Updates from the Merill Farmers' Network

Hello Merill fans,

John Gauci, one of our young farmers and myself

Though summer was officially over on the 21st of September, we are still enjoying blue skies and warm temperatures here in Malta. All the grapes have been harvested and the wine makers are now busy monitoring their new wines. Pomegranates are ripening and it will soon be time to harvest the olives with which the new olive oil will be made. 

We're happy to announce that our network is getting bigger! We now have 20 farmers and artisans around Malta who form part of the Merill Rural Network. 

Tess Gauci - an expert of Maltese local delicacies

All our partners forming the network are authentic farmers and herdsmen, while some are artisans. During the eco and agri experiences we organise, we visit farm venues with guests who wish to enjoy agri-tourism activities, or simply to relax, or to learn about the Maltese culture. 

Nenu Farrugia - One of the very few
Karozzini (horse-cabs) makers left in Malta

Here are some photos of some members of the network. More coming up soon!

Stay in touch through our website or facebook fan page, or drop us a line on info@merillecotours.com.

Take care

Jeanette :)

First licensed ecotourism venture in Malta is one year old

Here we are, proud to celebrate our first anniversary!

Today was sunny and cloudless, unlike a year ago, when it was raining cats and dogs at 9am, as guests where arriving in Buskett for the inauguration of Merill Eco Tours. Must have been a sign of good luck :) Dr. Mario de Marco, who was recently appointed Minister for Tourism and Culture, officially inaugurated the enterprise.

We are constantly improving and creating new packages that are in demand in an ever changing tourism industry. Many still view Malta as an island where summer is the only time to go on holiday. However, with all the attractions available on the island, and the many activities one can do, it is surely not the case. The eco element in Malta is pronounced especially in rural villages where agriculture is still alive. This is why we continuously build new opportunities with more farmers, to ensure the livelihood of our countryside. For more details about eco tours and activities, send us an email on info@merillecotours.com or visit our website.

For more real time information, "like" our Facebook fan page and join other fans.

A big thank you goes to all those who have supported us during the past year!

Jeanette and Christian

Happy New Year from Merill Eco Tours!

This will be our last blog article for 2011! Oh what a year!

Merill Eco Tours will soon be a year old and we're so proud of the way it's been growing so far.

It's nice to look back at what we have been up to this year. We started off the venture and the year with the Press Launch which took place on the 12th of January. It was raining cats and dogs before and during the presentation, but still a nice crowd of around 50 attended the launch. Hon. Dr Mario De Marco officially inaugurated Merill Eco Tours as the first licensed ecotourism venture operating in the Maltese Islands.
(Click here to view the clips of the TV coverage; TVM and NET TV.)

Following the launch we immediately started cooperating with various tour operators and local DMCs to fine-tune our eco and agri tours, which are offered both for tourists and locals. The exclusive locations, together with the delicious products enjoyed during the tours, have been an asset to put forward a positive and attractive image of Malta as a rural tourism destination.

Our farmers have been kept very busy producing local products and other delicacies for our guests. Along the year we also branded a range of traditional processed products which were brought direct from the farmers and promoted at a number of different occasions and venues. In September we were also pleased to discover that our honey was featured in an official EU publication, amongst many other food products from all around Europe.

Traditional food products from all EU Countries

Sea Salt mini jars as souvenirs

To raise awareness about the richness of the Maltese rural areas, we are now producing short video clips, which we named '90 eco seconds', capturing the very best scenes and activities in local villages. Our first clip features Mgarr, which is truly an agricultural hub of the Maltese Islands.

We sincerely wish a prosperous new year to all our fans all around the world, especially to our dear Maltese expats who follow us regularly. Our special thanks go to our families and friends as well as all our business partners who have been part of this amazing journey.

Lots of eco wishes from Jeanette and Christian!

90" Eco Seconds - #1 Mġarr: Malta's agricultural hub

What's your view about this first clip we're posting? Would you like to experience these locations?

We took these shots in Mgarr...a truly rich biodiversity hot spot. It is the village with the largest population of full time arable farmers. Many still work their land with the assistance of sons of daughters, and very often their spouses too. Things are not always plain sailing for farmers. They go through many adverse situations including drought periods, marketing challenges and work load. 

The reason why we are shooting these short clips is to raise awareness about the beauty of rural areas in Malta. I speak to many people who find it hard to understand that Malta has a lot of potential in eco and agri-tourism. Meeting real farmers and harvesting/tasting their produce is an experience that many enjoy. The fresh air of the countryside and scenic beauty give visitors a sense of space and relaxation. We are doing our best to include many hidden spots around the islands during our eco tours, surprising our guests with Malta's hidden assets. 

Our "Olive Themed Tour" and the "Malta Vine and Wine Experience" have brought about a new dimension of ecotourism in Malta. These tours are not just eco because we call them so. Real farmers are benefiting from these tours financially. They feel that their land and hard work is being appreciated. Without financial benefits, one cannot expect eco initiatives to last for a long time. We go out of our way to help farmers reach their goals and together create goods and services that make us proud to be Maltese. 

For more information about the principles we practice visit our website www.merillecotours.com 

Malta - The land of plenty

Cabbages

Pumpkins

Melons

Prickly Pears 

The farmer and myself

This morning Christian and I met a farmer who took us around his family run estate of 4.5 hectares. The farmer explained that before his family settled there, all the land had been abandoned and all the rubble walls and paths were derelict.  It took this family decades to turn this estate into fertile land, where crops grow all year round. Strawberries, cucumbers and garlic have been planted while the season of summer fruits such as melons and watermelons will soon be over.

While going through the fields, I asked the farmer about challenges they face and future prospects of such an enterprise. He explained that the prices offered for produce at the Pitkali market are often too low to cover costs of inputs and intensive labour. However since the Farmer's Market in Ta' Qali opened, they can sell the produce directly to consumers thus keeping prices reasonable. The Farmer's market is also challenging in itself. All his family are engaged in harvesting, grading and selling fresh produce, thus offering the very best every Tuesdays and Saturdays. One of the things we can all do to support local farmers is to buy their produce. Apart from producing fresh fruits and vegetables, they maintain the landscape and conserve agricultural biodiversity. 

As Merill Eco Tours we're doing our best to help farmers by promoting their produce and offering ecotourism opportunites. For more information about agri-tourism experiences, visit our website www.merillecotours.com 

Ecotourism in Practice

The Farmers Market - a showcase of culinary richnesses

This term has been around for quite some time but still, it hasn't grown its roots here in Malta. Statistics and other related information about what happens in Malta are limited. Before starting off Merill Eco Tours, I read many books about this topic and accessed a lot of views and methods through social media. Travellers want to have a say before and after their trip. This is positive to us since we are very much focussed to create experiences rather than tours!  

So how can we put Ecotourism into practice? First of all, we need to understand the real meaning of Ecotourism. Its principles are clear and well spelt out. Minimizing the impact on the environment is on top of the list. Malta is a small island with limited resources. Conservation of our few natural resources such as land (including soil), water and biodiversity should be on top of the agenda of all tourism operators. Then comes the aspect of awareness. I meet many people who are sceptical about Malta and Gozo's potential for eco and agri-tourism acitivities. Wake  up people...we are in the middle of the Mediterranean, surrounded by beautiful beaches, our eco-cultural landscape is varied, local people are charming...the "only" thing we need is to build sustainable bridges amongst industries. Let's say, if a restaurant chooses to purchase local foods, then catering industry is embracing the agriculture industry thus supporting rural life and biodiversity. Who will take care of the fields, and thus the landscape, if all the farmers are gone, or all Malta is built up!?

Another example is that of having nature being featured on images representing Malta. Eco is now a buzz word that many use, but how much eco is there in photos of Malta? If one Googles Malta, many images of Valletta, Comino and beaches show up. This is fine, but we have much more to offer. I met a couple of Gozitans last week who were really disappointed when Dwejra is the only place mentioned in many brochures promoting tourism in Gozo. Gozo is still very rural and can showcase farming, nature and village life style.

"What to see" and "what to do" in Malta, Gozo and Comino needs to be changed in order have a more sustainable tourism industry. Having thousands of people visiting Valletta and Mdina is fine. The historical aspect in these locations are fantastic. Shifting some of the activities to rural areas can reduce the pressures onto historical sites, beaches and other popular areas. There again, let's all be careful as not to invade the quite rural areas, and respect the local people. Noise and traffic can disturb rural villages so it needs to be slow and controlled. 

What is Ecotourism? - Alternative and sustainable Tourism

Malta is heading towards Summer - it's already feeling nice and warm

A cloudless blue sky and warm temperature will characterise the weather for the next days...or months!

Malta is an ideal destination for those who want to escape the cold weather that still persists in many parts of the world!

Here are some activities that one can enjoy during this month;

- nature walks
- agri-tourism experiences
- evening chill out dinners
- horse riding
- diving

Our excursions are eco-friendly and we suggest you follow this guide to help us preserve our lovely island - Eco-friendly Guide for Tourists visiting Malta

5 day weather forecast as at 7/5/2011

More Agri-Tourism and Eco-Friendly options for tourists visiting Malta

Local fruit and veggie display

Olive oil, galletti, crispy bread and much more

Merill Eco Tours

Easter Holidays

Diving in Malta

Tourism in Malta starts to peak over the Easter holidays, though it's not as busy as July and August. Many visit the islands for a short break to enjoy the sunshine. This year the weather is very stable with very little wind and warm temperatures during the day.

Whether you wish to enjoy the peaceful landscape or be more adventurous, here is a list of activities you can take up while in Malta at this time of the year.

These activities can be enjoyed by individual travelers, couples, families and also groups.

• Agri-Tourism
• Bird Watching
• Boat trips
• Countryside walks
• Cooking traditional foods
• Diving
• Eco Tours

Enjoy and Happy Easter to everyone!

Agriculture in Malta

Tempting strawberries

One of the best ways to enjoy local flora and fauna is to visit agricultural areas around Malta and Gozo. Rubble walls, soil, trees and corebelled stone huts form excellent habitats to a wide variety of species. At the moment strawberry plants are producing huge quantities of strawberries, while Japanese Medlars are just ripe. Agricultural land is not only useful to produce food but also has a recreational value for those who visit rural areas on Sundays to escape from the weekly chaos. Picnicking is one of the most preferred activities of locals during the cooler months. Those who are more adventurous opt for trekking. 

Tourists also appreciate the agricultural landscape and look for rural areas and their treasures during their stay in Malta. Agri-Tourism experiences are not as common as in other countries like Italy. That doesn't mean there are no options available. Since we started providing tours for locals and tourists, we felt that this area can be developed further. The local people will surely benefit since they are the owners and managers of the agricultural land.  Traditions and culture are very evident in the practices carried out in rural areas. Thus, promoting and providing such experiences can help in conserving traditions through the education of locals and tourists.