My name is Ramón Latorre, and farming is my way of life, my lifestyle, it is what I learned from my parents and ancestors who were able to pass on to me their passion and respect for this great profession. When I am working I feel calm, happy and fully satisfied with being able to make a living off what I am passionate about, the countryside. I studied agricultural engineering at the University of Lleida, which allowed me to improve my technical knowledge and apply it in the family field. But 40 years ago, we were taught to "kill" everything that could threaten the crop in farming. I have always considered that this practice eliminates the "bad" but at the same time the good. In those days the agrochemical boom was at its peak and environmental awareness was non-existent, only kilos and aesthetics counted. I always believed that there was another viable form of agriculture, one that harnessed the power of nature without resorting to the abusive use of chemicals and synthetic pesticides. We felt the need to go back to the old days when the manure came from pruning waste and the neighbour's animals, and this is exactly what we based our agricultural practices on, on what is known today as Organic Farming. We have more than enough resources at our disposal to guarantee top quality production that respects the environment. We cannot imagine any other form of agriculture. I work hand in hand with my son Albert, I look after the fields and my son takes care of the sales. Although it may seem like our jobs are somewhat unrelated, it is essential that we are perfectly coordinated with each other to define production schedules, sales quantities, qualities, etc. Furthermore, we have the help of 6 other people in the team, all of them are crucial in making this business viable and that is how we want them to feel, taking care of each other with fair working conditions which are certified by Global Grasp. During peak production we rely on other temporary workers as well. We believe that social and economic sustainability requires a commitment to more direct and fairer trade models with the primary sector, which allow consumers to know the origin of the product and offer producers a fairer price for their products. This is the only way to maintain and create quality employment that will develop the local economy in depopulated areas such as ours. We believe that CrowdFarming is the ideal companion to achieve this goal.

The name of our project is a play on words in Catalan: "nou" means new, and "jou" means yoke, a wooden instrument that was once placed on the neck of mules to guide the rudder of the plough. At KnowJou we combine the know-how of ancient generations of farmers with the most sustainable knowledge and strategies of today. Our "know-how" is based on the past without losing sight of the future. We are strongly and sincerely committed to organic farming and respect both tradition and the environment. One of the biggest risks for those of us who grow fruit trees are late frosts and summer storms, both of which are highly variable over a short geographical distance. Having our crops spread over small farms at different altitudes and orientations, although quite close to each other, helps us to minimise the risks. In our region, however, smallholdings reign supreme and there are few large farms. The farms are located on the slope that joins the Alguaire plateau and the Lleida plain. They are surrounded by forest, providing excellent pollination thanks to the biodiversity. They also receive natural water from the Pyrenees. Watering is carried out by drip irrigation, with intelligently programmed systems to optimise water management. On average, our fruit trees need about 600 litres of water per year. All our farms are certified as organic farming by the CCPAE, following the Organic Farming regulations of the European Union. We choose to let the grasses grow to promote well-rounded biodiversity, full of beneficial microorganisms and insects that help create a self-regulating ecosystem. While many farmers have problems with rabbits eating the newly planted trees and the shoots of some young trees, we have found that by leaving them with pruning waste and a good cover crop they have enough food to not need to feed on our fruit trees, and so we live in harmony. At KnowJou we are a permanent team of 4 people, working together for more than 10 years. We have Global Gap and Grasp certifications that demonstrate our good practices in the field and with our work teams. During peak periods, especially during the harvest, we employ temporary workers, who are paid fairly and who are looked after as if they had been with us all their lives, so that they will want to come back every year. Our production generates practically no waste, as everything is used for the production of organic preserves and juices, the best preserves being those of Albert's grandmother, who still makes spectacular fruit in syrup.