Don Pancho, 95, Keeps Tenerife's Apple Tradition Alive

At 95, Don Pancho is still busy working on his Valdeflores farm. Located in the upper Ravelo neighborhood of El Sauzal, it's a well-known spot for growing traditional Reinette apples in northern Tenerife. Every season, he picks and sells thousands of kilos of these apples, priced between 1 and 2 euros per kilo, depending on their size.

Many people call the farm, found on Camino El Pozo street, a "paradise" for Reinette apples. The distinct smell coming from the warehouse, where the apples are piled high, draws in locals and tourists alike. They come straight to Don Pancho for fruit that's just been picked.

Don Pancho, whose full name is Francisco Fernández Ramos, has managed Valdeflores for 57 years. Even though he's a sharecropper, he treats the farm as his own, showing incredible care for every tree. The apples, neatly arranged, look so good they catch your eye. "We make them this beautiful so you can come and take pictures," he jokes. He then adds, with a touch of humor, that this work now "costs him a pretty penny" because he can't do it all by himself anymore.

He fondly remembers a time when skilled women could estimate the apple harvest "by eye," judging heights and amounts with a precision he compares to creating the famous carpets of La Orotava. "Now there's more fruit and less time for that kind of thing," he notes.

Born in La Laguna on October 4, 1930, Don Pancho lived much of his life in Punta del Hidalgo. In 1962, he moved to El Sauzal, working for the Sabanda company – a historic business connected to how the music group Los Sabandeños got its name. From a young age, he explored the north of the island on foot, learning about the land and its crops. This made him an expert on the area, from Tacoronte all the way to La Orotava.

Despite his age, he stays active. Walking across the farm, picking apples, is part of his daily routine and, he believes, his secret to good health. "For the few days I have left, I'm not going to get sick sitting around. Being outside, walking, and working with a tree is good for you," he insists.

As an expert in growing Reinette apples, he readily shares his secret: treat the trees well. "They're like people: if you look after them, they give back. I treat them well, and they reward me with lots of apples," he explains.

He also emphasizes the community side of his work. To make sure no fruit goes to waste or rots on the ground, he keeps his prices low. "I sell them for one euro a kilo so everyone can afford to buy and enjoy them," says Don Pancho, who is seen as one of the last keepers of traditional farming in Ravelo.