New Hotel Logo

In the spring of ninety seven a small charming hotel opened its doors to a flow of guests. We are now experiencing the 14th season of Hotel Posada del Valle, a sowing of time that has embodied many changes and transformations. There are many things that still stay the same, those that are solid like the mountains upon which Asturias lays. Those guests that have been sharing with us their holidays for many years are probably the ones that can see the clearest the changes that have happened. The new qualities that are perfuming this small family business are part of the fresh aroma of an emerging greener future.

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A hotel embedded in an organic farm that wishes to share with its guests its dreams of a sustainable and beautiful world. A place from which to start and end many walks through the most stunning Asturian landscapes. A dinning room where the flavours of “organic” are carefully nurtured and combined to make the ultimate food experience.

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As part of our constant renewal, this year we have designed a new logo for Hotel Posada del Valle. A mosaic of instances that we hope symbolizes many of the aspects that we are so happy to share. Lets see how long until we feel the need to renew ourselves once again

Entrance written by Sebastian Burch who designed and produced the new Hotel Logo

Hay 2010

Hay piles on the top of the Castañarina meadow all ready for making this years hay stack and last years hay stack at the back.

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We’ve been cutting and harvesting hay over the last 15 days and yesterday we made our traditional hay stack. With the hay stack finished that’s the end of the hay harvest for 2010 and the end of the hardest period of work on the farm.

Cutting the hay with a mechanical alum scythe. The hay from this meadow was bailed

Cutting the hay with a scythe. All the hay for the stack was cut by hand (with a scythe or strimmer)


Bringing the cut and dried hay with a pitch fork to make the “balagares” or hay piles.

Hay piles and the old hay stack with the Picos in the distance.

The 5 meter Eucalyptus post dug deep in the ground used as the centre support for the hay stack. The pallets around the base are to keep the hay of the ground and get good air circulation under the stack.

Hay making is hard and thirsty work!

The hay is piled around the central stick and by continually walking and standing on the hay it slowly gets compressed.

A platted hay “rope” is tired around the top to help stop water drip down the centre pole. By continually raking the sides of the stack the hay is “lined up” and this helps the water run of it, like a thatched roof.

This year and last years hay stack. You can see how the sheep have eaten around the bottom of last years stack.

The finished hay stack and a collective sigh of relief.

Cycles

Cutting the Castañarina meadow for hay on Monday

We have just cut the wildflower and castañarina meadows for hay, as part of the annual harvest, and that got me thinking about the cyclical nature of the farm and life in general. Certain things come around every year, in their own season – lambing in spring, then strawberries, cutting hay in early summer (with the collective sigh of relief afterwards), mucking out the stable in summer, chopping firewood in early autumn, the first wild blackberries in the hedgerows, picking apples in autumn, the year-round progression of vegetables in the kitchen garden, and the progression of wildflowers out on the farm. There is never a time when there are no wildflowers to be seen, though some times of the year are more spectacular than others. To celebrate this, here’s a selection of flowers appearing through the year on the farm.

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Stinking hellebore – January.

Common dog violet – February.

Tuberous comfrey – March.
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Purple toothwort – April.

Pyrenean germander – May.

Clustered bellflower – June.

Yellow-wort – July.

Carline thistle – August.

Autumn squill – September.

Autumn crocus – October.

Ivy – November.

Mistletoe – December.

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All photos taken on the hotel farm
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Entrance written by Huh Taylor.