From the Ribera del Marco de Cáceres to the table

He has done it again. If the first edition of the agroecological biomarket of Cáceres was already a success on March 20, this Sunday the Balbos Forum has once again been the center of attention of the people of Cáceres in a new call for this event. About a dozen stalls are enough to gather dozens of people throughout the morning in search of top quality natural products that go directly from the field to the table. The Ribera del Marco and the Valdeflores valley are two landmarks, both very close.

For 13 euros you can get oil from the Sierra de la Mosca; for only 4.5 a container of tasty lemon jam and the most typical basket includes lamb stew or turkey stew with mushrooms among other delicatessen.

The motto ‘Cáceres para comérselo’ is more present than ever, as evidenced by the constant presence of people, including many tourists who start their tour of the historic center in the Plaza Mayor. There are also many followers of Córdoba, who are playing a football league match with CP Cacereño this weekend and have come to accompany their team.

Another element that has animated the market has been that the Platform Let’s Save the Mountain has set up an information table a few meters from it. He has again shown his rejection of the Infinity Lithium project. ‘The mine pollutes’ was one of the messages, in a nod to the bioecological market and the impact that this mining project in the foothills of the Mountain can have for the products that are generated in that environment. Save the Mountain has been filming this week with Arte, a Franco-German cultural television channel.

There have been many alternatives this morning in the biomarket, a pilot initiative promoted by the City Council and managed by a cooperative. It is taken to the Foro de los Balbos, a space that hosted the food market for years and that represents a vindication of the past of the city and its Ribera del Marco, as the Councilor for Innovation, Jorge Villar, has recalled these days.

“Whoever wants to eat well and enjoy cooking has a must-see. It is a pleasure to find first-rate, healthy, natural products whose origin is not only not dubious but also very close and with maximum guarantees,” says César, one of the attendees this Sunday at the second call for the organic market. In it, an attempt has been made to promote the presence of more fresh produce, especially fruit and vegetables.

The latter are Lorenzo Erce’s specialty. He is 49 years old and every day he tends to his garden in Ribera. “I dedicate myself exclusively to this and try to offer the best to the client,” he says. He can’t cope, because people gather around his stand, next to the Almohad wall. César is one of his most loyal clients. He remembers that Lorenzo sells his products at the foot of the field every first and last Sunday of the month in Ribera, near Tenerías. Pumpkins, giant chard… Emilio Rey, owner of the well-known El Pato restaurant, queues to complete the basket.

Very close by, the Ecojerte group or the Red de Semillas de Cáceres. At the latter’s stand, its managers distribute free seeds of beans, tomatoes… They present themselves as a “living seed bank in Cáceres whose purpose is to facilitate and promote the use, production, maintenance and conservation of agroecological biodiversity” in its social profiles on the Internet.

“The demand is remarkable. People come and ask us. He is interested in the products. All native. We intend to reinforce the presence of local products”, comments one of the managers while offering a customer some tomato seeds. They are at zero cost for those who are interested. Clients can make a voluntary contribution that will benefit the San Jorge Animal Shelter.

After noon the animation continues. Visitors to the biomarket go from stall to stall. They look, browse and buy. Local producers and food artisans have once again been protagonists today in Cáceres. Them and their products.