Autumn’s Harvest is gathered
at Finca Montaña.
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| Collecting the almonds |
The walnuts, chestnuts and almonds are all
now gathered. It has been a poor
year for Almonds in the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada due to a combination of
frosts getting at the blossom and high winds as the nuts were setting. The grape harvest was poor too. Probably due a lot of mists at our
height (1300m) throughout the summer.
Most peoples grapes around here seemed to suffer the same mildew fate.
We have chestnuts in abundance and have
been experimenting with chestnut recipes, though so far the best use for them
has either been Chestnuts roasted on the fire or various forms of chestnut
stuffing. Delicious!
This year we had to leave Spain in
mid-October so didn’t manage to gather all of the grapes in. As a result we have only been able to
make 25 litres of wine this year. Although with wine so cheap in Spain I
sometimes wonder if it’s worth the effort of making our own wine….. Of course it is! It will be bottled in December and will
take pride of place at the dinner table for special events.
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| The Grape Harvest! |
We had bought a new grape press this year
to replace our traditional method of treading the grapes (in the washing up
bowl). It’s such good fun
harvesting your own grapes and making your own wine. With a predicted world shortage of wine looming in the next
few years I’m starting to plan creating our own vineyard and will be planting
next spring. So if you fancy a
working holiday contributing to save the world from a wine shortage combined
with some fine walking, book your stay at Finca Montaña.
We’re currently enjoying a few weeks back
in the U.K. but come the start of December we’ll be back to start the job of
pruning our fruit trees, and turning the land over with our cultivator.
So the big plan for next year is to develop
the wine producing alongside taking in guests and leading guided walks. If you fancy staying at Finca Montaña
visit our website.
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| December, walking in a T shirt! |
Finca Montaña is a great, reasonably
priced, base for walkers to enjoy the spectacular hill and mountain walking that
the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada have to offer. Walking is possible throughout
the year in The Alpujarra though it’s a good idea to miss the heat of August.
Even in January and February it is often possible to walk wearing a T shirt.
Walking in the High Sierra Nevada is cooler! The best months are June, July,
September and October though if you fancy some snowshoeing (possibly combined
with some warmer walking in the Alpujarra), February is a good time to visit.
