Carob harvest

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Due to the extremely hot summer 2015 the harvest of Alfarroba, the fruit of the carob tree, started already end of July in most areas of the Barrocal region , the fertile landscape between the coast of the Algarve and the mountainous Serra.

Harvesting is a cumbersome work: this most labour-intensive part of carob cultivation is traditionally done by knocking the fruit down with a long stick and gathering them together with the help of laid out nets.

The carob tree (port. Alfarrobeira) is native to the Mediterranean  region. It can survive long drought periods and prefers well-drained, sandy loams – conditions to be found in many parts of the Barrocal. It has been brought to Portugal and the neighbouring Spain by the Arabs.

Carob is the dried (and sometimes roasted) pod.  It consists of two main parts: the pulp accounts for 90% and the seeds for 10% of the pod weight. Carob is mildly sweet and is mainly used as fodder. Portuguese like it in powdered, chip or syrup form as an ingredient in cakes and cookies, and as a substitute for chocolate.