Three ways to discover, step by step, the life of an extensive livestock farm in Extremadura.
In our last post of this blog we told you how the agrotourism project was born in the El Baldío farm, what are its foundations and why the alliance between Global Nature Foundation and Verdehesa has decided to open this meadow to the public. Now we want to go a step further and tell you about the specific experiences that we have designed so that you can experience all this in first person.
These are not “showcase” visits, but proposals designed for you to move around the farm calmly, listen to those who work it, observe the livestock and the landscape, and leave with the feeling of having understood a little better how an extensive livestock farm that is committed to sustainability works.
At El Baldío we have created three complementary agro-tourism products:
- Educational Agritourism in the Dehesa.
- Pastured Nature: Agrotourism in the Dehesa.
- Herd Times: Lambing and Shearing in the Dehesa.
We present them to you.
- Educational Agrotourism in the Dehesa
La Dehesa as an outdoor classroom
Imagine a group of students who, instead of seeing extensive livestock farming in a textbook, walk on it. They arrive at El Baldío and, before they get off the bus, a mosaic of holm oaks, pastures, ponds and extensive livestock opens up before them. The visit begins with a welcome in the farmhouse area: who we are, what Naturaleza Pastoreada is and why this farm is a living laboratory of soil, pasture, water and livestock.
From there, the pasture becomes an open-air classroom. Work is done by stops and/or by subgroups:
- in some cases, the management of the herd or cows in extensive farming is observed, talking about animal welfare, feeding, local breeds and ecosystem services;
- in others, the vegetation and soil are analyzed, looking at how the pasture responds to regenerative grazing or how the trees are cared for;
- in others, attention is paid to the associated biodiversity: birds, amphibians, insects… and the importance of the ponds and the mosaic of habitats.
The approach is always participatory: questions are asked, little notes are taken, details are observed, curriculum concepts are related to what is seen in the field. Students not only “listen”, but connect what they learn in class to a real livestock farm.
Who it is intended for
- Baccalaureate and Vocational Training (especially branches of science, environment, agriculture…).
- Agricultural and Environmental Training Schools.
- Universities interested in extensive livestock farming, pasture management, biodiversity, climate change or rural development.
The duration and level of depth are adapted to the type of center and the objectives of the visit. The result is an experience that combines curricular content, direct contact with the field and a critical and constructive look at the future of extensive livestock farming.
How to book
If you are part of an educational center and want to bring your group to El Baldío:
👉 More information and reservations at: Agroturismo Educativo en la Dehesa
- Pastoral Nature: Agrotourism in the Dehesa
A quiet walk to discover its livestock life and biodiversity.
This experience is designed for small groups of adults (friends, associations, groups +55…) who are looking for a quiet, close and authentic experience in the pasture. It is not about “seeing animals” in a hurry, but about understanding how the farm beats in the course of a morning or a day.
The tour combines:
- moments of leisurely stroll through the pasture, reading the landscape and its traces (footprints, paths, traces of grazing);
- stops at ponds and water points, where their importance for wildlife, livestock and the water cycle is explained;
- an approach to the herd and/or cattle in extensive farming, always respecting distances and rhythms, talking about regenerative management, animal welfare and ecosystem services;
- and a final time in the farmhouse environment, where impressions are shared, doubts are solved and the experiences of the day are connected with daily decisions such as what we put on the plate or how we travel.
The guide accompanies the group at a calm pace, leaving space for questions and silence. It is an experience with a strong interpretative component, but also emotional: walking slowly, listening to the sound of the cattle, feeling the wind among centenary oaks and discovering that behind each steak, each cheese or each stew there are management and landscape decisions.
Who it is intended for
- Groups of friends looking for a different experience, beyond the classic city tour.
- Associations and groups +55.
- People interested in nature, local gastronomy, extensive livestock farming and rural culture.
It is an ideal experience to combine with a trip to Cáceres, Trujillo or Monfragüe, adding a piece that is often missing: seeing the dehesa from the inside, from the hand of those who work it.
How to book
👉 More information and reservations at: Naturaleza Pastoreada: Agroturismo en la Dehesa (Agrotourism in the Dehesa)
- Flock Times: Lambing and Shearing in the Dehesa.
An agritourism experience that changes with the season: newborn lambs or freshly sheared wool.
Throughout the year, there are moments when the life of the flock is concentrated and acquires a special intensity. Two of these are lambing, when the lambs arrive, and shearing, when the wool that has protected the animal for months is removed.
The experiences grouped under the name “Herd Times: Calving and Shearing in the Dehesa” allow us to accompany these key moments in the life of the black merino herd of El Baldío, a native breed in recovery.
These are very exclusive experiences with a reduced capacity, which can only be carried out on specific dates, linked to the actual management of the herd. They are not recreations: the visitor witnesses authentic processes, accompanied by the livestock team and a guide who helps to interpret what is happening.
Black merino herd farrowing
In farrowing, the focus is on mother-calf bonds, early care, herd organization at this delicate time, animal welfare and stress management, and the importance of reproductive planning on an extensive farm.
It is a particularly powerful experience at an emotional and educational level, very suitable for an adult audience sensitized to rural culture and the life of animals beyond idealized images.
Shearing of black merino herd
In shearing, the focus is on: the shearing team and their technique, the management of the flock around the work shed or corral, the classification of wool, the history of the black merino and the wool trade, and the current crisis in the wool sector.
The visitor discovers that shearing is a necessary practice for the welfare of the animal and, at the same time, a window into the economic and cultural history of the peninsula.
For whom are they intended
- Groups interested in rural culture, ethnography and native breeds.
- Adult public wishing to experience a unique and unrepeatable moment in the livestock calendar.
- Foreign travelers looking for highly symbolic and emotional experiences, far from mass tourism.
Due to its seasonal nature, places are very limited and are communicated in advance on our social networks according to the expected dates of lambing and shearing.
How to book
👉 More information, dates and reservations at: Tiempos del Rebaño: Lambing and Shearing in the Pasture
A visit that also takes care of the farm
Beyond what each visitor experiences, a portion of the proceeds from these experiences goes to the conservation projects that Fundación Global Nature develops in El Baldío. In this way, each visit also contributes to maintaining the dehesa, the extensive herd and the biodiversity associated with this unique landscape.
If you have not yet done so, we invite you to also read the entry in this blog, where we tell the origin and meaning of the project.