THE FAMILY

Our Origins

The first Nicanores were born over a hundred years ago in Extremadura. They spoke 'Castúo' and owned a vast expanse of land, which they tilled and tended with great devotion. With it, they fed their families and persevered through the harsh life they were destined to live.

They also raised oxen, mules, and horses, which helped with the heavy labor, as well as cows and other barnyard animals to stock their pantries. Every year, they would slaughter several pigs to craft their chacina and store meat for the rest of the year. They would seal deals with a firm handshake, and whether they won or lost, their word was their bond.

And there you have it—that was the Nicanores family, known throughout the region.

To this day, there are those who remember with joy the time they spent working for the family—whether harvesting cotton, threshing grain on the threshing floor, or gathering olives in the groves. It was a golden age for the Extremaduran countryside, a legacy that the family's fourth generation is now fighting to preserve. They are reclaiming ancestral family lands, committing to traditional and sustainable production techniques, and ensuring that agriculture and livestock farming remain the cornerstone of their families' livelihood, just as their grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents did before them.

In our case, this beautiful way of life was passed down to us by Fernando, the youngest of the six children of our grandparents, Pepe Nicanor and Marciana. And here we are: Pepe—the grandson—and Carmen, who began this adventure nearly 25 years ago, tilling part of the family lands and continuing the lineage with four new sprouts of our own.

From here comes AOVE Nicanores: from family memories in the countryside, from Extremaduran traditions, from the honesty of hard work (from sunup to sundown), and from our passion to pass on this legacy to all those willing to give us the opportunity to enter their homes and become a part of them.

CASTÚO GLOSSARY

• Estremaúra: Extremadura                       
• Un bamburrión de tierras: Many lands
• Retupir: Fill out
• Jazenas: Cupboards
• Velaí: voilà

El Miajón de los Castúos, Luis Chamizo

Header page images. Source: Center for Agrarian Studies. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Environment. Regional Government of Extremadura