# Random questions about life in Spain :-)



## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

Just a few things that have cropped up that I'm curious about. 

1. Are the oranges picked from the trees or the ground or both? A field next to us has dozens of gorgeous, sweet, undamaged ripe oranges (yes I do know what they taste like ;-) ) lying on the ground. I've seen someone spraying around the edges, and 2 guys came to look at the trees recently, but no-one is picking anything.

2. Is produce here usually organic or do they tend to use pesticides and fertilisers? I've noticed that fresh fruit and vegetables go off much quicker than they did in the UK so I'm adjusting to a shorter shopping cycle. Before anyone says it I don't think everything I used to buy in Britain was irradiated and I often bought organic there.

3. Where does all the dust come from?! I swear I've never lived in houses previously where dust and dust bunnies accumulate so fast. We're in a green area, not arid, surrounded currently by orange groves and last year surrounded by almonds and olives and mountains.


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## ccm47 (Oct 15, 2013)

My understanding is that you are free to pick from the ground or the trees once the pickers have been through an orchard. Picking in my area in Murcia seems to happen mainly in February, after which time I just collect what I need, generally fallen fruit.


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

A lot depends on price, some years it is not worth picking them. Around us they are now pruning the trees with the fruit still on the branches!


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## kaluza (Jun 3, 2017)

I have no answers but I wanted to chime in about the dust. I have to sweep every day and I swear there is no way we are physically generating this much dust! It confounds me.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I don't think that there's more dust here than in the UK... you just notice it more without wall to wall carpeting. The vacuum cleaner doesn't fill any more quickly!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> I don't think that there's more dust here than in the UK... you just notice it more without wall to wall carpeting. The vacuum cleaner doesn't fill any more quickly!


Personally, I think it is far dustier - maybe not on the coast but certainly up here.

We have to keep wiping the surfaces/furniture down.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I think it’s far dustier here than in the U.K. we had tiled and wooden flooring in the U.K. so no carpets. We do live in the campo that might make a difference. I can dust, damp dust and wipe down everyday and by the next morning there is a thick layer everywhere. Used to frustrate me, now I just realise it’s a losing battle, so spritz the place once a week.


Can’t find any really nice smelly wood polish here.......


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

No doubt dustier in Spain.
Much drier for most of the year so that produces dust and its no uncommon for sand from the Sahara to cover Spain in dust (as we all know)
From Nov to March millions of tons of wood are burnt & of course all that ash has to go somewhere, none from Baldy's chimmney though as his is special.


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Oranges on the ground*



ccm47 said:


> My understanding is that you are free to pick from the ground or the trees once the pickers have been through an orchard. Picking in my area in Murcia seems to happen mainly in February, after which time I just collect what I need, generally fallen fruit.


Well the pickers have just been, leaving rubbish spilled outside our house and loads of apparently unsuitable oranges dumped amongst the plants on the edge of our garden. Thousands of totally perfect oranges left on the ground amongst the trees so I'll be out there with a basket soon!


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Dust!*



xabiachica said:


> I don't think that there's more dust here than in the UK... you just notice it more without wall to wall carpeting. The vacuum cleaner doesn't fill any more quickly!


My vacuum cleaner is definitely filling quicker and I've never seen dust bunnies breed so fast! As dust holds mould spores (health risk, especially for us) I'm thinking I need to get a ladder and clean on top of the cupboards regularly. :-(


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Dust from the Sahara plays a big role, more so in the summer but it blows in all year. This site is pretty good for tracking Saharan dust. SKIRON - Dust Forecast Mediterranean - Europe, North Atlantic
Then there is a lot of local dust too, it only makes sense that there would be more as Spain is very arid in places and the wind picks it up plus it rarely rains so the dust remains in the air longer.

And winter time you get all the smoke that adds to it, most houses here have a fire of some type and well today must of been a burn day as this morning there were at least 3 or 4 large fires that now have covered Alicante in a nice blanket of haze everywhere.

Can't really escape it.


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## Poloss (Feb 2, 2017)

Kikie said:


> Just a few things that have cropped up that I'm curious about.
> 
> 1. Are the oranges picked from the trees or the ground or both? A field next to us has dozens of gorgeous, sweet, undamaged ripe oranges.
> 
> 2. Is produce here usually organic or do they tend to use pesticides and fertilisers,


Oranges are picked from the tree; sometimes cut with a secateur. Be careful if you're climbing up in orange trees as they sometimes have hefty thorns!

Organic farming is increasing but conventional methods are the norm.
The French view is that Spain is much more laxist on phytosanitary products.
Many French farmers cross the border to stock up on products which are forbidden in France.
Even in the apocalyptic El Ejido greenhouses organic farming is developing:
Spanish organic greenhouse vegetable acreage growing too fast?


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Poloss said:


> The French view is that Spain is much more laxist on phytosanitary products.
> Many French farmers cross the border to stock up on products which are forbidden in France.
> Even in the apocalyptic El Ejido greenhouses organic farming is developing:
> Spanish organic greenhouse vegetable acreage growing too fast?


Probably not the case any longer given laws passed(last year?) which now requires people to undergo a course in phytosanitary use.
For example if you wish to buy more than just a squirty bottle of round up you need to take the course.

Because of such sillyness I get my round up from France, go figure.


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## Poloss (Feb 2, 2017)

Pazcat said:


> Probably not the case any longer given laws passed(last year?) which now requires people to undergo a course in phytosanitary use.
> For example if you wish to buy more than just a squirty bottle of round up you need to take the course.
> 
> Because of such sillyness I get my round up from France, go figure.


According to the law in France, all glyphosate based weedkillers are no longer allowed on shelves; you have to ask a vendor to fetch it from the stock. 
He'll then give you a lecture on how evil it is for the environment and suggest alternative products etc, etc.

That's the law, but in practice...

I use salt and white vinegar.


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Saharan dust*



Pazcat said:


> Dust from the Sahara plays a big role, more so in the summer but it blows in all year. This site is pretty good for tracking Saharan dust. SKIRON - Dust Forecast Mediterranean - Europe, North Atlantic
> Then there is a lot of local dust too, it only makes sense that there would be more as Spain is very arid in places and the wind picks it up plus it rarely rains so the dust remains in the air longer.
> 
> And winter time you get all the smoke that adds to it, most houses here have a fire of some type and well today must of been a burn day as this morning there were at least 3 or 4 large fires that now have covered Alicante in a nice blanket of haze everywhere.
> ...


Yes, we use that site. The Saharan dust is one of the reasons we are living in north Costa Blanca rather than further south. Its a bit of a compromise (its b cold oop north here in winter!) but we have to avoid as much dust as we can for health reasons. :-( Worrying now that smoke particles are something we ought to consider as well.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Kikie said:


> My vacuum cleaner is definitely filling quicker and I've never seen dust bunnies breed so fast! As dust holds mould spores (health risk, especially for us) I'm thinking I need to get a ladder and clean on top of the cupboards regularly. :-(


Why? Far better to just let it lie there and not be disturbed ;-)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> Why? Far better to just let it lie there and not be disturbed ;-)


Quite right, if you want those mould spores to fill the air and poison you the best way is to stir up all the dust where they are lying dormant...

Of course, mould spores are airborne don't need dust for distribution. Just the right level of humidity and temperature to activate them. And I'm sure we had an extensive thread about this not that long ago, when the OP was picking our brains for the best place to live.


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Mould and dust*



Alcalaina said:


> Quite right, if you want those mould spores to fill the air and poison you the best way is to stir up all the dust where they are lying dormant...
> 
> Of course, mould spores are airborne don't need dust for distribution. Just the right level of humidity and temperature to activate them. And I'm sure we had an extensive thread about this not that long ago, when the OP was picking our brains for the best place to live.


Unfortunately we don't have the luxury of letting sleeping dust lie. :-( Much as I'd love to, cos I'm not a happy houseworker! We are following medical instructions to keep our environment dust free.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

VFR said:


> No doubt dustier in Spain.
> Much drier for most of the year so that produces dust and its no uncommon for sand from the Sahara to cover Spain in dust (as we all know)
> From Nov to March millions of tons of wood are burnt & of course all that ash has to go somewhere, none from Baldy's chimmney though as his is special.


Come to Asturias to escape the arid south and all those dusty places on the Costa's.

You know it makes sense !!!

:wave:


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Asturias*



Williams2 said:


> Come to Asturias to escape the arid south and all those dusty places on the Costa's.
> 
> You know it makes sense !!!
> 
> :wave:


Thanks for the invite! Unfortunately we also have to avoid cold, damp winters with lots of buggy people around. We didnt realise we'd be quite so cold where we are as it is! Though to be fair its lovely outside usually, inside is the problem!


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Kikie said:


> Thanks for the invite! Unfortunately we also have to avoid cold, damp winters with lots of buggy people around. We didnt realise we'd be quite so cold where we are as it is! Though to be fair its lovely outside usually, inside is the problem!


Yes some like it HOT in Spain - For me, I've made it abundantly clear that I don't like the heat !! so Asturias
including Cantabria, etc is fine and dandy with me. It's my Spain without the heatwaves !!

Anyway all the best in finding your perfect Spanish location Kikie.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

VFR said:


> No doubt dustier in Spain.
> Much drier for most of the year so that produces dust and its not uncommon for sand from the Sahara to cover Spain in dust (as we all know)
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

*Dust!*



Juan C said:


> VFR said:
> 
> 
> > No doubt dustier in Spain.
> ...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Southern Spain is hot, dry and windy, just a narrow sea away from the Sahara desert. How could it not be dusty?

But with modern domestic appliances, vacuum cleaners, air filters and microfibre mops it isn't a problem. I'm no slave to housework but it takes me just ten minutes a day to deal with it. And that includes a longhaired cat who spends half the year moulting.


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