Since the beginning of the lockdown, the horticulturists have had many doubts: “Do we have the ability to grow our vegetable garden?” has been the main question. It seems that the measures taken against the gardeners of self-consumption: those who have the garden separated from the house, should be satisfied with picking up the vegetables there. Or not? Many citizens are unwilling to settle and have launched the collection of signatures “We Need All Orchards”. The initiative arises from the Floral Gardens of Ulía.

Are orchards not prevented?

Taking into account the measures taken during confinement, it appears that vegetables sold in supermarkets are cleaner and safer than vegetables. But is the concentration of people in closed supermarkets no more risky, where most of the local products are by far and have gone through a lot of hands? According to the manifesto, the drafters of the measures have forgotten that self-consumption orchards feed thousands of people without intermediaries and, consequently, reduce the chances of infection with coronavirus.

The containment of the coronavirus has caught us in preparing and working the summer orchard, and the work that is not done now will have direct consequences for the next crops. “If in the coming weeks there is a lack of supply of any type of fresh produce, the guarantee of future harvests will reduce the vulnerability of the population.” The manifesto therefore calls for the social and territorial benefit of self-consumption orchards to be taken into account.

Clear request to the Basque Government

“To analyze the restrictions on the use of orchards so far, that in addition to harvesting and maintaining the harvest of the orchards, seasonal planting and planting can be carried out, always maintaining health criteria to ensure the summer and fall harvest.” To do so, they ask you to take into account the complex nature of the property of self-consumption orchards and to allow people to move around to buy plants and seeds.

On the website Uliakolorebaratzak.wordpress.com you can read the full manifesto and in it you can adhere both agents and individuals. The collection of signatures started on 14 April and by 16 April it was signed by 78 agents and 2,000 people. Because we're going to need all the orchards and more to get out as best we can...