Agriculture

At the expense of abandonment in this mountainous area southeast of Galicia, economic activities are based in the field of Agriculture. Being methodical exploitation of the soil and livestock, largely consumed more or less directly for subsistence.

The crop rotation system developed in many regions of Europe, mainly in the more temperate. As the name suggests, is based on the rotation or alternation of crops, going for a short period of fallow land oxygenation.

The use of animal manure evolved gradually from late prehistoric to use animal manure on farmland, obtaining better results. This was the main feature of the incorporation of domestic animals, especially cows and horses as draft animals and suppliers of meat and milk for human consumption.

Crop production focused on rye, barley, potatoes, corn, beans, various vegetables, vines and chestnuts. Something was isolated snuff, only grown by two neighbors. The linen was very important in the village when used on looms as a product for making clothing or household as sheets, blankets, saddlebags culture, etc. It was also very medicinal as a home remedy.

For the development of these crops, free to use for land reclamation instrument was the Roman plow, drawn by oxen or horses. The plow, except iron grate that is, is built entirely by hand in ash wood or brown by carpenters own the place, or occasionally by skilled laborers themselves in handling the ax, used to use in pruning trees or cutting firewood. The structure of the detachable plow consists of four parts: Esteva (Ravela), Rudder (Tamón) Earmuffs (Aviacas), Reja (Rella). The four parts are assembled to form a single whole. The rudder of one piez, is assembled to the rear of the esteva. The aviacas, responsible for opening the land side of the plow, are assembled to esteva adjustable opening. The fence is on the lower end of the esteva, fine to deepen the land rush. There is a smaller fifth piece, but not without relevance within the plow. This piece is the regulatory nail deep linking the esteva and rudder for the necklace. The rudder at the end of dredge, is tied in a special way knotless the yoke of the pair of animals in their mission to shoot. Attached is a wide, thick cowhide strap (Tamoeiro).

By 1933 he began incorporated a new plow, moldboard iron type (charrua), whose origin is from Portugal. It is a combination of iron and wood. Iron on the back, which is plowing and turning the soil. The front end is bolted to the iron structure. Is wooden and has a front wheel made of iron plow guide, while it regulates plowing depth. The front has a ring which engage a rudder (Tamoncela), which connects the plow with the yoke of fire. This type of moldboard plow came to give a response to improvements in land clearing, looking better crops to be the mantle of the earth better oxygenated, to develop os fruits of the earth.

A tilling the land must add another implement more, which is the harrow (Agrade). This implement arises from the need to crush clods when lifting plows plowing of the land. The stand construction is wood ash (Afreixo) or black poplar (Negrillo). Based on two rectangular squares with two transverse sleepers assembled, forming a rectangular box. In the part that goes crawling on the floor will full of iron blades, assembled by blacksmiths in the wood. The front bears a ring where it connects with the rudder shooting (Tamoncela).

The cars in this area are rather typical Portuguese North. Being in its different from Galicia entirety. Its construction is based on two different woods: ash (Afreixo) and Black Poplar (Negrillo). To construct collaborate different village artisans. The carpenters and blacksmiths the first, who are working wheels in ash wood, three circular pieces assembled with three holes, two circular shape on each side of the wheel and a square in the central part that is more thicker than the matching. That’s where the hub is connected protruding about 5 cm of the perpendicular wheel. The hub or shaft is ash upon completion of the work of the wheels or Rodeiro, involving the blacksmith, in collaboration with the carpenter, take the wheels to a base of granite stone circle, the diameter of the wheels from which to shoeing mimas with foil and iron 3 inches thick, and the width of the wheels about 8 inches, heating the sheets with consistent light of strains verezo (Torgo).