With barely 25 years old, a solid academic training underway and the conviction of bringing back to life the land that their ancestors worked, Cosme Torres and Javier Martín are transforming a rustic farm in Tinajo under the name of Finca la Gambuesa.
In an interview with the radio program Más de Uno Gourmet of Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, they explain how they balance their agricultural and nautical engineering studies with marathon days in the field and hospitality, while showing on social media the unfiltered reality of farming in Lanzarote.
- What has been each of your paths before dedicating yourselves to this agricultural project?
Cosme: At 18, I went to Tenerife to study Agricultural Engineering. I have few subjects left to finish, and this semester I have used it to do my internship at the Cabildo's farm. I have always been clear that the countryside is my passion, and practically since I started my degree, I have been working and studying at the same time.
Javi: My case is the opposite because I come from the sea. I completed the higher vocational training in fishing on the island and then I went with Cosme to Tenerife to study Nautical Engineering. I have a degree in Nautical Science and I am a Merchant Marine pilot. We have known each other since we were 16 or 17 years old, and we wanted to take a step further to get closer to our roots and show that having a university education is not incompatible with getting your hands dirty.
- How do you balance the dedication to the farm with your other obligations?
Javi: It's a continuous effort. We continue studying and taking exams, we spend the whole day working the land, and at night we work in the restaurant and nightlife sector.
Cosme: In any job, you know the hourly wage, but we go to the farm from sunrise to sunset, knowing that right now it's not economically rewarding, but we are firmly committed to building a future project.
- Where does the name Finca la Gambuesa come from and what does it mean?
Cosme: A gambuesa is a traditional stone enclosure that farmers used in Lanzarote during the winter months. In the area where we farm, there is La Gambuesa beach, where one of these enclosures used to be at the foot of the cliff. We chose the name as a tribute to that history and the traditions of our elders.
"The lack of regular irrigation is brutal: we planted 300 sweet potatoes, hoping water would come, and they were lost"
- How did the opportunity to acquire the land arise?
Cosme: We were eager to start something together and we took the plunge. We contacted the son-in-law of Teresa, an elderly lady who owned a farm in Tinajo, and after visiting it, we signed a five-year lease agreement.
Javi: It's about 7,000 usable square meters located towards the coast. The previous tenant had kept it quite well and left us irrigation material and hoses, which saved us a huge expense, although between the two of us we have already invested more than 2,000 euros initially.
- What crops do you currently have planted on the farm?
Cosme: We have about 3,000 square meters worked. We planted tomatoes and sweet potatoes, some zucchini, and we have focused on traditional seeds and grains from Tinajo such as peas, broad beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
Water supply is one of the biggest problems on the island.
- How are you dealing with the water supply problems?
Javi: Being in a rural area and further from urban centers, we are supposed to get water once a week, but we have gone three consecutive weeks without a drop. At first, we carried water in jugs and then with a tank in the car, but the farm grew and it became unfeasible.
Cosme: We had to invest in an inflatable tank to store water. The lack of regular irrigation is brutal: we planted 300 sweet potatoes on a Thursday, expecting water to come, and they were lost because there was no supply. It is frustrating to invest so many hours and enthusiasm and find that the most basic thing is missing.
"There are many abandoned lands whose owners have a legitimate distrust of handing them over to young people; there is a lack of institutional figures to mediate and facilitate these agreements"
- Why did you decide to share the entire process on social media from day one?
Javi: It was a spontaneous decision, almost a first-day "impulse." We turned on the camera and started recording. There is no script or preparation; we show reality as it is.
Cosme: It has served to bring agriculture closer to people who are not in the sector and to highlight the problems that older farmers also face. We are happy to see that it has encouraged other young people to pick up a hoe or plant their own tomatoes.
- What would you ask public administrations for to support generational change in agriculture?
Javi: Agriculture in Lanzarote is heroic, artisanal, and handmade. A clear entry point and specific support are needed for those who want to start from scratch. There are many abandoned lands whose owners have a legitimate distrust of handing them over to young people; institutional figures are lacking to mediate and facilitate these agreements.
Cosme: It's not just about giving subsidies when you are already producing, but about creating initial facilities for access to land and, above all, undertaking the necessary investments in irrigation water networks.
- How do you envision the future of Finca La Gambuesa?
Cosme: My goal is to be able to live off the land and consolidate our own business. We want to professionalize the farm as we move forward and demonstrate that the primary sector in Lanzarote has a future.
Javi: When we have the first harvest, we want to organize a day at the farm itself to share the products, cook with friends, and celebrate what the land gives with all the people who have supported us.
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