The pepper harvest has begun in the Ljubinje area. Until a few years ago, many households in the village of Ubosko were engaged in pepper cultivation, but many have since given up due to the lack of available workers. Those who have remained faithful to this work now rely on relatives, godparents, and neighbors to help finish the harvest on time.
Dozens of tons of high-quality peppers from Ubosko reach tables across the country each year. Farmers say harvesting is the hardest part of the job, and since it is difficult to find workers, they organize mutual help.
- We help each other — today at my place, yesterday at the neighbor’s, tomorrow at Vule’s. That’s how we manage, says farmer Miloslav Đogo.
Working hand in hand, as if they were one family, locals pick quickly and carefully, knowing that every fruit matters.
- When outside workers come, they don’t pay as much attention and damage the plants, but we take care. We’re united, and later we all sit for lunch and a beer, says Ubosko resident Momo Mičeta.
Đogo jokingly adds: “Unity builds a house, and a united village plants peppers.”
This year brought excellent yields. Although the prolonged drought required heavy irrigation, fewer plant diseases meant high-quality peppers.
Meanwhile, many housewives will soon be filling jars with Ljubinje peppers. Experts say they are even better for processing than those from Semberija, since they contain less water and more dry matter — exactly what is needed for top-quality ajvar.
Source: RTRS
