A thriving rural world and transformative consumption with Biela y Tierra

Today we are joined by Edurne and Ana, from Biela y Tierra, a non-profit association that researches, visits and shares examples of rural initiatives. Biela y Tierra raises awareness about the eco-social crisis and promotes a shift in mindset by showcasing real alternatives focused on mobility, food systems and a living rural world.

MATARRANIA: How did the idea for the project come about, and who is behind it?

BIELA Y TIERRA: Like many things in life, this project was born by chance, back in October 2018. Edurne was working as a project technician at CERAI, an NGO specialising in Agroecology and Food Sovereignty. She felt the need for a change, to leave the office and get closer to the land, to meet in person the agroecological projects and farms she had only read about in articles or met at events. She decided to take some time off to visit them. And of course, she would do it by bike, because it is the best way to travel.

Ana, on the other hand, daughter of conventional cereal farmers from the province of Burgos, was finishing her PhD in engineering and the environment. As a consumer of organic products, she often spoke with her family about switching to non-toxic farming methods, but they were unsure. Ana thought the best way to convince them was to visit agroecological farms, see how they worked, and explain it to her family. And she would do it by bike, naturally.

The magic happened in a salsa class, where Ana and Edurne shared their plans with each other. Excited, they told their friends, among them Sole (a journalist) and Cris (a designer), who encouraged them to share their experience through communication. That is how Biela y Tierra started rolling, what began as a spontaneous idea received an incredible response.

In 2019 we set off on our first route, 4.5 months of cycling, nearly 3,000 km and over 150 initiatives visited. We shared it all through field journals, podcasts and videos. It was during this route that we visited Matarrania Organic Cosmetics in Peñarroya de Tastavins and fell in love with the project and its philosophy, how could we not!

After that, in 2021 came our second route, this time across the province of Teruel for two months. Then came Pedals Against Fire (2022), followed by the Forum Theatre play “And If the Newts Die”, and Rural Forks.

Since 2022, both of us (Edurne and Ana) have dedicated ourselves fully to the work of the Biela y Tierra Association, which includes these projects as well as other services we offer. Today, Edurne Caballero, biologist and Master in Agroecology, and Ana Santidrián, PhD in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, lead the association.

M: What philosophy and values guide Biela y Tierra?

ByT: At Biela y Tierra we focus on two things we all do every day: eat and move. Depending on how we eat and how we move, we are contributing to one model of the world or another.

Our theoretical framework is based on key and strategic elements we believe are essential to face the eco-social challenges ahead.

Biela y Tierra rests on four pillars: Agroecology and Food Sovereignty, Degrowth, Sustainable Mobility and Ecofeminism.
And on two cross-cutting axes that sustain them: a living rural world and critical, conscious and transformative consumption.

For us, agroecology and food sovereignty, rooted in small-scale family and peasant farming, are essential to building food systems that care for the planet and its resources, and that nourish people equitably and adequately. Degrowth, by recognising the impossibility of infinite growth on a planet with finite resources, serves as a wake-up call to the risks of the current situation, a slogan to stir consciences, a cry for change. It calls for letting go of a lifestyle incompatible with the planet.

Ecofeminism, the dialogue between feminism and ecology, reminds us that nothing happens outside nature because we are nature; that we inhabit a vulnerable body and that life depends on care. We must rebuild our broken bonds with nature and with one another, place life at the centre, and let that give us both purpose and beauty.

And sustainable mobility helps us reflect on the impact of transport and shows that, beyond the omnipresent car, there are far more sustainable ways to travel. We travel and work by bike because we believe sustainable mobility can be lived at every level, and because it is the best way to move.

M: Biela y Tierra would not make sense without the rural world… What impact has the project had on villages, and how do they, in turn, shape the project?

ByT: At Biela y Tierra we are convinced that rural areas hold many of the keys to addressing today’s challenges, and that focusing on what is already happening in these territories is essential. That is why we focus on sharing these experiences firsthand, explaining what is done, how and why. Because stories told clearly and closely are the ones that reach people most deeply.

Biela y Tierra was born with and for rural territories. When we first shared the idea online with a short video about our first route (long before we imagined this would grow into such a big project), the response was overwhelming. It made us realise there was fertile ground: on one side, rural people eager to be heard and to showcase their way of life and contribution to society; and on the other, urban dwellers curious to learn what is happening in rural areas.

This different approach to communication brings these realities closer, because what is not known is neither respected nor cared for. Through the project we have connected rural initiatives, sparked curiosity and shared solutions that have since been implemented in different regions.

Now, with Rural Forks, a project we are developing with the Brújula Intercultural Association, we organise cycling routes with young people to visit rural projects, opening their minds to new possibilities for their personal and professional futures, including the option of living in rural areas. This project is having a very positive impact, both on the young participants and on the villages and initiatives we visit, who feel recognised and valued.

M: Any memorable or unexpected moments during your journeys?

ByT: Well, luckily everything usually goes smoothly, literally! Perhaps the most striking thing is that, although we set out thinking we would meet projects, what we really discover are people, brave and conscious people caring for their land. At the end of our interviews, we often asked if they wanted to share a message, and across all territories, two ideas kept repeating.

The first invites us to think about what kind of spaces, what kind of world we want future generations to live in, and to reflect on how our food and consumption choices influence that. With every euro we spend, we are deciding whether to support an initiative that protects the land and its people, or to give profits to large corporations that often exploit both.

The second message is a call for respect and recognition for rural people. A reminder that there are individuals who live and defend the villages, their landscapes and communities every day, and without them, they simply would not exist.

M: As travel experts, do you have any tips for a getaway this autumn?

ByT: First of all, get your bike and start pedalling with friends, because it is the best! Those who have tried it know what we mean, cycling empowers you, makes you realise (or remember) how little we actually need (only what fits in our panniers), how far we can go with the strength of our own legs, and how deeply we can experience the landscape with all our senses as we move through it.

For cycle tourism, Teruel is an exceptional province, and the Matarraña region in particular is perfect. Autumn is a great season, not too cold yet, and the heat has gone. It is full of quiet country roads, a delight for cycling. For those less experienced, we recommend riding along the Val de Zafán Greenway or the Ojos Negros Greenway (in southern Teruel). The network of Greenways and Natural Paths is an excellent option for planning bike routes. For the more adventurous or mountain bike enthusiasts, we recommend the Montañas Vacías routes throughout Teruel province to discover spectacular landscapes.

M: You have been friends of Matarrania for years. What do you like most about our cosmetics? Any favourite products?

ByT: Yes, we know your products well, and we love them! Beyond the philosophy and values behind them, they are of exceptional quality, made with great respect, care and affection.

Edurne: I am absolutely hooked on the Regenerating Rosehip Oil, I use it regularly and have given it as a gift many times. I love how it leaves my skin and how it smells.
Ana: For me, the Anti-Frizz Hair Serum works wonderfully for my dry hair, and I also love the Sunscreen. I tried it last summer and found it incredible, great texture and excellent protection. Normally, organic sunscreens feel too thick, but yours is fantastic.

And beyond the products, Matarrania’s project and the people behind it show us how rural areas are building from different values and priorities, far removed from purely economic goals. They teach us that by placing life, people and the environment at the centre, we can create healthy and respectful relationships.

M: Lastly, a wish for the future...

ByT: Our wish for the future is to respect and value the rural world. At Biela y Tierra we carry in our panniers the knowledge shared by the initiatives we visit, stories of hope, commitment and perseverance, stories of challenges overcome and the strength to keep creating and contributing to a more sustainable world and rural areas full of life. These are real stories that show how change begins with small actions and how new realities are built from the ground up. But this will only be possible if we support them, if we remember the benefits these projects bring by keeping life at the centre.