My name is Magdalena Bonillo, and I am the mother of amazing children who are showing me some of the wonders of our world. Who would have thought that in Germany, Sweden, or England, so far away from my home, there would be people interested in the fruit from my orchard. It is a wonderful thing that both amazes me and gives me hope. Now that I'm getting older, I'm very proud to see my children striving to be something in life. I was afraid that a better future would take them far from home, but they have chosen to invest in our land. I was delighted to hear about the CrowdFarming initiative. It was my cousin, Juan Bonillo (Huerta de Almanzora), who explained to me that hundreds of families from all over Europe have been adopting his orange and lemon trees for years. It was hard for me to understand at first, but once I did, I knew that these are the commitments I have always wanted from those who live in prosperous places - the countryside is the pantry of the cities, and it is everyone's obligation to take care of it and respect it. My place today is to support them in their initiatives and to give them my broader vision of life. My journey, like that of any country woman, has not been easy. My father migrated to France when I was just a child, and I had to leave school to help the family. We did everything. Going to the fields to collect carobs, looking after the animals, doing the housework, despite the hardships of the time with hardly any resources and being as poor as we were. My son Candido takes care of the technical management of the day-today running of the farm. He organised the transformation of the farm (in 2017) and provides the guidelines for its care. His brother, José Carlos, is in charge of the daily cultural tasks and their management. They make a great team. I love to accompany them and have them listen to my advice. With them everything is easier. I can't imagine running a farm like this today without the knowledge and technology we have now. Integrating the ancient with the modern is more manageable, since they explain the purpose of things to me and how in the past, without knowing it, we were already putting scientific logic into practice.

I am grandma Magdalena, Magdalena Bonillo. My sons, Jose Carlos and Candido, came up with the name. We started planting the trees on the farm the same year my granddaughter was born. In recognition of my new title as a grandmother, thanks to her, we decided to name our project 'La Abuela Magdalena'. The farm is located in an area of scrubland where there are old olive and almond plantations. The predominant natural species is esparto, which was used by local artisans to make household utensils and for farm work. My family used the land to grow carobs, a staple food for livestock, and barley to make flour. Today, the agriculture in the area has changed dramatically. In the surroundings there are quite a few citrus groves, which are mostly lemon trees. We opted for tangerines to break away from tradition. My son Candido, who is an agricultural engineer, has helped a lot with setting up our project. He has a great deal of experience in the innovation that is proving successful in the region. Thanks to the contribution of professionals like my son, Arboleas and its surrounding areas are starting to be able to reverse a catastrophic trend: the migration of our children in search of opportunities. The inland villages need new initiatives and investment from those who live in the cities and affluent areas in order to preserve our heritage. The water for our farm is obtained from a community of irrigators, which has a well in the fertile plain of the Almanzora river. Naturally, we make the most of every drop of water based on my son's analysis of the crops' water requirements and the characteristics of the soil. For this purpose, we install self-compensating drippers that deliver the exact amount of water required. Another innovation introduced by my son was the cultivation method we are using. He is well aware of the consequences of some practices versus others, as well as the advantages they offer for the soil, environment, and budget. Therefore, in 2020 we started the process of cultivating our tangerine trees organically. The journey so far has not been too difficult. Common knowledge and history already put into practice many of the techniques that today appear as novel and revolutionary, although it does explain to us the reasoning behind everything. The grasses are home to insects that protect the trees from pests and diseases; they also protect the soil from erosion. Larger pests, such as fruit flies, end up in traps. We give the soil "life" through the incorporation of organic matter from logging and manure. In general, preventive agriculture helps us not to use pesticides. The work on the farm is carried out by all members of the family. These days I do less rather than more. It is my children who take the initiative and arrange for everything to go smoothly. One of my continued responsibilities though, is that during the harvesting season I make sure that all the fruit is sold, and those that do not meet the minimum quality criteria are given away to family and friends.