Farming Picos De Europa
As part of my ongoing interest in sustainable practice’s I visited Picos de Europa is a national park in the north of Spain a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The landscape is dramatic with steep hillsides and jagged peaks. The farming here is difficult and modern techniques are unsuitable. This was a rare opportunity to observe shepherding methods that have remained unchanged for centuries. The beautiful landscapes around them were thriving allowing a unique biodiversity that is no longer in existence due to modern method.
Miguel a shepherd, and his son invited me to see his flock and observe how he used dogs to protect his sheep from predators in the are such as Wolves. He explained how the dogs were put INTO the flock from puppies, introducing the dogs to the flock at such a young age left the dogs believing they were part of the flock and so protected them instinctively. In return for their service every couple of days he checked on the flock and fed the dogs.
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