The Saviors of Saffron

Three young Spaniards are reviving the farming tradition that flourished in their grandparents' generation.

Saffron production was once a major industry in the rural Spanish province of Teruel. But after decades of chronic depopulation, cultivation of the spice virtually ceased. Now, after years of neglect, this delicate flower is enjoying a comeback thanks to the efforts of three young urbanites. Daniel Gómez, an agricultural engineer whose parents, grandparents and uncles once grew saffron here, recruited his lifelong friends – Quico Gimeno, who runs a bicycle restoration and repair shop, and Raúl Jiménez, a graphic artist and bike polo enthusiast, to revive Saffron production in the small village of Bañón.