Binifaell Vell

Binifaell vell is the name of a farm that has existed for hundreds of years near Sant Climent. According to the inventory of archaeological sites in Menorca, there are the ruins of a Talayot of considerable size in their lands, so this morning I took advantage of the day to get there.

I have not been able to find the talayot. Although ancient ceramic remains are seen in different places and even a 'moló', which is a prehistoric hand mill, I have had to settle for photographing the old farm building and the flower of chicory.

Common chicory, Cichorium intybus is a perennial herbaceous plant of the dandelion family Asteraceae usually with bright blue flowers. It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and is now common in North America, China, and Australia, where it has become widely naturalized.

The chicory plant is one of the earliest cited in recorded literature. Horace mentions it in reference to his own diet, which he describes as very simple: "Me pascunt olivae, me cichorea, me malvae" ("As for me, olives, endives, and mallows provide sustenance"). It is not only an edible plant as it has also traditional medicinal uses.