Rapunzel Products Nuts

Organic almonds from Andalusia

How Rapunzel supplier La Almendrehesa lets the region flower

Almendrehesa-Alvelal

Landscape during springtime

[15/01/21] The Spanish Rapunzel almonds are produced in the Southeastern region of Spain. There, almond supplier La Almendrehesa helps to strengthen a barren region that is characterized by a rural exodus. During the flowering time, the almond blossoms transform the region into a sea of white and pink.

What are the contributions that this supplier makes to the sustainable development of the region? La Almendrehesa surpasses the minimum requirements for organic cultivation and puts greatest value into a sustainably social, regional development.

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La Almendrehesa was founded in 2016 in the Spanish Altiplano region and was the result of a foundation project for countryside restoration in the Southeastern part of Andalusia.

In this region, frost and erosion threaten the harvests of the farmers. At the same time, very hot summers can dry out the soil and the plants, as the semiarid desertification is spreading more and more.

The restoration project is implemented by the "AlVelAl" group. The members of this group are farmers, landowners, scientists and entrepreneurs. The name of the group refers to the affected region where the group is active Altiplano de Granada (Granada), Los Vélez (Almería) and Alto Almanzora. La Almendrehesa cooperates with AlVelAl and has the task to process and market the organically cultivated products from the project.

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The farmers support the project

Climate change as a challenge, organic-regenerative agriculture as a solution

The consequences of climate change are apparent in the region and the challenges are great: precipitation decreases, average temperatures increase and the lack of water grows. La Almendrehesa and AlVelAl want to convert the land with organic-regenerative and socially-sustainable agriculture, making the land productive once again and providing viable perspectives to the regional people.

What does that mean exactly? The farmers build up humus in the soil, manipulate the soil only as little as necessary and supply nutrients in the winter trough the cultivation of legumes. This way, CO2 is absorbed in the soil and hillside erosion is prevented. Due to more organic material, the soil takes up more water and can store it for a longer time.

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Erosion caused by heavy rainfall

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Frost threatens the almond blossom in the spring

Biodiversity also plays a big role in the project. Almonds are not cultivated in monoculture but are complemented by cereal, wine and olives. In addition, some areas are totally left to nature. Livestock also contributes: sheep graze the winter greens, protecting the soil against erosion and adding natural fertilizer to the soil. Bee colonies pollinate the flowers and insects that find shelter between the rows of almond trees, hedges and plant islands keep the plants healthy.

Finally, the efficient use of water is of great significance in this dry region. In order to prevent that heavy rains wash away the soil or that droughts wither the plants, the farmers have installed water retention ditches.

Therefore, the almonds are grown almost exclusively in dry cultivation. This leads to lower yields, but produces better quality almonds.

For nature and people: also the people in the region benefit

The ecological and economic success of the project convinces more and more farmers in the region. They witness that the ecological orientation makes their plants more resistant against diseases, pests and climatic influences. Newly created jobs counteract the rural depopulation.

Training provided by AlVelAl and La Almendrehesa improve the farmers' know-how about ecological relationships. Agricultural experts explain e.g. the preparation of compost and refute certain, deeply engrained ideas.

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White and pink almond blossoms

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Almonds shortly before harvest with a ladybug, an important beneficial insect against aphids

Many farmers, for example, believed that the soil around the almond trees should always be kept "clean" and devoid of other cultures. Or that a good farmer has to work the soil as often as possible. In the end, also the higher prices that La Almendrehesa pays for the organic almonds motivates the farmers to convert to regenerative methods instead of trying to miximize yields.

Founder and manager of La Almendrehesa, Frank Ohlenschlaeger, puts the basic idea of the project in a nutshell. People, their food, their health and their relationships with the environment are all interrelated. And it is not enough to just minimize the damage; already destroyed structures must be restored. These words illustrate our responsibility and show how a small package of almonds on a shelf can be an important piece of the bigger picture.

Almendrehesa-Alvelal