Dolors Roca (La Granada, 1978) gives us some background about the local area to help us understand her family history. Back in her grandmother’s time, in the Penedès area, or, more specifically, in La Granada, all the farms with vineyards also cultivated fruit trees, especially peach trees. Nowadays, however, local farmers have largely adopted a mechanised vine cultivation approach for reasons of convenience or, as they say, to have “less hassle”. Fruita de Cal Roca sells peaches, melons and vegetables without using intermediaries. Dolors explains that this sales approach is what enables them to make a good living: “If we had to sell to Mercabarna [Barcelona’s wholesale market for fresh produce], the business would have already folded, like so many others, or we’d be doing the same thing as the ones that are still left: expanding the mechanisation of the vineyard and working it with just a few people.”

We meet Dolors in a space which used to be part of the vineyard but which has now been turned into a warehouse. They’ve just opened it and she’s delighted to have a facility in which to store machinery and sort produce. Moreover, it contains a cold room for preserving food and an office in which to do the company’s paperwork. The outside wall boasts a striking mural created by the urban artist Lily Brik, depicting the faces of a woman and a girl surrounded by pomegranates and grapes. We sense that there’s a hidden message behind the work which, in all likelihood, reveals Dolors’ worldview and life philosophy.

What’s the meaning of the Lily Brik mural that decorates the outside of your warehouse? Is it related to generational renewal or is there another message you wish to convey?

It represents a mother who cares for and embraces her produce and her daughter, a small, brave girl whose look has real presence: it conveys the idea that in the future she’ll take care of everything she’s inherited.

Do you see yourself as the mother or the daughter at this point in your life?

I think I’m somewhere between the two. I’m a mother but I’m also the daughter who’s taken over the reins and who’s carried on doing what she learned growing up here. Now I’ve got 12-year-old twins and I’d like them to keep the family tradition going. Lots of farming people say “No way, I don’t want them to carry on with it.” But I really do. I hope they stay right here and grow the company. I’ll carry on for as long as I can and then they’ll do things their way, just like I’ve made changes from when my parents ran the business. My kids will be more familiar with new technology and could give things a real shake-up. But, who knows, maybe they won’t want to…

At nine years old, I was already behind the wheel of the tractor while my father controlled the clutch. I loved driving around the vineyard! A few days ago, I mentioned to my daughter Neus that the next step would be to teach them to drive the tractor, but she said she didn’t want to. Still, I think that when she finds herself in a situation where she has to get it unstuck and there’s no one else around, she’ll have no choice...

Despite the challenges that face farmers, were you sure that you wanted to continue the family business?

Compared to working in a factory for 1000 euros a month, what can I say? There’s no contest: I prefer being outdoors, even if there are tough times. After all, when it’s your own business and you’ve been involved in it all your life, that’s what you prefer. From an early age I was given farming tasks to do. Although people used to make out that being a farmer is all toil and suffering, the fact is that, if you put your mind to it, you can also live well. For example, I know that some periods are more intense than others, so when there’s less work, that’s when I make the most of the opportunity to take breaks and holidays. Farming runs on a different timetable, but I’m fine with that.

In my opinion, farming’s the best way of life, but you have to like it. It’s a tough job in which we’re almost always the last people standing. If my kids can still make a good living from farming when they grow up, perhaps that’s what they’ll do. I don’t know if they’ll want to work in the vineyard with no days off. And I don’t know whether they’ll enjoy working all summer and resting in the winter. I enjoy it, but who knows whether my kids will.

«Although people used to make out that being a farmer is all toil and suffering, the fact is that, if you put your mind to it, you can also live well» Dolors Roca

Although people used to make out that being a farmer is all toil and suffering, the fact is that, if you put your mind to it, you can also live well

We sell direct to our end customers. I think that if you sell the product yourself and explain where it comes from, it has added value. People like to listen to and know the person who produced what they’re going to eat. We try to sell all our produce this way, except grapes, which we take to the cooperative.

My parents started out with a small vineyard and later started to lease land, on which my father decided to plant melons. He discovered that he’d make more money by selling them directly than by getting someone else to collect them and sell them at the market. This was back in the 70s. Since then, we’ve always been improving and looking for new markets. We’ve also had to leave some markets, because if you want to do things properly, you can’t do it all.

Now we sell at 12 different markets every week, some as far afield as Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Palafrugell. Here in the Penedès area, we have the markets of Santa Margarida i els Monjos and Sant Sadurní, where locals sometimes come directly to buy from us.

It’s funny, but I’ve noticed that people in other areas appreciate what we do much more. We get a lot of appreciation in Igualada, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Sabadell, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Tossa de Mar, Platja d’Aro, Sant Feliu and Palafrugell. Our goal now is to start selling in one of the Barcelona markets, the reason being that customers who have holiday homes on the coast ask us where they can find us after the summer season’s over. We meet a lot of people like that, along with tourists who really appreciate our work.

«I think that if you sell the product yourself and explain where it comes from, it has added value» Dolors Roca

Do you feel that farmers get their dues?

I think that people who aren’t involved in the profession have the wrong idea about farming. I admit it bothers me that the media tend to focus on a neo-hippy sort of farming, reporting on people with a handful of goats and an organic vegetable garden who knock on their neighbours’ doors to sell their produce. I’d like to think the media do it to encourage people to get in touch with the land, but they forget about us.

The people who do this are cushioned by another job; farming is more of a hobby for them. The media often neglects those of us who actually live in and for the countryside, those of us who have to make our businesses profitable. These other people might be architects working from home whose small organic vegetable garden merely supplements their main source of income. I feel that if the media focused a little more on the reality of those of us who grow food to sell in the markets and who preserve the essence of farming, it would help us gain more recognition.

Where did you acquire your farming knowledge and skills?

A bit from here, a bit from there. I started out doing things the way they’d always been done on the farm. Later on, I implemented new techniques, although in this profession it’s always difficult to change things. There’s a tendency to carry on doing what already works and to avoid taking big risks. I’ve made improvements mainly through talking to friends and acquaintances, asking plenty of questions and being somewhat insistent. I try things out, but I also avoid taking too many unnecessary risks.

How would you describe the type of farming you do at Cal Roca?

We practice local, sustainable farming, using the integrated production model, which is a form of conventional farming that adopts extremely strict controls. As I see it, it’s the step before organic farming. We undergo annual analyses of fruit, leaves, soil and other elements, along with several audits. When necessary, we apply systemic treatments. We aim to maintain a minimum level of production in order to be a profitable business. Organic or regenerative farming are all well and good, but they require more time and dedication, and you may not see results from one year to the next. Achieving a productive vineyard by means of regenerative farming can take years. Although it’s presented as a panacea, the fact is that making a living exclusively through this production method is a complicated business. Here we’re going about it bit by bit.

The latest data from the Catalan Council for Organic Agricultural Production indicates a 2% increase in organic producers during the 2021-2022 period. At your market stalls, do people ask you if you practice organic farming?

I get asked this a lot, and I reply that we practice integrated production, although a lot of people don’t really know what it means... I’ve also noticed that some stallholders at markets claim to practice organic farming when actually they don’t.

I don’t mean to disparage organic farming, but it’s been sold in such a way that people think it involves no pesticides whatsoever. In fact, it involves pesticides authorised for organic farming, but they’re still pesticides. What’s more, it’s sometimes necessary to apply an awful lot of them.

This year I’d like to try growing melons organically. But to do it properly and with the corresponding certification, I’d have to let the land lie fallow for two years, and I can’t stop planting melons for two years. So I’ll be applying phytosanitary treatments following ecological methods and I’ll observe the results, but it’ll be an uncertified process.

We’re lucky in that our fields are relatively isolated, which means that very few treatments are required. This at least is a huge advantage.

Your peaches are famous, aren’t they?

Yes, they are Ordal peaches and we hardly water them. Even less with the current restrictions. Some say it’s impossible to grow peaches without watering them, but we manage it. While it’s true that we don’t obtain yields of 60,000 kilos per hectare (we manage 10,000 if we’re lucky), they’re in a different league in terms of quality. They’re absolutely delicious! Although we’ve had very small peaches in recent years, they’re really sweet and we have the advantage that they don’t spoil. I enjoy explaining this stuff to people who buy our peaches, and that’s why it’s important to be at markets.

«Some say it’s impossible to grow peaches without watering them, but we manage it. While it’s true that we don’t obtain yields of 60,000 kilos per hectare (we manage 10,000 if we’re lucky), they’re in a different league in terms of quality. They’re absolutely delicious!» Dolors Roca

Outside the warehouse you’ve got a small vegetable garden and a water collection system. That must come in very handy given the lack of rain in recent times. How do you plan to make the most of it?

This tank collects all our rainwater. I’ll use it to irrigate a field I use as my testing area. I want to grow pink tomatoes, so I need some additional irrigation. I also plan to grow kiwis and avocados, and I know they’re particularly thirsty. We’ve experienced other droughts in the past. I’m confident that the rain will return and we’ll be able to grow local avocados and kiwis.

Since you took over from your father, you must have implemented several important changes. Could you tell us about any of them? We’d also like to know what your future projects are.

I’d say I’ve been tweaking things over the years. For example, I’ve focused more on bringing to market produce of the highest quality possible, being more selective out in the fields rather than harvesting the entire crop. It’s important for what we sell to be good. But I also put a lot of effort into creating attractive, orderly stalls. In the future, I may explore selling online and even organising vineyard tours. The thing is, I’ve already got enough on my plate right now and starting up these projects takes time and effort.

How would you describe your personal relationship with the land? As a woman and farmer, what’s your emotional connection to farming?

It’s my time for relaxing... Sometimes on Sunday mornings I’ll climb aboard the tractor and head off to plough the vineyard. It might look like a slog from the outside, but I feel privileged. I also enjoy pruning: I love the sound the branches make when they fall to the ground. Pruning is relaxing. You get into a groove and time flies. It’s a privilege to be able to carry out a task you enjoy. And everything’s so beautiful in the spring... Just like in Ireland, but here, in La Granada!

«Sometimes on Sunday mornings I’ll climb aboard the tractor and head off to plough the vineyard. It might look like a slog from the outside, but I feel privileged» Dolors Roca

What does living a full, satisfying life mean to you? What makes a good life in your opinion?

A good life is the one I’m living right now, although I need to make some small adjustments to achieve a balance between work and peace of mind. I trust I’ll find that balance in the next five years and continue to make progress. I always say I’ll devote myself to farming for another 20 years and call it a day, but my husband replies that I don’t even believe that myself and that I’ll be here until the day I die, just like my father. Maybe he’s right. My father, who died recently, worked until the last day of his life... When your job is your passion, that’s no bad thing.

«A good life is the one I’m living right now, although I need to make some small adjustments to achieve a balance between work and peace of mind. I trust I’ll find that balance in the next five years and continue to make progress» Dolors Roca

Do you think women’s role in farming has changed in recent years?

To tell the truth, I was seen as the village oddball a few years ago, but the fact is that women have always been involved in farming. Always. My grandmother was already a farmer when my grandfather entered the profession. In the case of my parents, the reverse was true: it was my mother who joined the profession later on. Both she and my grandmother would always be out working in the vineyard and orchard. What’s more, they had to make the breakfast sandwiches, lunches and dinners of all the men who helped us during the grape harvest. All this while putting in the same hours in the fields. I found it tremendously unfair. My grandmother would be rushing to get dinner ready while my father and the other lads sat at the table... On top of that, there was the housework to be done.

And the most unfair thing of all was that, although they performed demanding physical tasks both in the fields and at home, they didn’t get paid! The man’s job was to drive the tractor... Imagine how tiring and terrible! Ha, ha, ha!

Back then, it was considered normal for women to take on all this work without even questioning it. But I did push back a bit. I well remember the day I said that if we were going to do the same work as the men, we’d also sit at the table waiting for our food to be served up when we got back from the fields.

Do you have a life philosophy you’d like to share, particularly with regard to your work as a farmer?

I wake up every day feeling happy with my lot and with this drive to keep moving forward. My mantra is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Life is short, so you might as well do what you love.

I also aspire to find a balance, which I haven’t managed yet, between working hard and living well, and having the freedom to do what I want without regrets, being able to travel and enjoy life. We were brought up – or at least I was – to see work as the be-all and end-all, but I think it’s really important to rest, even if it’s at a different time of year from most people.

What farming-related task do you enjoy the least?

I can’t bear paperwork and bureaucracy. Subsidy application forms are a real headache, as are all the supporting documents. I think I might not bother applying for any more of them... When you’re granted a subsidy, they examine everything with a magnifying glass, making sure you’ve dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's. I think there’s a huge disconnect between bureaucrats and farmers. There obviously need to be checks in place to see where the money’s going, but sometimes the red tape is just too complicated and frustrating.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —