Estate
Tambor del Llano is a 32 hectares estate located 4 kilometers away from the village of Grazalema. It is at the heart of the Natural Park of Grazalema, the first Reserve of the Biosphere declared in Spain (1972). A unique sierra located between Cádiz, Málaga and Sevilla.
Being south of Pico del Jaral (964 m), the state is an excellent balcony towards the Sierras de Libar and del Endrinal and the area known as Descansadero (resting place), a crossroad of several hiking paths where travelers can rest besides the Campobuche river (also known as Guadares) or set out for an incredible various astonishing walks.
Tambor dell Llano comprises a dense cork-oak forest rooted on large sandstone rocks and broken from time to time by small terraces that once hosted wine-trees and are now used for pasture and planting. Down the hill, there is the plain (el llano), where the vegetation changes and our horses and sheep feed freely.
The place features a wide representation of Mediterranean vegetation, both trees (cork oaks, wild olives, gall oaks, holm oaks, stone pines, quince trees, ancient pear-trees…) and shrub vegetation (brooms, rockroses, spurge flaxes, laburnums, hawthorns, thymes…).
cork-oak
The cork-oak forest is very well preserved, with exemplars of the ancient original forest. The upper part of Tambor del Llano enjoyss a good number of large oak-trees that still produce good cork.
As part of the managing plan, the number of cork-oak trees will increase in the next years, which will ensure not only greater productivity in the feature, but also the paddock’s renovation and the conservation of its ecology.
Mycological production
Experimental program for mycological production
The Sierra de Grazalema favors a great abundance and variety of edible mushrooms.
Our aim is to combine cork production and reforestation of autochthonous tree species with the production of wild fungi. Under the cork-oak trees, the species boletus edulis is the most commonly found. Delicious lactarius tend to prefer the roots of chestnuts and pine trees.
We have two main experimental sub-projects aimed at promoting these naturally occurring process: mycorrhization of new chestnuts with hyphas and inoculation of the fungi mycelia on the roots of existing cork-oaks. This is an ecologically ambitious plan that could also foster new sustainable economic models for the area.
organic farm
Grazalema merino sheep with certification of organic production.
Tambor del Llano hosts a small low-intensity merino sheep flock which helps managing fodder naturally and which supplies our guests with certified organic lamb meet of the best quality
Horses
Our horses feed freely and play the drum of the plains (el tambor del llano) when they feel like it or when they take horse riders on a route. We have a group of robust Andalusian horses as well as two representatives of an Asturian variety which is smaller and thus is preferred by some of our smaller guests.
The organic garden
The organic garden of Tambor del Llano
At the beginning of the year 2019 we started the adventure of organizing and planting the organic orchard of Tambor del Llano.
Our garden is organic because it is carried out a type of cultivation, which is based on respect for the natural processes of the food we sow. We plant the vegetables that are given in each season of the year, outdoors, without using artificial chemicals to increase the production and the size of the vegetables we grow. The land is fertilized with natural fertilizers, such as compost, manure or leaf soil, to give more fertility to the soil, and in this way our plants can grow strong and healthy.
The orchard occupies a large space on the south side of the pine forest near the building of the rural accommodation.
The system of plantation is of the deep bench, a method that has been used since ancient times, and that has reached our days for its good results because with the deep bench you can increase the yield up to 4 times more than with another type of terraces.
The key of the deep bench is that the earth is aerated, fluffy and fluffy, so the roots of the crops develop better, since they have more space and it is easier to capture nutrients and water. This will provide greater health and vigor to the crops, which translates into a better response to possible pests and diseases.
So far, in the garden we have planted:
- Tagarninas
- Green and red chard
- Artichokes
- Lettuce
- Asparagus
All these vegetables will be harvested to offer a cuisine based on the quality and freshness of healthy and organically grown products in our own garden.
