Harvest of bitter oranges to make marmalade
A communal harvest of bitter oranges was organised two years ago in the districts of Sant Andreu, Les Corts, Ciutat Vella, Sant Martí and Gràcia, the goal being to produce marmalade and promote the harnessing of food resources. The harvest is part of the “Mans al verd” programme, with Parks and Gardens, the Barcelona Public Health Agency, the Fundació Espigoladors and various social organisations in the districts all involved.
The orange harvest in Sant Andreu and Les Corts is on Friday, 3 February. The following day it’s the turn of Sant Martí and Ciutat Vella, with the district of Gràcia to come on Sunday, 5 February. Before the process to make the marmalade, the Barcelona Public Health Agency will be analysing the fruit to ensure it is fit for consumption.
Es Im-perfect, a social and labour insertion project by the Fundació Espigoladors, will later process and transform the fruit. Christened La Marga, the marmalade will be distributed to various social organisations in the districts for use by groups at risk of food poverty and social exclusion.
The last harvest gathered 2,639 kilos of oranges and produced 11,400 jars of marmalade, with over 160 volunteers involved in the process. Barcelona has got around 3,300 orange trees, a third of them in the district of Sant Andreu.
