Crowdfarming® as social and economic agricultural approach

The philosophy of Naranjas del Carmen is the result of different influences and experiences made in our working and family life, as well as in our social environment. We are thrilled by various social and agricultural approaches which have sustainably shaped our philosophy until today. A few techniques we have learned from books, some others resulted out of our common sense and most of them we got to know from other farmers of all different age groups while having lunch together.

Gonzalo-saltando

Cultivation

Our golden rule is quality instead of quantity. Quality stands above all for pure and fresh products ripening in a completely natural way. Furthermore, our trees are not treated with any pesticides and we do not use any herbicides for the soil of our fields. Instead, we control the plants that are often wrongly referred to as weeds. They accommodate the natural enemies of pests that could infect our trees. In doing so, thanks to the natural biodiversity we can keep up the balance between pests and their enemies.

Harvest

This is the magic of Naranjas del Carmen because we only harvest what is actually ordered. The moment you place your order on our website your fruits are still ripening on their tree and we pick them just for you. Therefore, you will always receive freshly picked oranges and mandarins.  Hence, the harvest is never stored. We are crazy about fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables. After they have been picked they are sent directly to your home without passing any further processes or cameras.

 Directly from the farmer

Our work

Naranjas del Carmen and Crowdfarming® were created by a team consisting of human beings with open minds. We are not only a website or a smartphone app. We are farmers, beekeepers, computer specialists, engineers, designers and ambassadors with ten different nationalities and with an average age of 33 years.  The fruits mature on our own trees, the honey is produced by our own bees and the water comes from our own well. We care about our environment and fellow human beings. Therefore, we work based on our own convictions.

The price of our oranges

Our prices depend on the costs incurred during the cultivation, harvest and transport of the fruits. Naranjas del Carmen creates good jobs and job security. In order to fulfill our high quality standards, it is necessary that the entire team can identify with our project and understands our way of working: It is not only important that the work is done, but that is done in the best way possible. Our oranges are neither the cheapest, nor the most expensive ones you’ll find. The price of our oranges allows us to create jobs and grow sustainably.

Is there an official label that contains all of these aspects?

Why do our oranges and mandarins do not carry an eco-label?

We understand that eco-labels are very helpful for consumers to make the often confusing supply chain more transparent. This applies above all for purchases made in an anonymous environment where the customer does not know where his food comes from or by whom it has been cultivated. In such cases, there is no direct relationship between the farmer and the consumer. Of course, having an eco-label would have made a lot of aspects easier for us. However, at the beginning we could not afford it. Hence, we decided to turn our own brand into a label our clients can trust because we are convinced that our philosophy, cultivation and commercialization go beyond the guidelines established by common labels. Moreover, we work together with an independent laboratory to control our cultivation process.

Our brand indicates that

  1. we cultivate our fruits without using any herbicides and pesticides.
  2. the fruits mature on the tree until they are picked and sent directly to our customers all over Europe.
  3. our fruits are not treated in any way after they have been picked, nor are they covered with wax or pass any cameras.
  4. behind the brand Naranjas del Carmen stands a team consisting of members who care for our planet and the environment.

Every week, clients and friends from all over Europe come to visit us. They see with their own eyes how our fields look like and the way we work. Like that, they become ambassadors of Naranjas del Carmen. Thank you very much for your support!

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