Emma Viñas Sarria and Pau Garcia Freixa lead El Turó de les Nou Cabres, a family project combining extensive livestock farming and artisan cheesemaking in Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park.
Emma Viñas Sarria and Pau Garcia Freixa lead El Turó de les Nou Cabres, a family project combining livestock farming and dairy production in Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park. Following this young couple of shepherds and cheesemakers as their flock roams the forests of Matadepera (Vallès Occidental) is a genuine lesson in silvopastoralism, forest management and fire prevention. The tinkling of cowbells marks the rhythm of animals grazing amongst shrubs and scrubland. The scene is bucolic; the reality, complex. Along the path and through conversation, we discover the resilience of two strong individuals who live and work with a passion for the land.
An early morning call at the ancestral farmhouse of La Barata, where they keep the ewes with their newborn lambs. A customer alerts them to a stray goat near her neighbourhood. From her description, the animal isn't from El Turó de les Nou Cabres, but Emma doesn't hesitate: they'll go and fetch it anyway. Meanwhile, Pau, her partner in both life and business, has just arrived at La Barata to lead the flock towards the forest, heading for Can Robert at the foot of the Mola massif. We'll accompany them to learn first-hand how silvopastoralism works in this natural park managed by Barcelona Provincial Council, a task this pair of rural entrepreneurs carry out with innovation, dedication and, above all, great care.
Pau is from Matadepera, "raised in the forest", as Emma puts it. She, Barcelona-born but with years lived in Terrassa, spent her childhood in the mountains accompanying her archaeologist parents. Pau's sense of belonging to the Sant Llorenç forests runs equally deep: "My grandfather was already putting out fires before the official fire brigade even existed!" he remarks. His family instilled in him the importance of caring for the land and understanding that every natural element has its purpose. He has a brother who's a firefighter, and other relatives are members of Matadepera's Forest Defence Association, which has given him thorough knowledge of wildfire dynamics.
Pau decided to become a shepherd and attempted to set up a project with two other people and around two hundred sheep, but it didn't work out. Shortly afterwards, Emma (who had trained at Manresa Agricultural School) joined with her own vision and took the initiative to purchase three hundred sheep. A little later, they became a couple and, after a few years, had three children.
At El Turó de les Nou Cabres, they wanted to add a group of dairy goats to "diversify the business". With these animals, they sought a steady monthly income, a strategy that worked for them. They created the cheese dairy and completed their current project: one line commercialising lamb and kid meat, another producing their own dairy products, selling goat's milk to cheese dairies and, finally, silvopastoralism and sustainable forest management. It's an integrated project encompassing all three economic sectors: primary, secondary and tertiary. Emma explains why they committed to this model: "From the start, we were clear that we wanted to close the cycle ourselves: as it's a precarious profession, we wanted to avoid intermediaries and connect directly with the end customer".
Currently they have three hundred and fifty Ripollesa sheep (a cross between banyuda caranegra and Montseny mountain breeds) and one hundred and thirty-five Florida goats, which, as Emma clarifies, are actually serrana-andalusa breed.
Their ruminants feed in the forest and fields: the project manages 46 hectares of agricultural land (through tender, rental or assignment) and, as they're relocating, the animals are distributed across three sites: at La Barata (where we're about to set off with the flock), in Matadepera village and at Can Bogunyà (Terrassa), where they have their dairy workshop and milking parlour.
Moreover, they live within the park, very close to Torre de l'Àngel, at the Gabi houses, where they want to relocate the workshop. "For us, this natural space is home", says Emma. Although they've always worked with separate flocks, recently the situation has become complicated: several companies have set up at the Can Bogunyà estate, and lorries from a nearby sawmill disturb the sheep. "It was causing the lambs significant stress, and we've decided to make the change", Emma explains. They're now awaiting permits to begin work on the new workshop.
"From the start, we were clear that we wanted to close the cycle ourselves: as it's a precarious profession, we wanted to avoid intermediaries and connect directly with the end customer" Emma Viñas
The sheep flock crosses the Arenes stream, guided by Pau and Emma, heading towards Can Robert. After crossing the road (and dodging a cyclist climbing towards Coll d'Estenalles), the ewes stop before some deep brown acorns. "Silvopastoralism is very comprehensive. What they eat most is forest: acorns, kermes oak, sedge, ivy... All this protein-rich food is good for milk production and maintaining body fat", Emma describes. The animals also enjoy lentisc, bramble and gorse. "When gorse is in flower, like now, they absolutely love it!".
Their diet combines forest and field: the latter provides the sunniest grass. But the main course is the forest. "Our sheep eat the landscape", says Emma as she watches them devour the acorns. It's top-quality food that later becomes meat or milk, reaching homes across the Vallès: from natural park to plate.
Operating within a protected natural area involves restrictions, such as all sowing being organic, a criterion they meet. In return, they receive a small remuneration for the ecosystem services they provide. Matadepera's Forest Defence Association (ADF), funded by the Town Council, contracts them for forest management activities under their guidance: maintaining strategic strips with the sheep, tending fields, preparing the municipality's perimeter strips... "It's all symbiosis", Emma explains. "Fire prevention has no future unless it occurs in symbiosis with silvopastoralism", Pau adds.
The key is dialogue between the productive and technical sides. "Before, forestry engineering professionals struggled to understand us. Now they do take us into account, because we've demonstrated that our experience works better than certain theories. Grazing isn't the same here as ten metres away, and you only know that by treading the ground!", Pau explains emphatically. He reads the landscape with an agroforestry mosaic mindset: "When I analyse the forests, I see areas that could be problematic and need to be clearer or have more mosaic".
"Fire prevention has no future unless it occurs in symbiosis with silvopastoralism" Pau Garcia
Pau recalls the tragic events of 10th August 2003, when five people from the same family died in a fire at Sant Llorenç Savall and 4,558 hectares burned, part of it within the park. His father was given up for dead for several hours, but managed to escape the flames because he knew the terrain well. "Until that moment, park management was appalling: they must have thought we were in the Brazilian virgin rainforest and wouldn't let anyone touch anything. Following the fire, it became clear what had been done wrong, and things changed", he recalls.
Years later, the Matadepera Natural Heritage Foundation was created to help with fire prevention and maintain the natural park's paths. The ADF works jointly with them and contracts El Turó de les Nou Cabres for these tasks. This year, additionally, the foundation has granted them a subsidy for ecosystem services. Emma has also applied to the Barcelona Provincial Council for funding to improve the farm's infrastructure.
Emma and Pau agree on the diagnosis of the problem: more productive projects are needed within the park. "The day this burns, it'll reach Sant Llorenç! A hundred years ago, there were vineyards and cereal fields, and now it's all forest. Why don't we recover agriculture? The fields would act as productive firebreaks!", Pau proposes. Emma also recalls that they're the last shepherds in the area, when there used to be up to eight. They live in the park and would like to work as a network.
Beyond the forests, they manage several fields (some on old terraces), where this year they've sown a combination of organic crops: mustard, sainfoin, fenugreek, barley, vetch, oats... "A very complete mix that seems to be working out well", Emma explains, looking forward to seeing the fields coloured pink with sainfoin. Forest and field, field and forest, always.
“Why don't we recover agriculture? The fields would act as productive firebreaks!" Pau Garcia
To clear forests, machinery isn't necessary: Pau and Emma argue that silvopastoralism could be used far more extensively than it currently is. They show us very clear examples right next to their home. When we cross their land, the sheep suddenly stop. Pau explains they've halted because they still remember a recent fright, when a group of fast-moving cyclists collided with the flock and frightened the animals.
It's the flip side of being in a natural park: the impact of mountain tourism, especially at weekends. For Emma, positions need to be brought closer with groups such as runners, cyclists or mushroom foragers, often far removed from the agricultural world. "Most people respect our work; it's just a small percentage who don't. But they ruin my day", Pau explains. "The last five years have seen a significant increase in visitors, especially since the pandemic". This minority tramples their sown fields and damages grazing areas.
When they reach Can Robert, a surprise awaits: someone has cut part of the electric fence mesh, and it no longer works. They'll have to change their morning plan, as they can't graze the sheep in this spot. They decide to take them to a nearby enclosure. "The forest belongs to everyone", Emma assures, but people should take responsibility if they break something.
These shepherds' lives are full of uncertainties, and the day has only just begun. The earliest riser has been Emma, who got up at four in the morning to start the cycle. "I'm fascinated by time. I go to milk, leave the milk, add the rennet and take the children to school... Whilst I'm dropping them off, the milk ferments". She performs indescribable juggling acts with the clock to run the workshop and make artisan cheeses named after features in the park's landscape. "The loveliest thing is getting up early to go to the pen, where sheep and goats await milking. From there I watch the sun rise".
Pau also works on impossible time equations. What fascinates him most is grazing high up in the park, with the sheep "at full mouth". On the day of our visit, his schedule is intense: after taking the flock out from La Barata, he'll go to Matadepera to bring out the sheep and goats that haven't yet given birth. Meanwhile, the goats at Can Bogunyà graze with GPS: Emma guides them from her mobile phone, with virtual fences delimiting the perimeter.
Emma and Pau highly value native breeds of both sheep and dogs, for their maximum adaptability to the terrain. At La Barata, they have a mastiff that guards the animals to prevent theft. El Corb, the Catalan sheepdog who has accompanied our route through the park, is still young but very sharp. On the journey back to the farmhouse, he disappears for a few minutes amongst the bushes. The couple immediately notice his absence. When he returns, we amble slowly towards the pen.
"The loveliest thing is getting up early to go to the pen, where sheep and goats await milking. From there I watch the sun rise" Emma Viñas
Beyond the flock and cheese dairy, Pau works the fields with the tractor, and Emma also handles the administrative and bureaucratic side. In the afternoon, he extends his working day whilst Emma changes hats and puts on her mother's hat to look after their three children.
Roc, Olet and Irati are "children of the forest". Emma sums it up with this anecdote: "At first, our children thought everyone lived like this. They'd ask their schoolmates: 'Don't you have sheep?', 'Don't you slaughter rabbits at your house?' And the other children would reply no, that the rabbit was their pet". Pau describes this deep-rooted lifestyle: they produce much of their own food, hunt, etc. "We're committed to this way of life because we grew up with it. I'd rather hunt, skin the animal and eat it than go to the supermarket. For me, nature is a school, and children learn so much from it!"
This father assures us that his children have integrated "respect for life and for others"; whilst being very aware of death, because they know what it means to slaughter an animal, they also understand the need for empathy. Emma and Pau encourage them to love life and the land around them.
"For me, nature is a school, and children learn so much from it!" Pau Garcia
This innovative farming couple maintains high standards. El Turó de les Nou Cabres is committed to caring for the land and livestock, producing their own goods and marketing them in the Vallès Occidental. This dual role as shepherds and cheesemakers led them to join the Association of Shepherd Cheesemakers of the Catalan Countries, established a few years ago to create a distinctive seal: artisan cheeses made in small dairies with milk from the same flock that grazes daily across the landscape; a demanding criterion they fulfil. Thus, their products carry this organisation's seal, which coordinates a network of local projects committed to an ancestral craft that contributes to improving food sovereignty, keeping people on the land and energising the local economy.
Emma is also co-founder of Ramaderes de Catalunya, a support group for women shepherds working to rethink the agricultural and livestock bureaucratic landscape. "The bureaucracy is extreme: they demand the same level of paperwork from us as from an intensive mega-farm", she complains. As she's responsible for what she calls "agro-torture", she's calling for a change of model from the Catalan Government: streamlining administrative processes, especially for small projects.
Time to change scene and company. Pau heads off with the other flock, and Emma now receives two professors from the Autonomous University of Barcelona conducting a study on livestock farming and health. In the background, lambs bleat, calling for their mothers, who are still grazing in the forest.
Original source of the interview: Technical Office for Municipal Forest Fire Prevention and Agricultural Development of the Barcelona Provincial Council
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