In the Goierri there are currently six baserritars that produce beef with ecological seal, and the Alta Carne is a project that unites them all. Meat is a complementary activity for the six baserritars working in other areas, such as dairy and vegetables. “In other areas the collaboration had already been launched, for example with dairy products there was the Vaca project, and that’s why we thought to bring together the four partners we were working with the meat packages,” explains Aitor Aranburu “Anbu”, a member of the project.

Local and agro-ecological

The six producers of the project work in small production models, all with less than ten cows. They work in accordance with the living conditions and cycles of the animals, their feeding is based on the pastures and pastures of the farmhouse and do not use pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. “I believe that the ecological model is not the objective, but the starting point: our choice is to continue with the usual farmhouse, without adding more cows. Today that’s eco-friendly, so we’ve taken that path naturally,” explains Aranburu.

Each producer sells meat separately, as each one has its own customers. But in addition, a few years ago, they were given a new opportunity. Orona Fundazioa's Diametro 200 restaurant proposed meat. “Each for his own part, alone, we could not serve Orona, but if we would do so in a joint and organized manner among us,” he says.

Support for beginners

The four producers that started in the High Meat are now joined by two people: These are two young people from Mutiloa and Segura who have just begun in the primary sector, one with dairy cows and the other with vegetables. This main activity is complemented by the sale of beef. “This project has made the road much easier for us, because when you start this project you don’t know anything, you don’t have contact, you don’t know how to sell it, who to turn to, what slaughterhouses are… The Altos Carneros received us with their hands open and it has made our start much easier,” says Iñaki Intxausti, a young man who has joined the project.

Five kilograms of eight small packs of 600 grams are sold: steaks, spoons, minced meat, peas, carrots and chop. Requests can also be made from the website goiekoharagia.wordpress.com.