SAHAGÚN'S LEEK:

The fame of the leeks from Sahagún is well know from ancient times. There are some written references about this tradition more than ten centuries ago.

The origins of this crop in the lands of Sahagún come from the settlement of the Benedictine monks that came from Cluny during the reigning of Alfonso VI.

Those monks, apart from the Benedictine philosophy of “ora et labora” brought about some cooking and gastronomic habits such as the use of leek.

Later on, the importance reached by the Bourg around the monastery of San Benito el Real in Sahagún, made necessary the provision of food enough for the maintenance of it along the whole year.

The confluence of these facts and conditions set the development of the culture and agronomic tradition of the leek in Sahagún.

This tradition continued along the centuries until middle of the XX century when the migrations towards Europe and the industrial areas in Spain drew out many people of the region. This lack of human force originated the decadence of the rich agriculture developed in the area. The lasting droughts that affected the river Cea forced to abandon many horticultural crops that demanded high quantities of water.

 

 

The present situation is completely different.

          On the one hand, the use of machinery reduces the need of man power for these crops.
On the other hand, the water supply is ensured along the year due to the creation of the watering channels from the damp of Riaño. That is why we feel optimistic with respect to the restoring of this culture so rooted in our land.

Furthermore, the Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos de la Universidad de León, backs our enterprise through its "STUDY OF THE TIPYFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LEEK OF SAHAGÚN".

This study made possible the achievement of the Mark of Guarantee “PUERRO DE SAHAGÚN”.

The Junta de Castilla y León granted this mark in the year 2001 which means the acknowledgement of our product’s quality and helps us to promote the “puerro de Sahagún” to the same level as other foods with quality denomination.