Hacienda VerdeEthnographic Park & Leisure

Where the grain was threshed · La Orotava

The threshing floor

A ring of open lawn between walls of volcanic stone and Canary Island pines. On this ground the harvest grain was once threshed.

The threshing floor, a ring of lawn surrounded by a volcanic stone wall and Canary Island pines

The wheel of the old cart still leans nearby, beneath the great almond tree that gives its name to one of the houses.

The story

The threshing floor was the heart of the work after the harvest. The sheaves were spread out in a circle and a beast walked round and round dragging the threshing board, a plank with stones or blades set into its base, until the grain was separated from the straw.

That field of toil is today a quiet circle of lawn, enclosed by the stone wall. One of the spots guests seek out most in the late afternoon.

Did you know

After threshing came the winnowing: tossing the grain into the air with a fork so the wind carried off the light straw and the clean grain fell.

In detail

Ethnographic wooden cart and bench beneath the almond tree, beside the threshing floor
The ethnographic cart, beneath the almond tree

The other features of the park

Seven pieces of Canary Island craft, inside the garden.

Beam press of the wine press under a tiled roof, with barrels and a wooden screw

The century-old wine press

The traditional wine press still keeps its century-old vault of sandstone brick, the wooden barrels and the bottles stacked in an arch. Outside, the old beam press rests beneath its roof.

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Traditional hay barn of dry volcanic stone with a green door and a thatched roof

The hay barn

Built of dry volcanic stone, with its green door and a thatched roof. The Cabildo of Tenerife has it listed as an ethnographic heritage site.

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Stone washing troughs with basins, spouts and metal tubs, beside a clay water jar

The stone washing troughs

The original basins still standing, with their spouts over the stone. Here the laundry was washed by hand before water reached the houses.

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Carved wooden trough, hollowed from a single log, resting against a stone wall beside clay water jars

The carved wooden trough

A trough carved from a single hollowed-out log, resting against the stone wall with a couple of clay jars beside it.

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Manual cast-iron water pump on a stump, beside clay water jars, in sepia tones

The hand water pump

A cast-iron lever pump, mounted over the old well and surrounded by clay water jars.

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Colourful petanque boules on the earth court among Canary Island pines, with a birdhouse in the background

The petanque court

A court carved out among Canary Island pines, with firm earth underfoot and shade that settles in by the late afternoon.

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Wander the park during your stay.

The the threshing floor and the other features are yours to explore freely when you stay in one of the houses on the estate, in La Orotava.

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