argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Milika
Ice cream from the orchard
  • In 2017 Miren Harignordoquy planted fruit and aromatic plants on a plot of Anhauze and this spring he started making ice cream with which he pulled out of them. It produces organic ice cream without dairy or additives. That is how the Milika project has emerged.
Garazi Zabaleta 2020ko ekainaren 04a

Look at Harignordoquy, who has been studying agriculture since his very early age, has continued its relationship with the land: “I worked as a technician in the Basque Country’s Chamber of Agriculture, and that’s why I started to go around with the idea of settling in the crop,” he says. After demonstrating on several farms and conducting several courses, he finally decided to start his project in 2017: It has planted fruit trees and aromatic plants in an area of Anhauze and has started to make ice cream with which they have been extracted. That is how the Milika project has emerged.

From vegetable garden to refrigerator

Harignordoquy planted trees and small fruits on the Anhauze plot and has now begun to collect fruits from some of them. “In our region there are few fruit producers, and I also wanted to transform them, not to offer raw fruits. There are people who do reforms here, and I wanted to propose something else.” After he had been taxing everywhere, it occurred to him that he could start making fruit ice cream. “Last year I began collecting the first small fruits: berries, peaches, figs...” It has been put into refrigerators and this spring has begun to prepare and sell ice cream with these fruits.

The Anhauz farmer works in organic production, because he wants to produce with respect for health and the environment. And their ice cream differs from the usual ones: “I make ice cream without dairy products and I don’t use any additives.” Just use fruits, water and a little sugar to make ice cream. “I take the fruit out of the refrigerator, I remove the bone and the skins, I crush it and puree the fruit. This is going to add water and sugar and make ice cream.” In conventional ice cream, numerous stabilizers are used to obtain texture and durability, to which it has given up.

In cooperation with environmental movements

He has explained to us that he produces, transforms and sells, it is he who does the whole process. “I sell some of the ice cream directly through consumer groups and AMAP, and the other through producers of houses, shops or bioshops.” In addition to its relationship with the consumption groups in the area, Idoki is a member of the Association of Producers of Households of the Basque Country, and participates in fruitful groups. “There are many associations and movements in the territory, I am participating in my own way and I have had your help in developing the project.” In addition to producing at the farm, he considers it important to participate in these dynamics. It will be the first summer and people are happy to try their ice cream.