Good morning.
Like every Saturday morning, I sat down with my first coffee and started to read the news.
Among other things, the news of the cruise ship arriving in Tenerife with a hantavirus outbreak came up. It's a delicate issue, and the first thing I felt was that familiar knot in my stomach that signals alarm.
I took a deep breath, kept reading, and from what they say, it seems everything is under control. And I felt it was important to write to you today precisely for that reason, with respect, without sensationalism, and with the calm that we learn here in the countryside through earth and patience.
Great distances aside, in the countryside, we spend our lives doing a simple version of the same thing.
Let me tell you...
When we see a problem in a plant, the first thing is to isolate it. Not to stigmatize it, but to take better care of it and not put the rest at risk.
We mark the tree that worries us with a ribbon, move the boxes from that row, observe what's happening to it, if it was the wind, sunstroke, excess humidity, or some deficiency.
We give it space, time, and follow-up. Whatever it takes to save it and give it another chance. If you think about it, it's the same principle applied when there's a case on a ship or in a residence. Isolate, understand, and care.
I confess that for a second, I was on the verge of getting caught up in fear. You know how it works, you open your phone, read three headlines, and it seems the end of the world is just around the corner.
But something came to my mind that I try to repeat to myself often: I inform myself because I don't want to live far from reality, of course. But I don't stay living on the screen.
Luckily, in the countryside there's always a lot to do, and that puts your feet on the ground faster than any news.
I'm writing all this to you because I know that sometimes, with so much bombardment, a helping hand that tells you: "Relax, stay informed, of course, but don't dwell on the fright" comes in handy.
Go for a walk, cook calmly, call that friend you haven't seen in a while.
Here, I'm getting back to work, as the sun is already rising and today it's time to check the orange trees to plan for the harvests for the coming week...
Thank you for being on the other side, for trusting our work, and for defending with us a fairer and more honest way of eating.
I hope I've sent you at least a small extra dose of calm from the Huerta de Valencia.
And if you want to feel the orchard a little closer, we're still here in the field. We harvest every morning what you order, just as our grandparents did, with skilled hands and cool heads.
A big hug and have a peaceful weekend,
