We love picking our almonds by hand and throwing the shells, as a natural compost, back under the tree. Feeling the tree, connecting with it.
From an economical point of view, our work is ridiculous. We have been thinking about selling the almonds, but we simply don’t want to be part of a system which exploits, is set up to use machinery and damages the soil. Currently, farmers receive 1,3€ for a kilogram of unpeeled almonds. If you peel them you can sell them here in Spain on the market for 10 €/kg. As you have seen in our former video, peeling them by hand takes about two hours for one kilogram. If you add that to the time of harvesting and peeling the outer skin, pruning the trees, sowing seeds to awaken the soil, buying manure,… well… No wonder farmers are being forced to grow mono-culture crops which are harvested with machinery.
So how can we do it differently? Grow more in harmony with nature? Provide for ourselves and the people around us? Being appreciated for the work we do? Contribute to the improvement of the soil? Create more biodiversity?
When we realize our current system is unnatural, we can make different decisions. Some things will become more expensive, but also more luxurious, instead of ‘normal’. Our lives will become simpler. We will enjoy and appreciate more what we do have. We will be more aware of the value of things and of the impact that our choices have on the planet.
We are still thinking about what we will do with the almonds besides enjoying the fruit of our labor ourselves. Maybe we will exchange them for other things, maybe we will offer some on appreciation base for friends, family or supporters. But one thing is sure, we will no longer support something which no longer feels right.