February and March 2025. The Fundación Cerezales Antonino y Cinia (FCAYC) continues to enrich its public programme of cultural activities with LABRANZAS, a cycle designed to deepen the knowledge and practice of traditional agricultural techniques, essential in the conservation of biodiversity from a sovereign perspective. During February and early March, FCAYC will host three meetings open to the public, focusing on fruit tree pruning, seed reproduction and the exchange of local varieties.
LABRANZAS. Pruning in the waning quarter
With winter settling in and the moon in its February waning quarter, it is an ideal time to prune fruit trees. This practice promotes healthy growth and, at this time of year, facilitates healing before spring bud break. During the workshop, the apple and pear trees of FCAYC will serve as a reference to learn about the importance and correct execution of this technique.
How and why reproduce your own seeds?
This workshop will address the problems of the global seed market and its impact on the disappearance of local varieties. In addition, essential keys for the reproduction of seeds will be presented, promoting their conservation and the autonomy of those who cultivate them. This meeting will be activated by Miguel Arribas, a member of the Aleka Association based in Guipuzcoa. Aleka is an initiative that aims to generate an alternative to the current seed market, which imposes uniformity and genetic and cultural erosion on our agriculture.
SEED SWAPS. Seed exchange
To close the winter proposals for the Labranzas cycle, FCAYC offers a new edition for the exchange of seeds and knowledge, encouraging the conservation and multiplication of local varieties. This event strengthens the network of seed guardians, committed to agricultural biodiversity and its integration in the communities. It will also contribute to the work of the FCAYC Seed Bank, where varieties such as the pinto bean, different types of maize and wild dye plants are conserved and reproduced, thus preserving the genetic wealth of the territory.
About Aleka
Miguel Arribas (Kelo) is an agroecological producer and founder of the Aleka association, the Basque seed production network for organic farming. They promote the agroecological sector to recover biodiversity, recover the rights of producers and facilitate the commercialisation of their seeds. Aleka is based in the Leunda Berri farmhouse and is the only farmhouse dedicated exclusively to producing seeds.