Elena Burillo, 26, left behind her plans to join the Policía Nacional and now manages livestock and crops in rural Zaragoza. Her days stretch up to 15 hours, shaped by weather, fluctuating prices, and the challenge of building a future in Spain’s countryside.
At 26, Elena Burillo’s days begin before sunrise and often end long after dusk. Instead of a police uniform, she wears work boots and manages a demanding routine split between livestock and fields near Zaragoza. Her decision to abandon preparations for the Policía Nacional in favor of running her own agricultural business has brought both uncertainty and a sense of purpose.
Elena did not always see herself following the family’s rural path. Despite growing up surrounded by agriculture, she was repeatedly told the sector offered little future. After finishing her studies, she spent years preparing for police entrance exams, only to realize the career did not fit her. Several short-term jobs followed before she enrolled in a higher degree in viticulture at 21. It was a stint in Bordeaux, working with agricultural machinery, that convinced her to return to the land. Back in Spain, she started a degree in Agricultural and Rural Engineering and bought her first flock of sheep, gradually building up her own operations with support from her father and uncle.
Long Days, Relentless Demands
During peak seasons, Elena’s workday can stretch from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mornings start in the barn, tending to newborn lambs and feeding ewes. The rest of the day is spent in the fields—harvesting, baling, irrigating, and preparing land for new crops. She also manages the logistics of selling produce and livestock, often juggling multiple tasks at once. Despite the workload, Elena is determined to expand her project rather than scale back, describing her work as “an ambition, not just a job.” She hopes her sister, currently living in the Netherlands, might one day return to share the burden.
Weather and Markets: Unpredictable Risks
For Elena, the greatest challenge is the unpredictability of the weather. Months of investment can be wiped out by drought or a single storm. Equipment breakdowns and fluctuating market prices add to the pressure, with no guarantee of a steady income. Early on, she relied on loans to invest in machinery and livestock, only seeing returns much later. While sheep farming has recently benefited from higher prices, rising fuel and input costs have squeezed margins in crop production. Elena believes combining both activities is essential to balance out losses and survive the volatility. Her experience echoes the broader struggles of Spanish farmers, who sometimes face the choice of discarding crops rather than selling at unsustainable prices—a dilemma explored in stories like the urgent demand for skilled workers in Spain’s rural sectors.
Gender and Scale: Extra Hurdles
Elena notes that being a woman in agriculture means constantly having to prove her capabilities, especially when some assume she relies on male relatives for physical tasks. Social media, she says, brings added scrutiny, with followers questioning whether she truly does the work herself. While she sees more young people at agricultural fairs and believes the image of rural life is slowly changing, she warns that small farms face mounting pressure. Where 20 hectares once sufficed, she estimates 200 are now needed to remain viable. The advance of intensive farming and land purchases by investment funds threaten the survival of small, family-run operations.
Despite the obstacles, Elena remains committed to her path. Her story highlights both the personal cost and the satisfaction of building something of her own in a sector where every season brings new risks—and, sometimes, new hope.
