At 84 years old, Rafael Ferreiro Jerez continues to demonstrate that passion and dedication to the land have no age limit and that everything depends on individual willpower, what one learned as a child, and the pride with which one chooses to live life.

He has dedicated his life to the land, and his story is a testament to resilience and hard work, as he has been able to reap rewards not only for himself and his family but also for those who live nearby and others who, even though they are far away, eat what his hands produce.

“I spend my days working, and it has always been that way, ever since I was a child. I was born on this farm and first began helping my father. Then I became responsible for all the work, and there you can see the results. But the best thing is that we keep going. As long as we have our health, we keep going strong.”

During the conversation, Ferreiro smiles frequently and is so optimistic that it rubs off on his family and the workers who assist him in plowing the land, planting, tending to the crops, and the difficult task of milking, feeding, and protecting the livestock.

"I have 65 hectares in total. Of these, 22 are devoted to various crops, and the rest of the space is used for the batey of the houses and livestock, which is the largest part. There are 65 head of cattle here, including cows, bulls, and calves, all of the Zebu and Criollo breeds. We also raise sheep, pigs, and poultry. We even have several peacocks!

“In terms of crops, we now have many areas planted with corn; there is also cassava and a little bit of banana. We recently harvested onions. The vast majority of these products are sold on Saturdays at the fair and in the market.”

Water and soil are crucial for a farm to be successful. However, this member of the Lino Álvarez Credit and Services Cooperative in the municipality of Amancio believes that every success on his land is backed by an enormous desire to work.

"That's what it takes, because if you have a lot of resources and don't like to work, you have nothing. The important thing is to clean the crops well and water them properly because moisture is everything. And, of course, we don't have fertilizers now.

“You really have to devote a lot of time to it, as much time as you can. And for that, you have to live on the farm. Those people who live elsewhere and come to the farms don't work. You have to live there and watch it every day because that's what makes the fruit grow.”

Ferreiro's biological clock always wakes him up in the middle of the night. Every day, barely four hours after the start of the day, this man, weathered by life and age, leaves his warm bed, ready to stay active, healthy, and especially useful.

"That's the routine. I get up and have breakfast, which my daughter makes for me early. Then I go out to the fields to check on the areas and tend to the livestock because you have to be by the side of the road looking after them. If we don't, they'll take them away right away.

"There have been thefts here, but we take great care and keep watch at night, the family and the workers. The truth is that the land can be productive; what is needed is more interest. For example, when it rains, go out and walk around the land in the morning. That's life."

With the wisdom that only experience can bring, this outstanding farmer from the province of Las Tunas continues to cultivate his land with the same dedication as always, inspiring new generations to value and preserve the rural roots that are part of Cuba's identity.