One would think that in an environment as arid as this, Lanzarote receiving
an average of 5.3" of rain per year, nothing would be able to grow. Not so. While it may not
rain, the average humidity is around 80% and over centuries the farmers invented a way to turn
humidity into crop-sustaining moisture through a dry cultivation method called secano.

Each vine is planted by itself into the sand, where the sand is not deeper than 40cm. The seed
is then covered with a layer of picón, which is volcanic rock rich in minerals,
basaltic lapilli and lava granules. The picón gives the entire area, all 7400
acres, its distinctive black look. It also does something else...

The sand the seed is planted in retains water. When the seed germinates, its roots grow down
to the topsoil below the sand. But it's the picón that generates the water.
During the day, it heats up under the scorching sun. At night, the warm rock draws moisture out
of the cooler air and actually waters the plants. This entire method is called enarenado
and was developed by the Canary people themselves. The last step to ensure that the vine is
protected from the everpresent breeze is to build a wall of volcanic material, or zoco,
around it. There are thousands of these zocos in La Geria, each one containing a
single vine that will only produce about 50kg of grapes. Tough way to make a living, but the wine
though unusually high in alcohol content at between 11 and 13 percent, is excellent.