Spainish Newbies
#16
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Joined: May 2020
Posts: 0
Re: Spainish Newbies
Hi,
Latest crop fad people hope to make money from is growing truffles (and as it is becomeing more well-known, expect future glut so prices will plummet - like oranges, mandarins, peaches, olives, almonds, etc.), can be done with innoculated hazelnut tree roots. Long-term investment. Money usually made more from state subsidies for large landowners than those smallholders who produce something, complicated area to get a piece of that action, to put it bluntly.
Olives or almonds are not a good idea unless you have hundreds of hectares. Carob is also more going in than comes out.
If you really want to live off the land here, you need to properly research e.g. a truly unfashionable but high-value niche product and keep very quiet about it (for reason stated above about ingrained copycat mad dash into xyz crop making them worthless). And combine this with other revenue-generating activities. Some people with teaching qualifications offer rural intensive English courses. Maybe some sort of flowering plant(s) that is (are) profitable could be an add-on to flog each spring. True lemongrass (tall grass that repels mosquitos, not silly, useless flower sold in its name) - no idea if it's profitable, but it's hard to find in your average garden center. Spain is more who you know than what you know.
Best of luck with everything.
Latest crop fad people hope to make money from is growing truffles (and as it is becomeing more well-known, expect future glut so prices will plummet - like oranges, mandarins, peaches, olives, almonds, etc.), can be done with innoculated hazelnut tree roots. Long-term investment. Money usually made more from state subsidies for large landowners than those smallholders who produce something, complicated area to get a piece of that action, to put it bluntly.
Olives or almonds are not a good idea unless you have hundreds of hectares. Carob is also more going in than comes out.
If you really want to live off the land here, you need to properly research e.g. a truly unfashionable but high-value niche product and keep very quiet about it (for reason stated above about ingrained copycat mad dash into xyz crop making them worthless). And combine this with other revenue-generating activities. Some people with teaching qualifications offer rural intensive English courses. Maybe some sort of flowering plant(s) that is (are) profitable could be an add-on to flog each spring. True lemongrass (tall grass that repels mosquitos, not silly, useless flower sold in its name) - no idea if it's profitable, but it's hard to find in your average garden center. Spain is more who you know than what you know.
Best of luck with everything.
#17
Re: Spainish Newbies
If Spain is anything like Italy it is quite difficult to find a fertile hectare of land with a reliable well that you can still pump from in August after 12 months of draught. You want land that gets sunshine in January so you can grow stuff in a polytunnel and get early spring crops. Even olives dont care much for north facing slopes with infertile soils.
A good fence is useful to keep the neighbours pigs off your plot and passers by stealing your stuff.
Safron is easy to grow. The bulbs are expensive and harvesting is back breaking. Once planted it grows every year without much maintenance. I grow it between rows of vines.
Good luck with your project.
A good fence is useful to keep the neighbours pigs off your plot and passers by stealing your stuff.
Safron is easy to grow. The bulbs are expensive and harvesting is back breaking. Once planted it grows every year without much maintenance. I grow it between rows of vines.
Good luck with your project.
Last edited by philat98; Jun 2nd 2020 at 7:44 pm.
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Spainish Newbies
If Spain is anything like Italy it is quite difficult to find a fertile hectare of land with a reliable well that you can still pump from in August after 12 months of draught. You want land that gets sunshine in January so you can grow stuff in a polytunnel and get early spring crops. Even olives dont care much for north facing slopes with infertile soils.
A good fence is useful to keep the neighbours pigs off your plot and passers by stealing your stuff.
Safron is easy to grow. The bulbs are expensive and harvesting is back breaking. Once planted it grows every year without much maintenance. I grow it between rows of vines.
Good luck with your project.
A good fence is useful to keep the neighbours pigs off your plot and passers by stealing your stuff.
Safron is easy to grow. The bulbs are expensive and harvesting is back breaking. Once planted it grows every year without much maintenance. I grow it between rows of vines.
Good luck with your project.
#20
Re: Spainish Newbies
I open the sides of the polytunnel when it gets hot. I am just harvesting tomatoes and courgettes now.
#21
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Spainish Newbies
Last edited by Moses2013; Jun 3rd 2020 at 7:14 am.
#22
Re: Spainish Newbies
There are many acres covered with plastic growing tomatoes near Mazzaron. It gets really hot there. I believe they are owned by Tesco?
#23
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Spainish Newbies
https://www.freshplaza.com/article/2...-and-mazarron/
Heat damages up to 60% of tomatoes in Águilas and Mazarrón
The Agrarian Association of Young Growers (ASAJA) in the Region of Murcia has reported the loss of 60% of the tomatoes planted in areas of Águilas and Mazarrón.ASAJA-Murcia has stated that the damage was caused by the high temperatures on Thursday, which exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, which follow up on similar levels registered in recent weeks.
Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca, general secretary of ASAJA-Murcia, said that temperatures above 40 degrees can take "a very negative toll, especially in the cultivation of tomatoes, which according to our estimates could have registered losses of up to 60 percent."
For his part, Jose Martínez Quiñonero, vice president of Asaja-Murcia, expects temperatures to drop and consequently for "the climate to become more benign, since these heat waves are very harmful and negative for Murcia's entire food industry."
Martínez Quiñonero stressed the need for "greater flexibility in the general conditions of agricultural insurances, as producers increasingly have to pay more money themselves and receive fewer benefits. In fact, the impact of the heat on tomatoes is not covered by agricultural insurances."
#24
Re: Spainish Newbies
My polytunnel regularly gets to 50C in the afternoon even in May. The toms seem to cope with it as long as they are well watered. A low night temperature probably helps. I concentrate on early varieties for the polytunnel.
#25
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 9
Re: Spainish Newbies
Thanks. After reading all the various replies, we are looking into different options
#26
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 9
Re: Spainish Newbies
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.
#27
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Spainish Newbies
We are currently growing potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, tomatoes, onions, little gem lettuce, mixed leaf lettuce, strawberries & blueberries; all of which is our first proper trial and so far we have a really healthy crop.
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.
Last edited by Moses2013; Jun 4th 2020 at 7:18 pm.
#28
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,018
Re: Spainish Newbies
We are currently growing potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, tomatoes, onions, little gem lettuce, mixed leaf lettuce, strawberries & blueberries; all of which is our first proper trial and so far we have a really healthy crop.
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.
Don't give up on your dreams, they might work. At least you have taken the advice given so far in good faith. You would be surprised at the number who come to these forums wanting advice but are not really interested.
If its any help, we know a couple who live 'off grid' no water, electric. They grow crops and have some animals and swap these for things they need. Of course they both speak reasonable spanish but it can work.
#29
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Spainish Newbies
Don't give up on your dreams, they might work. At least you have taken the advice given so far in good faith. You would be surprised at the number who come to these forums wanting advice but are not really interested.
If its any help, we know a couple who live 'off grid' no water, electric. They grow crops and have some animals and swap these for things they need. Of course they both speak reasonable spanish but it can work.
If its any help, we know a couple who live 'off grid' no water, electric. They grow crops and have some animals and swap these for things they need. Of course they both speak reasonable spanish but it can work.
#30
Re: Spainish Newbies
We are currently growing potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, tomatoes, onions, little gem lettuce, mixed leaf lettuce, strawberries & blueberries; all of which is our first proper trial and so far we have a really healthy crop.
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.
We are not looking for something to make us a fortune, just enough to be able to pay the bills, pay for shopping etc.
It's just my husband and me, no kids, and we are in our early 50's.
Love to be on the go all day, as originally from a farming background.
There are so many different things to look at, it's mind boggling, and our timing isn't the best as we're not even sure we'll be able to move over after 31st December, it's just something we'll have to see.