The Old Grove at First Light
Before breakfast, the olive terraces hold the night's cool air. Thrushes move through the carob trees and the old irrigation channel begins to catch the sun. This is when Tomas Riera walks the grove, checking stone walls, new shoots, and signs of water stress.
His family has tended these slopes for four generations. The work now is as much restoration as harvest.
Stone, shade, and patient work
Dry-stone walls slow rain before it leaves the slope. Ground cover holds soil around the roots. Pruning opens each tree to air while keeping enough shade for hotter summers. None of the changes is dramatic on its own. Across twelve hectares, they determine whether the grove can thrive without heavy irrigation.
Guests can join Tomas on Tuesday and Friday mornings. The walk ends with bread, crushed tomato, local salt, and oils from the previous three harvests.
What the grove teaches
Read the ground
Wild plants reveal compacted soil, hidden damp, and where insects are returning.
Keep the walls working
Local stone is reset by hand so winter rain slows and sinks into each terrace.
Harvest by tree
Fruit is picked in small lots, then pressed the same day to preserve its character.
Walk the terraces with Tomas
Reserve the first-light grove walk privately or join the small weekly group during your stay.