Until the middle of the 19th century, cereal cultivation was of great importance in the Calanca Valley. As there were no passable roads in the valley, food was based almost entirely on self-sufficiency. A family needed at least 10 to 15 acres of cereal acreage if they wanted to have 2 to 3 kilograms of their own bread per week.
The necessary land could only be obtained by terracing steep slopes. A huge amount of effort was put into preparing small fields and modest harvests were wrested from the stony soil.
The terracing prevents erosion of the soil. The rock face and terrace walls store heat during the day, which they release after sunset. This delays cooling at night.