Introduction
| We are at the bottom of the valley, on the flood plain of River Ter. The flat terrains, the "terraces" of the river, are fertile, accessible, with calm water and for that reason they are the best place to grow crops. |
| Common sainfoin and grass crops for cattle are the priorities. Throughout the whole spring and summer, one, two or even three desserts are made. The grass is allowed to dry and then it is collected into little balls, wrapped in plastic. In the ball it continues fermenting and becoming more digestible by the ruminants. Finally it is stored for later feeding of the cattle throughout the winter: it is the hay. |
| Animals (cows and horses used for meat production) in the spring-summer are on the mountain eating grass from the natural meadows. When the grass of the pastures of the high mountain is yellow (when cold arrives) the animals go down to the bottom of the valley where they can still eat the fields. The distribution of animals is not random and they are moving in delimited fields to make the most out of them. It is not uncommon to find already in these fields, feaders to strengthen with the hay collected during the summer. When hay is not enough, farmers must buy straw to replace it. Most of this cattle will be taken to the Empordà plain to spend the winter: it is the moment of transhumance with the difference that previously they did it on foot and now they are carried in trucks. |
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