My name is Javier Montiel. My grandfather and I consider ourselves neo-rural folk, as we have lived in the city for most of our lives and have only spent a few years dedicating ourselves to agriculture. I am a boy who was raised between buildings, although I have always loved going to the fields to pick cherries and other fruits from the orchard. I am still quite young, just 18 years old, and have decided to start working with my grandfather in the agricultural sector to earn my living in a way that is both worthwhile and fun. When I learned about the 'trouble' my grandfather was getting himself into with tropical fruits in a secluded part of town, I didn't hesitate to join him in creating something together! In any case, it has been lovely and definitely worth the effort. This is my first job, though I rely on the 47 years of experience accumulated by my grandfather, with whom I love spending time. He comes from another sector (previously working with furniture) and has a great deal of experience in the world of business. Although it was him who first started this venture, we have both agreed that I will continue to develop it, with his support. Today, I couldn't be happier with my decision, and I enjoy every moment spent with Pepe. Given my grandfather's age and experience, he is in charge of supervising that everything runs smoothly, giving us constant encouragement and support. I help carry out administrative tasks. However, my job extends far beyond office work; I also spend a lot of time on the farm and in the warehouse. I still have a lot to learn, both from Pepe and from the workers and the crops. I really enjoy working and learning, and although I take my work very seriously, for me, it's like working in a huge garden, with all these beautiful plants. I believe in the future of this profession, in which I hope to train and improve every day. We were keen to join the Tropiterranean movement after meeting with CrowdFarming. As soon as we came to understand the platform's proposal, it seemed like a great idea and we didn't hesitate to get started with our project. Though we come from two different generations, Pepe and I are both committed to direct sales, and we believe that the current technological means offered to us by CrowdFarming are the best way to implement this.

The Los Montieles farm is a very young establishment: it was the dream of my grandfather who, upon retiring in 2018, decided to dedicate himself to agriculture as a hobby, and became so good at it that we decided to turn it into a family business. My grandfather, Pepe Montiel, worked in a furniture factory for 47 years before retiring and looking for a piece of land on which to grow his own crops as a hobby, as he is a very active person who could never simply sit still. However, when he was offered a two-hectare farm, he couldn't say no. For him, it was a challenge – and one that he took on with great pleasure. My grandfather was clear that he wanted to grow something different, and he had always been interested in tropical fruits. After much study, he decided to test three crops as exotic as papaya, dragon fruit and passion fruit. As he never used pesticides on his crops and wanted his customers to be able to eat his fruit the way he himself likes to eat it, he decided to grow organically right from the very beginning. And that's how our project was born! I was spending a season in England to make some money and improve my English, but was so moved by what my grandfather was doing that I decided to return to Spain, spend time helping him and create a business through which to earn my living. Our family farm is located in Cuevas de Almanzora, less than 1km from the Mediterranean Sea: an exceptional location for the cultivation of these tropical fruits in Europe. The farm features three crop areas: papaya, protected by a greenhouse in winter; dragon fruit, grown under a net; and the passion fruit, grown outdoors. We carry out our work in a small warehouse. Apart from Pepe and I, two more permanent employees have been working on the farm since 2019: Abdul and Rey. The four of us do everything, as and when it is needed. They receive a higher salary than that established by the agricultural-sector collective agreement in Spain. They also receive incentives if everything has gone well by the end of the campaign, and once a quarter we get together to eat and drink as a big family. If necessary, we also hire people from the local town to help us during specific peak times. The region is both agricultural and loved by tourists, and there are a few other vegetable-producing farms in the area. The irrigation water we use comes from the community irrigation system, which derives its water from the Cuevas reservoir and a desalination plant. Each crop requires irrigation that amounts to a consumption of 15 litres per week per plant for papaya, 20 for passion fruit and 10 for dragon fruit, which can vary depending on the season. All our crops are efficiently drip irrigated to avoid wasting a single drop of water. We select the fruit to be sent off by hand: only those that have already reached an optimal stage for consumption. To reduce any fruit waste, we turn what cannot be sold into jams. To prevent the weeds from growing, we use protective nets on the ground. Any weed that does grow is collected by hand and offered to local shepherds to feed their livestock, along with any leftovers from pruning. We use natural pesticides, along with natural vegetation and insect hotels on the edges of the farm to try and increase the biodiversity of the local insect life. We also plant flowers that attract pollinators and boost the ecosystem.