Agritourism policy and the environment

Friday, December 6, 2013, 00:01 by Kristina Chetcuti


Building new agritourism structures is ‘blasphemy’

Ecotourism agency Merill believes Mepa’s agritourism construction proposals would create eyesores in the countryside. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Jeanette Borg. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Building new structures for accommodation in rural areas, as provided for by the new Outside Development Zones draft policy, is “blasphemy” according to a local pioneer in agritourism.

The draft policy was launched last month by Planning Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia, who said it aimed to develop agritourism by allowing farmers, individually or in groups, to build up to 10 rooms for accommodation when their land exceeds 60 tumoli.

However, Jeanette Borg, managing director of Merill, the first ecotourism agency in Malta, believes this proposal would create an eyesore.

“We are completely against building more establishments on virgin land, agricultural land, or garigue.

“Building a utility room to serve as a store for agritourism purposes is one thing, building up to 10 rooms is another thing,” she said, pointing out that the rooms would need ancillary structures such as driveways and parking spaces, leading to entire complexes.

“Landscape mitigation is very hard to achieve, and they will be nothing but an eyesore,” she said.

Ms Borg believes the problem is that “we try to copy Sicily” – a scenario that “would not work” here.

Agritourism, she said, is a combination of experiences and not just accommodation in rural areas.

“Eco-friendly types of accommodation such as restored old town houses in the heart of Maltese villages also are agritourism,” she said.

Travelling distances are minimal in Malta so tourists are a maximum of half an hour away from the farm where the agri-experience is to take place, she said, stressing we should not aim to create a drastic shift from hotels.

“That would be shooting the local tourism industry in the foot.”

She questioned the need for rural accommodation when the island’s tourism marketing is geared towards Malta being “a sun and sea island”.

Landscape mitigation is very hard to achieve, and they will be nothing but an eyesore

“Agritourism is a niche market. We won’t be inundated with large quantities of high-paying tourists overnight: do we ever see promotion of Malta’s rural areas?”

A case in point, she said, was Gozo, where most of the farmhouses available for tourists remain vacant during the shoulder months.

The marriage of agriculture and tourism, she said, is one of the few ways that our farmland can preserve its character.

“Unless an economic value is given to agricultural land, we will continue having farmers who forfeit their land to build more since property is still generating money. This is dangerous.”

Ms Borg praised the draft policy for “its good intentions” and being “a good attempt at allowing investment to take place in rural areas that was not possible in the past”, such as the establishment of farm shops.

It is a welcome option because it will enable locals and tourists to buy fresh produce directly from the farmers, she said.

However, she pointed out it is still practically impossible to obtain permits to process local food in small-scale plants and the Department of Public Health is still “imposing non-practical requirements” for genuine producers.

“This red tape is leading to apathy in the Maltese food delicacies industry – no wonder delicacy shops are opening up selling items from all over the world, except Malta.”

She hopes “loopholes and bureaucratic webs” will be addressed, citing farmers who have been denied permission to restore derelict buildings or build an underground reservoir.

“We all know how many huge complexes or residential areas have been granted permits on virgin land.”

Project processes ought to be centralised in one institution, she recommended, as currently projects need endorsement of the Agriculture and Public Health departments and at times even the Malta Tourism Authority.

“By the time one gets the seal of approval for a proposed, EU-funded project from the three bodies, the call for funding would have closed.”

Article from Timesofmalta.com

Viticulturists within the Merill Rural Network

Much like our forefathers believed that the stars controlled their destiny, we now know that climate and geographical regions affect the chemical composition of grapes and, in turn, of wine. The study of this science, and some might even say nature’s art, is called viticulture, and the Merill Rural Network is proud to be helping out those furthering Malta’s sector in this sphere.

Grapes are an incredibly versatile berry: They can be eaten fresh, add a burst of zingy sweetness to dishes as raisins or sultanas, and even make the anti-oxidising drink that is grape juice. But for all its worth, their best loved and most influential use remains their ability to ferment and create one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages... Wine.

At Merill, we champion tradition, crafts from an age that is fast disappearing, and the use of long-established practices when it comes to agriculture, but we also understand that science and new knowledge are there to help us build a more sustainable and efficacious system. And that’s where our viticulturists come in.

Meet Carmel & Paul Cortis, brothers by blood and in the field

Working the land is a backbreaking job that, more often than not, cements the bond that ties father to son, mother to daughter, and sibling to sibling. Carmel and Paul Cortis, are brothers in and out of the field, but their mutual love for viticulture has led them to develop a requited fondness that is evident in their work.

Chances are, you’ve already laid your eyes on one of the patches of land that the Cortis brothers manicure on a weekly basis. Perched just beneath the imposing, fortified city of Mdina lies their vineyard; a beautiful medley of colourful vines that contrast exceptionally well with the straw-coloured walls of the Medieval Silent City.

It’s hard to believe that this landscape was once devoid of life, and that Carmel and Paul had to reintroduce soil and plant vines when they first took up farming. They’ve come a long way since then and, through heavy investment in machinery and new technology, hard work, and pure determination, they are now the proud carers of a plantation of grapevines that bears fruit in the summer and provides greenery throughout the rest of the year.

Carmel and Paul are part-time farmers, but most of their free time is spent tending the field, along with their wives and children, who provide a helping hand whenever needed but particularly during harvesting season, when the workload is at its peak.

Meet Patrick Gauci, a man whose pastime enriches the landscape

While not many fathers expect their children to follow in their footsteps, Patrick is one who can proudly say that his influence on his son gained Malta another, much-needed agriculture graduate. At 55 years old, however, Patrick still spends a lot of his time farming, and is a person whose pastime is ‘rewarding’, ‘relaxing’ and beneficial to Malta’s grape-growing industry and the land he sows.

Situated at the foot of the ridge where Gnien l-Gharusa tal-Mosta lies, the Ghajn Rihana Vineyards yield grapes that go on to produce some of the Island’s most celebrated wines. All this, Patrick does in his free time, but he has been doing so since he was a child, and is grateful to have found someone who will take care of his land with him and also once he can no longer do it himself.

With a lifetime’s worth of experience in farming and viticulture, Patrick has a wealth of intellectual and practical knowledge in the field that is now fostered and bolstered by the EU-funded LEADER programme, secured through the Merill Rural Network.

To stay up-to-date with Carmel & Paul’s Cortis Vineyard, you can follow them on Facebook by clicking here; for Patrick’s Ghajn Rihana Vineyards, you can click here. For more information on Merill you can contact us by e-mail at info@merill.com.mt or by calling us on +356 9944 3118.

Written by WriteMeAnything.com

Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience

Wine is an icon that has transgressed time and tastes. So much so, that 10,000 years after the first batch of this alcoholic beverage concocted from fermented grapes was made, wine still holds an important place in our everyday lives.

Benjamin Franklin once said that ‘wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy’. 

We agree, but we also believe that wine is more than just a simple beverage that accompanies your dinner, or which you sip as you chat to friends. After all, each bottle of wine holds within it traditions, customs, scents and tastes that have been 10,000 years in the making.

Taste Local

As many of you probably know, we are firm believers in the produce yielded and products created locally, and there are many reasons for this. 

● To begin with, these are zero-milage products, meaning that their carbon footprint is much, much smaller than something imported from abroad. 

● Buying and promoting these products also helps safeguard customs that have been in use for generations, and helps promote the growth of our local agricultural landscape and economy. 

● But, more than that, we truly believe that local produce, aided by the kiss of our generous sun, and lovingly grown by the wonderful farmers that have dedicated their life to this practice, results in superior products that taste divine.

That’s why our Wine & Cheese Tasting sessions only make use of locally-produced wine, grown in vineyards scattered all around the Islands that benefit from our fertile soil and optimum weather conditions. And, to complement the wines and take your taste-buds on a journey through Malta’s culinary traditions, we add creamy and soft sheep’s milk gbejniet (traditional Maltese cheeselets) to our offering.

Wine & Cheese Tasting Sessions by Merill

Our Wine & Cheese Tasting Sessions take place at one of our exclusive venues, which set the stage for an idyllic afternoon in the company of expertly-picked, boutique wines and fresh gbejniet created from local milk by local producers using recipes that date back tens, and even hundreds, of years.

As we take you through the different wines and explore their fragrance, palate and origin, we also guide you through the deep and intricate taste of our humble gbejna, as well as the history and legacy of the venues we are in, which include Tas-Salut Orchard or the Tan-Nixxiegha Olive Grove.

As such, these Wine & Cheese Tasting Sessions are great for both locals and visitors, and whether it’s a birthday party, get together, team-building session, or just an afternoon spent getting to know the local viticulture, we will always welcome you with open arms.

Other Details:

● As we’re sure you know, wine tasting sessions are all about getting to know the wines at hand, so we’ll make sure you won’t get drunk while in our care, and we promise to keep you safe.

● These tasting sessions cannot substitute lunch or dinner in their entirety, so they make for a perfect pre-dinner activity.

● They are available all year round, no matter the weather!

● They’re perfect for an afternoon gathering that allows you to taste some delicious Maltese wines with a backdrop of the pink and yellow sky as the sun sets. It also means that, if you come in the hot summer months, you’ll avoid the stifling heat of the early afternoon.

● Groups can secure the exclusive farm venue – drop us a line for more information about this.

● Visitors will try three different kinds of wine and two types of gbejniet – making these sessions ideal for vegetarians too.

For more information on Merill or our Wine & Cheese Tasting sessions, why not drop us a line at info@merill.com.mt or call us on +356 9944 3118? 

Written by WriteMeAnything.com

Antoine's Weaving Workshop

 Weaving is one of the world’s oldest trades, and its simple process of interlocking two distinct sets of yarn or thread at right angles to create a piece of cloth is so perfect, it hasn’t changed in over 9,000 years.

Around the world, cave paintings, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and scraps of fabric preserved in time, have revealed that the weaving of yarn and thread doesn’t only predate civilisation, it even predates history – with many historians and archeologists believing the craft to be over 12,000 years old.

Here in Malta, the first known piece of weaving discovered dates back to around 800BC, to the time when the Phoenicians ruled the island. As with many other crafts, we embraced it and, 3,000 years on, we still produce fabrics and cloths using this ancient method.

Having said that, the manual process has all but become extinct thanks to the industrial revolution that literally mechanised the exact same action that has been used for millennia. Now, Antoine tan-Newl and Merill have joined forces to use the technology that threatened to destroy the local, manual craft to help safeguard it.

Who is Antoine?

Antoine Vella, known affectionately as Antoine tan-Newl, first began learning the art of weaving when he was just eight years old, and it took him over eight years of constant practice to get his skills up to scratch. “I’ve always been absolutely fascinated by the different kinds of weavings that exist, and it was my dream to learn how to create a piece of fabric myself,” he tells us.

Today, Antoine runs his own weaving workshop, which hand-produces carpets, blankets, cushion covers, and an array of paraphernalia for the dining room and the bedroom. “In the past, however, almost all fabrics and clothes were created by hand using this process, including the ghonnella, flannel shirts, and even underwear,” he adds.

How is Merill involved?

Through the Merill Rural Network, Antoine has been entrusted with a spinner (a machine that spins wool into yarn; a job traditionally done by hand by unmarried women who were considered to be past their eligibility, hence the term ‘spinster’) and a carder (a toothed machine that opens and cleans wool), which were purchased through funds granted by the EU’s LEADER programme.

These two pieces of equipment will give Antoine the opportunity to mechanise two of the most time-consuming parts of the process of weaving, allowing him to create a larger volume of work. On top of that, the spinner will make use of Maltese-produced wool that is often discarded or burnt; leading to a product that is 100 per cent local and that is still hand-made.

Antoine has also received training in a wide range of topics, including health and safety measures to be taken when using these two machines and when welcoming visitors to his workshops, as well as in risk management. “Learning makes life interesting, and I was stunned by the amount of new developments – and even older ones – which we were exposed to,” explains Antoine. “It’s definitely bettered our process and business!”

Click to watch video

written by WriteMeAnything.com

A visit to Antoine tan-Newl’s workshop can be organised upon request. For more information you can send us an e-mail at info@merill.com.mt or call us on 99443118.