Your Letters

Dear Finca Forum,

There has been a lot of hysteria recently about the phenomenon of small independent business operating without all the Spanish formalities. Long may they remain! 

The whole purpose of the European Union is to make it simpler for ordinary people to operate in other member states. Can somebody please explain this to the Spaniards. They seem very happy to take E.U. money to subsidise their agriculture, and to build their roads, railways, desalination plants etc.. But they sing a different song when it comes to keeping their side of the bargain and granting work permits to our people. As often as not they just don’t want to know. First you need to prove you have enough money so you don't need to work. Then you have to jump through hoops like some performing animal until, thoroughly disenchanted, they turn you down on some petty technicality. I know. I have been there!

I have personally know a lot of these independents. Most of them are barely scraping a subsistence level income. I don’t know what the tax thresholds are in Spain but the amount of money they are making would be well below base level in most European countries. So even if the Spanish authorities would let them register, their tax liability would be negligible or nonexistent. Maybe that is why the government cannot be bothered to let them register - because there is no money in it for Spain. 

Surely the way forward is clear. We ex-pats need to stick together. Lobby your MPs.. MEPs., etc. and demand a rationalisation of all the relevant laws throughout the community. Demand that the standard be taken from the member country having the SIMPLEST, QUICKEN and CHEAPEST system. Demand that any worker or business person who is legal in any member state is AUTOMATICALLY legal in ALL member states WITHOUT FURTHER FORMALITIES! Demand that throughout the European Union the principle of MINIMUM REGULATION AND INTERFERENCE in the lives of ordinary people should become the norm. 

The European Union offers a great opportunity for increased personal freedom. Lets all do our bit to make sure it does not become a legal and bureaucratic nightmare instead.

L. S. - Torremulle - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Sirs,
Being new to Spain I thought the milder climate would allow me to sow vegetables a month or so earlier than in England - but everything died during the summer heat. Now I am wondering whether I ought to sow in the autumn rather than in the spring. That way my crops can grow all through the wetter (hopefully) winter. If I do this will day length be a problem? Can any readers advise me?

Jay Smithe - Fuengirola - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca Forum,

I am writing to register my support for the recent letter in  about the problems of getting into the system here legally. Although we are E.U. citizens we are still discriminated against here in Spain. 

Do you think you could run an article sometime about how to get around this problem I am hoping to become an independent producer of tomatoes but am scared I may run into discrimination when I come to market them.

Peter Johnstone - Albox (Almería) - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca Forum,

I don't have a finca, just a small cottage with a vegetable garden and orchard. Do you think you can write something for people like me. I do hope so 

Betty Otterson - Istan - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca Forum,

Here is our favourite recipe for CRACKED OLIVES.

Split green olives, without crushing them, by giving them a light tap with a mallet on the top end. Cover with cold water and leave them for about a week, changing the water every day. Then put them into brine, (1 kg. salt to 8 litres water ), then flavour with bay leaf, fennel, orange skin or coriander seeds.

Alternatively use: Garlic cloves (crushed): Slices of lemon or bitter orange, 1 or 2 sprigs thyme. 1 tsp. coriander seeds. 1 dried fennel stick. Or 1 small glass sherry/wine vinegar.

If you like you can add a chilli or two as well.

Leave for at least 8 days before eating.

Judi Hardy - Fuengirola - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca Forum,

As someone who lives in “the campo” I am to say the least irritated by the use of the word “finca” to mean “farmhouse”, mostly used by the people on the “Costas” and probably do not realise that there are vast tracts of Spain where English is not the first language.

Please let me give you the definition of two words as taken from my Spanish dictionary.
“FINCA: Immovable property (land), urban or rustic.”

“CORTIJO: Immovable property with a dwelling where work takes place.” It is also used in conversation in the same way that you use it in your title to mean a working smallholding.

Alan Talbot - Arboleas (Almería) - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca News,

Like many readers of Finca Forum I am more interested in horses than I am in hens, goats and olives etc. I found Jennifer Brundal’s excellent article “Growing Feed For Horses” most interesting. 

Lets have lots more for we horse lovers!

Mary Conrad - Pizarra (Málaga) - Spain
---------------------------------------
We can only publish what people send us. So if you know about horses, please get writing! - Ed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca Forum,

I was surprised to read Alan Talbot’s recent letter.

As someone who has travelled extensively throughout Spain I fully realise the preferred use of the word “Cortijo” in the south east, around the provinces of Almería and Mercia.

However this is by no means a universal phenomenon. 

In Málaga province where I now live this word is hardly ever used. Here the word “Finca” is far more common. And I am not just talking about us foreigners who only speak Spanish as a second language. Finca is the preferred word used by the locals too!

I found Alan’s advertisements interesting as well. One started “News of Fincas” and the other “ALMERÍA - Irrigated Finca”. So what happened to your “Cortijos” Alan?

Barry Simmons - Pizarra (Málaga) - Spain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Finca Forum,

Below is a list of items I would be interested in hearing about.
- Building stone walls or fencing
- Laying water pipes from a well
- Terracing - the traditional Arab method
- Solar panels (see the Million Ton Club, who write in the Entertainer)
- Planting - borders, trees, shade, shrubs, boundaries, hedging, pruning, cuttings etc.
- Updates on local planning issues, classification of land, compensation or reimbursement from the Government or E.E.C. for compulsory purchases etc.
- Joining a Co-operative
- Building a swimming pool

Lance Hurst - 
Alhaurin el Grande (Málaga) - Spain.
_________________________
Can anybody contribute something on these subjects please? - Ed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Editor,

I should like to add my own opinion to the controversy on recycling human waste.

It seems to me that we squander a great deal of energy, in the form of fuel oil and human muscle, to extract scarce and finite resources of mineral fertilisers. Inorganic farmers spread these onto their lands in ever greater quantities in a pathetic attempt to keep one step ahead of the law of diminishing returns. An attempt which, by the way, they are loosing.

These expensive minerals go into our food and then into us AND THEN DOWN THE DRAIN AND POLLUTE OUR RIVERS ON THEIR WAY TO THE SEA - WHY?

We should be recycling this material, this human waste, and putting it back onto the land! This would keep our soils healthy and keep us healthy.

So why is this not happening? Surely it can only be because the good people who protect public health know that human waste is too dangerous to recycle. Wrong!

It is not our human waste but our SEWAGE that is unusable. And the reason for this is that it also contains INDUSTRIAL WASTE!

So just because we do not have a duel system for human and industrial sewage, all this goodness is being wasted and can never be recovered. This is nothing less than a crime against Mother Earth!

Fred Wilkes - Níjar (Almería) - Spain.

April 1998

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Editor,

Can we please have some articles on goats. I used to keep Toggenburgs in England and would like to keep some Spanish goats but don’t know how to go about it. 

The peasants only seem to keep itinerant herds of scrawny beasts. 

Fred Davis - Coín - Spain.

May 1998

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Editor,

I was extremely impressed with Dave Pruce’s article last month on wind generators. There is certainly a need for simple, D.I.Y., intermediate technology.

Lets have lots more.

John Watson - Almería - Spain.

June 1998

-------------------------------------------------------------

Glad you found it interesting. Dave has written another one, this time on Solar Cooking. - Ed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...............................................................................................................................

We are always interested in reading your letters but please do try to keep them brief. 

If you have a lot to say, then why not write as an article?  

If you have any knowledge or experience you can share,
please do send it in!

..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................