The most striking feature of the Galician landscape, more than its natural beauty or sober architecture, is that almost every property, even on the outskirts of cities, has its own substantial crops, and some degree of self-sufficiency.
Tall and abundant as they are, vines and maize are the most visible plantings, but there are also beets, pumpkins, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, as well as decent apple orchards.
Mashed apples were then placed in the press and the press turned and tightened to release the juices.
Pressed apples are pictured below.
Tall and abundant as they are, vines and maize are the most visible plantings, but there are also beets, pumpkins, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, as well as decent apple orchards.
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| Self-sufficiency |
It derives from the medieval practice of strip farming where arable areas were divided up among families of the village to enable them to feed themselves. It ceased hundreds of years ago in other parts of Europe, for example in England, where its departure further tilted power away from the peasantry towards the elite.
People here own their own title these days (unlike strip farming where lands were divided up each year). You’ll often see the women of the family out in the fields in their pinafores tending their maize.
The property we were staying in had beautiful apple orchards, and we often spent half an hour of late afternoon wandering around sampling different varieties, or attempting to have a five-minute doze in the hammock strung between two apple trees while keeping one eye on a toddler pursing worm-encrusted fruit.
People here own their own title these days (unlike strip farming where lands were divided up each year). You’ll often see the women of the family out in the fields in their pinafores tending their maize.
The property we were staying in had beautiful apple orchards, and we often spent half an hour of late afternoon wandering around sampling different varieties, or attempting to have a five-minute doze in the hammock strung between two apple trees while keeping one eye on a toddler pursing worm-encrusted fruit.
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| Orchards at Soutamaior cottage |
The family who owned the property was keen to have a go at making organic apple juice, and one Saturday rounded up a bunch of friends and neighbours to collect the windfall fruit and press it into juice. They wanted to bottle and and store it to enjoy next summer.
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| Windfall apples |
The number of wine bottles they had collected was perhaps optimistic – there were over 200 laid out around the idyllic spot by the river where they were to start the juicing.
Because they were using a grape press, and grapes are a much softer fruit, the apples needed to be mashed first, using these cool handmade tools below. Hard but satisfying work.
Because they were using a grape press, and grapes are a much softer fruit, the apples needed to be mashed first, using these cool handmade tools below. Hard but satisfying work.
Mashed apples were then placed in the press and the press turned and tightened to release the juices.
Pressed apples are pictured below.
Juices were then tipped into a vat and transferred to sterilised bottles. The fresh juice was brown and cloudy and exceptionally sweet and flavoursome. Cheers for next summer.
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| Juice team |
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