El Quall, the collective dairy and community workshop in Lluçanès, has opened its doors to provide training for new entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the Summer University of UVic-UCC, a prestigious institution that has organised the fourth edition of the course on the introduction to key cheese-making technologies. The training took place during the first week of July, with 12 participants eager to begin their journey in cheese production.

The training sessions combined theory and practice, ensuring a thorough understanding of the content. The course began with an introduction to the flow and handling of essential ingredients for cheese-making. Afterwards, participants practised key cheese-making techniques such as lactic curd, enzymatic curd, and the preparation of fresh cheeses. The course concluded with a visit to Formatges de Lluçà, a small dairy farm that produces raw milk cheese from its own herd. During the visit, participants learned about goat farming and the cheese production process, as well as enjoying a cheese tasting.

A region that supports cheese makers

For some time now, Lluçanès has established itself as a leader in cheese-making training. In 2013, the first cheese-making course linked to a professional certification was held, recognised by the Department of Business and Employment. By 2016, the first edition of the artisan cheese-making specialisation course, certified by UVic-UCC, was launched. In 2019, the first edition of the course on key cheese-making technologies was introduced, and this month marks its fourth edition thanks to the support of the Alpens Town Council, the Land Products Network from Barcelona Provincial Council, and the Lactotex company.

Art for the artisans

In addition to the training, course participants had the chance to admire the murals decorating El Quall’s façade. The illustrations, created by artist Nirvana Jiménez (Maià de Montcal, 1986), with her distinctive and sensitive style, depict scenes of extensive livestock farming and artisan cheese-making. The result is a modern, creative, and vibrant mural, perfect for welcoming the new generation of artisan cheese-makers in the region.

The mural, covering approximately 90 m², has been well received by local farmers and cheese-makers, who appreciate this initiative to raise awareness of shared workshops as drivers of agricultural and livestock activity.

A pioneering facility in Catalonia

El Quall is a pioneering facility in Catalonia that combines cheese-making training and production in one building. Located in the town of Alpens, the project had an approximate cost of €150,000, co-financed by the Barcelona Provincial Council and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as part of the BCN Smart Rural strategy. This initiative is also promoting four other agro-food processing spaces in the Barcelona regions: the cutting room at the  Montserrat Rural Park, the Bages vegetable processing facility, the small modular abattoir in Moianès, and the Central Catalonia mobile abattoir.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —