The green shoots of Spring bring a new lightness to the landscape. In the Lancomilla Valley the seasons are very distinct and the colours wash through like a great wave wiping out all trace of the season before.
Heading out into the fields with a long day ahead, 1400 trees to plant. We start about 7am, then take a break from the midday heat before returning to plant again about 4pm. Each tree requires a lot of time first the soil in the hole that was drilled last winter must be broken up and water added, then new compost mixed in – of course Claudio and Miguel do this in record time – the rest of us not even attempting to keep up with them!
Next, one of us comes along and mixes in a good dose of compost and water at the surface so the tree is happy in its new home. When the tree is comfortably situated we give it a stake to climb up and cover it with a protector so the rabbits dont gnaw away at the baby bark. Finally, just to make sure the tree has everything it needs, we give it a nice feeding of water deep under the roots.
The end of a long and rewarding days work we leave the trees to bathe in the cool evening air!
