Rif Valley Mountains lunch

While in Chefchaouen we hiked in the Rif Mountains to a little village and had a traditional Moroccan meal. We saw olive trees, sheep herders, goat herders, a young man plowing a field with a horse pulling the plow, cannabis fields, families with young children in the field picking cannabis, a building filled with cannabis hanging to dry. Apparently cannabis has been grown in the Rif Valley since the 1600’s. Chefchaouen relies on the cannabis crop, not tourism even though it’s illegal. In 2021 the Moroccan government legalized the cultivation of medical and industrial use cannabis. Growing cannabis in Morocco is like growing corn in southern Alberta and cherries in the Okanagan - it’s a popular crop. Legend says the soil has magic qualities and even the vegetables grown in this soil make you feel extra good. Hashish is a popular drug produced in this area.

Saffron is also grown in the Rif Valley and we bought a small jar of Saffron.Læs mere