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I have captured this photograph for La Vanguardia Readers' Photos in the municipality of Tornabous, in the Urgell region. We see boxes grouped together, placed one on top of the other. But they are not simple containers, but rather a reflection of the work of the land, since they are intended to contain the cultivated fruit.
And the production of fruit in the regions of Lleida, such as the different varieties of apples and pears, is one of the great agricultural engines of Catalonia.
Farmers have to deal with various vicissitudes, such as frost, hailstorms or strong winds, meteorological elements that vary and are more or less noticeable depending on the year. Therefore, when the time comes to put the fruit in these boxes it is the great reward.
Furthermore, in a context of drought, the fact that the fields bear fruit is also good news. That is why these boxes symbolize the work of the land.
Agriculture has been the basis of the traditional activity of the Urgell region. Until the 18th century there was mainly dry farming of cereals (wheat, barley, oats, vineyards, almond trees and olive trees). There was a little garden. Since then it has been further enhanced by transforming forest, scrubland or pastures into fields of vineyards, olive and almond trees. But, finally, the Urgell Canal was the infrastructure that gave support to irrigated agriculture.
