A year on a Majorcan finca
Almonds in February, wheat in June, olives in November: a year on a Majorcan finca, told month by month.
- Text: admin
- 1 min read
A finca is not a view, it is a calendar. Understanding the one that belongs to the land you are visiting is the best way to understand its value.
Winter
The almond trees flower in the middle of the grey. It is pruning season, and the time to repair the dry-stone walls that hold the terraces together.
Spring
The fields turn green in a week. Sheep are moved up, and the first cut of hay is made before the heat arrives.
“The land does not need much. It needs the same person coming back every year.”
A farmer near Santanyí
Summer
Everything waits for water. The cisterns, wells and old irrigation channels decide the harvest. In July, the property is at its most beautiful and its most demanding.
Autumn
Olives, carobs and figs. The first rain after the dry months is an event; the whole property changes smell.
A rule of thumb
- Visit in two different seasons before making an offer;
- Ask what has to be done each month, and by whom;
- Check that the water rights go with the property.
A finca such as Cortijo Alto makes more sense when you understand the year that it follows.
