which offers a way of working with landowners to manage areas of high biodiversity value while maintaining farming culture. ]]> 2022-05-13 09:07:33 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182610258 Local specialty dishes clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182614005 Wild foraged mushrooms (Boletes) sliced and served raw with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper]]> 2022-05-13 09:11:25 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182614005 Ibérico pork dishes clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182617597 Fresh grilled pork with pistou (tomato and vegetable stew)]]> 2022-05-13 09:15:00 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182617597 Cattle impact clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182645027 The cattle moved around a lot in a day. They seem to have favoured pastures in the morning, which were grazed hard, then they often moved to scrubbier areas in the afternoon. They loved using the trees as scratching posts or hiding places. Without any predator pressure or electric fencing control, the herd had a tendency to spread out and graze selectively.

I was surprised that the farm don't restrict the area the cattle have access to from day to day, which would provide more recovery time and increase grass growth during the Winter/Spring. In turn this would create potential for deferred grazing over the drought months of summer. They are reliant on feeding the cattle straw and alfalfa nuts over the summer in the current system, while the sheep are up north grazing mountain pastures.]]> 2022-05-13 09:44:17 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182645027 Wool processing system clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182668699 At the plant, the wool is sorted by hand and classified according to a variety of measures. Farmers must separate brown and white wool. The dirty wool gets shaken to remove as much soil/sand/manure as possible. 

All wool comes in with QR code to identify the co-op, batch etc and then they add a classification based on: 
-fineness 
-length 
-amount of wool per fleece (efficiency) 
-greesyness, plastic contamination, dirt (sanctions) 
]]> 2022-05-13 10:13:16 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182668699 Getting the wool processed clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182672361 The wool processing plant only deals with the co-ops (not individual producers).  There is great pride in co-ops, they get paid a standard rate for their wool then a premium at the end of the season based on quality. Those farmers who don't have a good quality or supply very dirty wool will have to pay a fine (depending on the co-op’s rules) which keeps standards high.

There are 8 coop members of this processing plant. Each co-op has 200-300 producer members and the sheep breeders are in control of their co-op and each have an equal say.
]]> 2022-05-13 10:17:35 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182672361 How much wool do they process in a year? clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182678096 The fleeces are delivered in 80kg bags (2-3kg per sheep), and once it's sorted and pressed, each bale weighs 400-500kg. They process in the region of 4 million kilos of wool per year. 

This plant only looks after the classification and pressing of fleeces.  The bales are then sent to Portugal to be washed and return clean. Currently one of the only organic washing facilities is in Uruguay, but they have recently bought a wool washing plant in the North of Spain that they hope to convert into an organic facility.
]]> 2022-05-13 10:24:48 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182678096 Where is Merino wool sold? clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182985893 Once the wool is washed, carded and combed you have 2 products: the top quality merino and a less valuable by-product.

The irony is that most of their finished product is sold on to China for manufacturing into clothing, hardly any of it stays in Spain. Other countries like Italy and Mexico also buy it. ]]> 2022-05-13 14:38:43 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2182985893 Pigs on the farm clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183001397 The foundation buys the piglets in, they are not breeding. They keep 170 pigs for 2 yrs (2 generations). They are given an area calculated at 2ha per pig.

Each pig eats up to 1/2 ton of acorns in 6 months, and they are not allowed any other feed from Oct-Feb to be classed as Ibérico. Slaughter takes place in February when they are 22-26 months old and weigh around 180kilos. 

They need to be run very extensively as they have a heavy impact on the ground. Certain areas showed signs of soil erosion where they pigs spent the most time.  ]]> 2022-05-13 14:48:48 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183001397 Organic sheep co-op clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183073379 The farm is part of an organic co-op with 37 producer-members selling organic lamb. There is very little demand for lamb in Spain compared to pork and beef, so most is sold in France or other countries, particularly to a Halal market  The lambs are seen as a by-product of the wool production. 

Lambs go to slaughter at 25-30kg live weight. Shearing happens in late April and it must be a few weeks before Transhumance starts. 
]]> 2022-05-13 15:37:01 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183073379 clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183083123 2022-05-13 15:43:19 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183083123 clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183084430 2022-05-13 15:44:12 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183084430 clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183085533 2022-05-13 15:44:52 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183085533 clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183086056 2022-05-13 15:45:15 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183086056 Pork processing & curing clemsandison https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183103630 1500-2000 pigs slaughtered in this unit per season from Dec-March. There's a 5 year turn around and production costs are €2-3k. That means €1-1.5k profit per pig. 

Retail price = €250 per kilo sliced (organic) ]]> 2022-05-13 15:57:30 UTC https://padlet.com/clemsandison/798bwvfyctp3774l/wish/2183103630