Masseira
Encyclopedia
Masseira is a unique form of traditional farming technique practised in the parishes of Estela and Aguçadoura in the north of Póvoa de Varzim
in Portugal
, and in the neighbouring parish of Apúlia in Esposende. The masseira technique increases agricultural yields by using large, rectangular depressions dug into the sand dunes of the region, with the spoil piled up into banks surrounding the depression. The term masseira, from the Portuguese
for "kneading trough", refers to their characteristic shape. The technique is in danger of extinction.
The masseira technique relies upon a rectangular depression surrounded on four sides by sloping banks, known as the quatro vales ("four valleys"). Each individual depression covers an area from 1,000 to 10,000 square metres. Grape
s are cultivated on the banks to the south, east and west, and trees and reeds on the northern slope act as a windbreak
against the prevailing northern wind. Garden crops, such as cabbage
, carrot
, lettuce
, spinach
, onion
, tomato
, potato
, and radish
, are grown in the central depression. The sandy soil of the banks stores the sun's heat, enhancing the growth of the grape vines. The banks protect the central area from the wind, and the depression is also cooler and damper than the surrounding land. A change in temperature
is created by banks only a few metres high. Allied with the four vine-covered slopes, the masseiras function as a sort of greenhouse
. Large amounts of fresh water
are required to irrigate the crops, together with sargassum
seaweed
(gathered from the nearby Atlantic Ocean
during the summer) for fertilization
.
This type of agriculture
was invented in the 18th century by the monks from the Monastery of Tibães
, and was once widely used along the coasts of Póvoa de Varzim and Esposende. Nowadays, this type of agriculture is endangered due to the increase in popularity of conventional greenhouses, the chaotic urbanization
of the coast, and beach sand being extracted for civil construction. The Câmara (local authority) of Póvoa de Varzim granted 4,948,377 m² (1,223 acre
s) of its territory for the exclusive use of masseiras as a way to protect this type of traditional agriculture.
Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in the Norte Region and sub-region of Greater Porto, with a 2011 estimated population of 63,364. According to the 2001 census, there were 63,470 inhabitants with 42,396 living in the city proper. The urban area expanded, southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and in the neighbouring parish of Apúlia in Esposende. The masseira technique increases agricultural yields by using large, rectangular depressions dug into the sand dunes of the region, with the spoil piled up into banks surrounding the depression. The term masseira, from the Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for "kneading trough", refers to their characteristic shape. The technique is in danger of extinction.
The masseira technique relies upon a rectangular depression surrounded on four sides by sloping banks, known as the quatro vales ("four valleys"). Each individual depression covers an area from 1,000 to 10,000 square metres. Grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s are cultivated on the banks to the south, east and west, and trees and reeds on the northern slope act as a windbreak
Windbreak
A windbreak or shelterbelt is a plantation usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted around the edges of fields on farms. If designed properly, windbreaks around a...
against the prevailing northern wind. Garden crops, such as cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
, carrot
Carrot
The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
, lettuce
Lettuce
Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
, spinach
Spinach
Spinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions...
, onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
, potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
, and radish
Radish
The radish is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe, in pre-Roman times. They are grown and consumed throughout the world. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time...
, are grown in the central depression. The sandy soil of the banks stores the sun's heat, enhancing the growth of the grape vines. The banks protect the central area from the wind, and the depression is also cooler and damper than the surrounding land. A change in temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
is created by banks only a few metres high. Allied with the four vine-covered slopes, the masseiras function as a sort of greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
. Large amounts of fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
are required to irrigate the crops, together with sargassum
Sargassum
Sargassum is a genus of brown macroalga in the order Fucales. Numerous species are distributed throughout the temperate and tropical oceans of the world, where they generally inhabit shallow water and coral reefs. However, the genus may be best known for its planktonic species...
seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
(gathered from the nearby Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
during the summer) for fertilization
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
.
This type of agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
was invented in the 18th century by the monks from the Monastery of Tibães
Monastery of Tibães
The Monastery of St Martin of Tibães is a monastery situated in the parish of Mire de Tibães, near Braga, in northern Portugal. It was the mother house of the Benedictine order in Portugal and Brazil, and it is known for the exuberant Rococo decoration of its church.-History:The first information...
, and was once widely used along the coasts of Póvoa de Varzim and Esposende. Nowadays, this type of agriculture is endangered due to the increase in popularity of conventional greenhouses, the chaotic urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
of the coast, and beach sand being extracted for civil construction. The Câmara (local authority) of Póvoa de Varzim granted 4,948,377 m² (1,223 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s) of its territory for the exclusive use of masseiras as a way to protect this type of traditional agriculture.