The Algarrobo tree (Ceratonia siliqua, Carob tree) is very characteristic of the Mediterranean region. The plant provides one of Mallorca’s traditionally most important crops, the algarroba fruit (carob fruit, also known as locust bean).

Now is the time for the annual algarroba harvest. During September and October you will see Mallorcan farmers (or their wives) beating long dark carob beans off their trees with long sticks. Unfortunately, in Mallorca over the last few years algarrobo trees are more and more neglected. The cost of manpower is too high nowadays to harvest the carob pods with the wholesale price per kilo of carob beans being as low as 18 Euro Cents. Not worth one’s while really, unless one does the job oneself.

The photos were taken near Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The dates: September 12th and 23rd, 2009. The time was 19:03:35 and 18:48:06, respectively.