|
|
Farm description
Interview
Quality
Photos
. . . that La Deliciosa is located on ground that was virgin land less than 100 years ago?
|
|
|
La Deliciosa farms belong to the Bartusch family and are located in the Rio Negro Valley in the province of Neuquen, Argentina. The homestead has been in the family for three generations (with the fourth generation growing up rapidly). In fact, La Deliciosa has grown steadily over the years and now comprises 35 ha of cultivated land the majority of which is planted in apples, pears and stonefruit. Recently, some annual crops such as garlic, onion, and pumpkin have also been incorporated to increase bio-diversity.
|
The original orchards are located near the town of Centenario. Due to the close proximity to neighbours who farmed conventionally, this proved to be a problem when the Bartusch family took up organic farming.
It is for this reason that the family has purchased a piece of property near Anelo (60 km out of town), which is located in a wilderness area where there is no danger of contamination. This property was developed as an organic farm from the very beginning and has been planted in a variety of crops. In order to be able to irrigate the farm, a canal had to built and paid for by the family members. This water from the Rio Negro is of prime quality as it flows from glaciers high in the Andes.
Given the complexity of organic farming and the distance from town, a full time manager is in charge of the farm in Anelo. However, most family members participate in the farming and exporting operation. The father, Ernesto, provides the focal point for the whole operation while maintaining some hands-on involvement at farm level as much as he can. His sons, son-in-law, and daughters are in charge of specialized areas such as export, irrigation, or quality control.
The whole family is very committed to organic farming and it shows. After having experienced some problems with contaminated fruit, the family decided to build a new packing facility, which is exclusively dedicated to organic fruit. By reinvesting the profits of their farming operation for many years, the family is now one of the largest producers of organic fruit in the Rio Negro Valley.
|