Andalucia is known for sun, sand and sea. This region is also known for its bullfighting and flamenco. And some know that the south of Spain is an important producer of olives and olive oil.
But how many people know about these other traditional, highly appraised crops: chestnuts, grapes, avocades and... pine nuts?
Yes, this past pine nut season - December to April - nearly 145,000 kilos were harvested in the mountains of Córdoba, Cádiz and Huelva. Like cork and wood, the harvesting of this mountain product is highly regulated in order to ensure that the harvest is environmentally sustainable and, in fact, benefits the environment.
According to the online news source Andalucia Noticias, the pine nut provided workers in Córdoba, Cádiz and Huelva with nearly 1,000 full days of work. A welcome contribution in the face of high local unemployment rates...