Arid and semi-arid southwestern Morocco is home to a tree called the argan, the pits of whose fruits contain essential fatty acid used in cooking and cosmetics, as well as a treatment for skin diseases. Every June and July, visitors are treated to an extraordinary sight: that of goats climbing the trees to eat these fruits - which they spit out and poop, whereupon locals collect them for processing (they're also harvested directly, but the goats save them a step). Since this has become a popular allure for visitors, farmers have been known to place the goats in the trees at various times of year, but the only months in which this happens naturally are June and July - right around the corner!
For more on the argan, its oil, and the goats, check out our blog post Learning About Morocco's Argan Oil at the Source.
(Elena Tatiana Chris)
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