A huerta () or horta (, ), from
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''hortus'', "
garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...
", is an
irrigated
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
area, or a field within such an area, common in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, where a variety of
vegetable
Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...
s and fruit trees are cultivated for family consumption and sale. Typically, individual ''huertas'' belong to different people; they are located around
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
s or other water sources because of the amount of water required, which is usually provided through small canals (''acequias''). They are a kind of
market garden
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumer
A consumer is a person or a group who intends to order, or uses purchased goods, products, or s ...
.
Alternate definitions
Elinor Ostrom
Elinor Claire "Lin" Ostrom (née Awan; August 7, 1933 – June 12, 2012) was an American Political science, political scientist and Political economy, political economist whose work was associated with New institutional economics, New Institutio ...
has defined ''huertas'' as "well-demarked ''irrigation areas'' surrounding or near towns" (emphasis added).
[Ostrom, Elinor (2015). ''Governing the Commons'', p.71.]
See also
* ''
Acequia
An acequia () or séquia () is a community-operated watercourse used in Spain and former Spanish colonies in the Americas for irrigation. Particularly in Spain, the Andes, northern Mexico, and the modern-day American Southwest particularly n ...
''
*
Irrigation district In the United States an irrigation district is a cooperative, self-governing public corporation set up as a subdivision of the State government, with definite geographic boundaries, organized, and having taxing power to obtain and distribute water f ...
*
Horta of Valencia
The Horta of Valencia ( va, L'Horta de València; es, Huerta de Valencia) is a historical comarca and urban area of Valencian Community. The Horta of Valencia consists of Valencia and three comarcas: Horta Nord, Horta Sud, Horta Oest.
Demogra ...
References
Bibliography
*
Glick, Thomas F. 1970. ''Irrigation and Society in Medieval Valencia.'' Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
*
Maass, Arthur, and Raymond Lloyd Anderson. 1978. ''...and the Desert Shall Rejoice: Conflict, Growth and Justice in Arid Environments.'' Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
* Ostrom, Elinor (2015
990. "Huerta Irrigation Institutions." Pp.69-82 in ''Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action''. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
{{Portugal-stub
Agriculture in Spain
Irrigation in Spain
Landforms
Geography of the Region of Murcia
Geography of the Valencian Community
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gl:Horta
it:Orto (agricoltura)
pl:Huerta
pt:Horta (agricultura)
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scn:Ortu