There are over 12.000 km of dry stone walls in Menorca, which, besides separating businesses and homes provide a refuge to animal life and vegetation. By choosing organic farming and sustainable agricultural management over intensive farming our Med Food Heroes are helping the environment whilst producing high quality food. They’ve chosen to install and restore rainwater harvesting systems and nesting boxes, and have undertaken to improve the soil fertility.

Bep Llufriu

Raul Gonyalons

Maria Antònia Taltavull and Joan Pons

Maria Tudurí

Photo credits: © GOB Menorca

Bep Llufriu

Bep Llufriu manages organically certified farm Es Tudons. The farm’s agricultural model has three key aspects: organic production, recovery of autochthonous breeds and the implementation of the land stewardship scheme (Custòdia Agrària). The farm’s flagship product is Red Menorcan Cow Cheese, which is handmade by Bep, using the raw milk obtained his cows. The farm’s biodiversity is outstanding; butterflies, all sort of beetles and bees live happily here.

Photo credits: © GOB Menorca

Raul Gonyalons, Farmer from Menorca

Raul’s father, Onofre Gonyalons, was a pioneer using organic farming techniques when they were still quite unknown on the island. The family use local vegetable varieties and native breeds of livestock like the Red Cow and the Black Pig. The Red Menorcan Cow Cheese is one of their most valued products. The farm proves that diversified production that is respectful of the environment is a truly viable option.

Photo credits: © David Arquimbau

Photo credits: © David Arquimbau

Maria Antònia Taltavull and Joan Pons, Farmers from Menorca

Joan and Maria Antònia run Torralbet following traditional methods at Torralbet Farm. Their products are seasonal, keeping water use low, because they adapt to the climate. In summer months, cheese production is halted and their efforts are focused on summer produce. They believe in native livestock, both cows and sheep, and produce a variety of cheeses and cured sausages. Among their top products are Menorcan sheep’s cheese, only made by a few farms on the island and “Tres Tocs” cheese, using a mix of cow, goat and sheep milk.

Photo credits: © GOB Menorca

Maria Tudurí, Farmer from Menorca

Maria Tudurí sells organic products from Es Capell de Ferro farm which she runs entirely on her own. The Land Stewardship Programme run by GOB Menorca helped her to restore the abandoned farm which uses ecologically sustainable methods to produce organically certified food, ranging from animal products to vegetables and jams.

“We’ve adapted the amount of livestock to the land’s capacity so that the production can be self-sufficient and the external inputs are minimised. We’re also selling our products directly to consumers at a fair price.”

Photo credits: © GOB Menorca

Menorcan Red Cow Cheese

The Menorcan Red Cow is a resistant and rustic breed, quiet and adaptable to the different environments of the climate. It is suitable for beef as well as dairy and the cows are often left to graze on different plots of land.

Sobrassada

Sobrassada is a traditional raw cured sausage of the Balearic Islands, made from selected pork meats of the hardy Black Pig. The high fat content of the breed produces more meat and an intense flavour. Black Pigs can live on stoned covered plots of land that are not suitable for growing food.