The Jerte Valley. In the north of Extremadura, it is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring. An incredible spectacle of more than a million trees staining the slopes of the jerte valley in white. The flowers announce that juicy and healthy cherries and pillories will arrive in a few weeks.
Cherry blossoms do not occur every year on the same dates. It depends on the weather conditions during the winter. Typically, it occurs during the last 10 days of March and the first 10 days of April.
Flowering lasts between 12 and 14 days. It is a time of celebration for the entire region that celebrates the Cherry Blossom Festival declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. This year it will be inaugurated in Cabrero, on March 23rd and will close in Tornavacas, on April 7th. This festival has been celebrated for more than 40 years as a moment of joy in which the farmer thanks and applauds the imminent arrival of the next harvest.
A great party for the Valle del Jerte region
Following a centuries-old family tradition, cherry trees are cultivated by hand in carved terraces in the high mountains of the Jerte Valley. Between springs and fresh air. Only in a unique environment, with a privileged microclimate, can the best cherries in Spain and the Picota del Jerte be grown. Variety native to the Valley.
There are only five varieties certified with the Protected Designation of Origin. Four of them belong to the group of Picotas del Jerte with similar characteristics: Pico Limón Negro, Pico Negro, Pico Colorado and Ambrunés and the only variety with a peduncle called Navalinda.
This type of cultivation, which is transmitted from generation to generation, also has a significant impact on the quality and healthy properties of cherries and Picotas. These fruits are a source of health since they contain 8 vitamins, iron, magnesium and calcium, a large amount of antioxidants and fiber. In addition to low calories.
The Picotas del Jerte are an exclusive product that is distinguished by its flavor and sweetness. They are the only ones that come off the tree without a stem, but there are more characteristics that differentiate them from the rest: their fleshy and crunchier texture, their size of a smaller caliber - ranging from 22 to 26 millimeters - and their flavor more sweet and its color. Its natural cultivation, its traditional collection and treatment multiply its properties. All this allows them to reach the markets at the optimal time for consumption.
This product is increasingly in demand both in the national and international markets, especially in Germany and the United Kingdom. 60 percent of Picotas del Jerte's production is exported.
www.cerezadeljerte.org
