A birds-eye view of the “Dehesa” in Extremadura is like an immense green ocean dotted with cottages and white villages, though from the ground it is full of life, a paradise for Iberico flora and fauna, an ecosystem where a utopian harmony between man and his environs is made real.
The “Dehesa” is a Mediterranean woodland ecosystem that is unique to the southwest of Spain. In the region of Extremadura the “Dehesa” occupies more than half of the territory, with around 2 million hectares formed from Holm oaks, Cork oaks, and other species.
The “Dehesa” is a unique example of sustainable development, which reaches an equilibrium between obtaining natural products, and conservation of the rolling hills, and could be called a wild-land domesticated by man.
If the “Dehesa” is one of the marvels of nature that is still conserved in the world, the Iberico pig forms part of its roots and possesses genetics that would be impossible to imagine in any other place, growing up freely in unequaled locations and enjoying a relaxed life in harmony with nature.
In these magic-filled ancestral woods, the oaks are the friendly and eternal protectors of the life in this remote place, where it seems that time doesn´t pass, and where each autumn with the skies turning grey these species produce their miraculous fruiting. Each year after the appearance of the first rains, the dehesas transform into green carpets where millions of acorns are covered by grasses, announcing the coming of autumn, and enabling what is known as “Montanera”.
During the “Montanera” which extends from October to March, the supervised feeding is based exclusively on acorns and natural feeds, with Iberico pigs being individually controlled in their weight-gain. The animals begin this stage at around 90kg and can reach 160kg at the end of this stage.
The environment, history, and tradition has made the region of Extremadura a gastronomic reference for the largest production of the Iberico pig in Spain, and for the recognized quality of the meat produced from these acorn-fed animals.