KEY-SPEAKERS
Keep the soil covered
01 july 2022
KEY-SPEAKERS
Keep the soil covered
Quinta Dias nas Árvores, Montemor-o-Novo
01 july 2022
Dias nas Árvores is a project of Permaculture and Regenerative Agriculture in the Alentejo Montado. After 5 years of experience with several Organic Farming projects, in March 2011 we came to live in a Alentejo hillside, where we started the construction of a space for production of vegetables, agroforestry and orchard in keyline, certified organic farming. Next to the house, in a 2 ha plot, we started the installation of 0.5 ha of agroforestry and 0.5 ha of vegetables in raised and sunken beds. By the end of February 2014, with the help of friends and volunteers, we have planted 56 walnut trees, 119 almond trees, 138 orange trees, 60 clementines, 50 tangerines, 30 tangerines, 35 lemon trees, 1,000 raspberry trees, 167 blackberry trees, 400 blueberries, 100 apricot trees, 100 peach trees, 200 plum trees, 200 pear trees and 400 apple trees. In addition to the fruit trees, various trees and shrubs are being planted to improve the physical environment of the orchard (wind, relative humidity) and soil fertility (casuarinas, tagasaste,broom, etc.).
Maximising species diversification
Vila Feliz Cidade, Golegã
08 july 2022
Starting in 2019, Vila Feliz Cidade is part of an agroforestry project by the company Mendes Gonçalves. Although the name of this company may not be immediately recognisable, the brands Paladin and Peninsular need no introduction as they are part of the life and daily lives of the Portuguese. The company's first agro-forest was born based on the concepts of Syntropic and Regenerative Agriculture, and the main idea of this system is to make the most of all the extracts.
The productions in this agro-forest are hot peppers as a vegetable and fruit trees for consumption in the factory, for vinegar. In the farm there are also olive trees, some of which are centennial, from which olives are harvested for oil extraction, for internal consumption. In addition, there is already some production of chickens of four autochthonous Portuguese breeds. At the moment, these agro-forests, based on Syntropic Agriculture are certified for Organic Production Mode or in conversion phase.
Keeping the roots alive
Biofrade, Lourinhã
15 july 2022
Biofrade is a family company that started organically in 1991. Later, in 1998, it started producing and selling only Organic Farming products. Biofrade is located in the council of Lourinhã, in the west region of Portugal, a region favourable to the production of high quality vegetables.
To ensure a diversified offer all year round, Biofrade, besides its own production, has partnerships with other national producers, resorting to imports when there is no national production. We also have a vast experience in Import and Export.
Minimum soil disturbance
Hortas da Rainha, Torres Novas
22 july 2022
Hortas da Rainha is a new agricultural project that continues 10 years of work as Quinta do Alecrim. The aim of this project is to diversify and increase the scale of production of agroforestry systems and close cycles. This includes the introduction of animals, different strategies of design and management of the territory, promotion of related economic and cultural activities that include, an own system of baskets, gastronomy, cultural activities and also the development of other markets and products.
Denis Hickel is a farmer and design consultant for agroecological production systems. He is Doctor in Design, co-author of the book Good Agricultural Practices for Soil and Climate, co-founder of the Quinta do Alecrim Project and currently Hortas da Rainha.
Livestock integration into cash crops
29 july 2022
Monte Silveira Bio, Ladoeiro
From the approximately 700 hectares of the exploitation area belonging to Monte Silveira Bio located in Beira Baixa lands, about five hundred are occupied by forest consisting of holm oak and cork oak forests - the remainder is reserved for irrigated crops, where the cereals, the leguminous plants and the organic ironworks are produced since 2000. Apart from crops, Monte Silveira Bio is also dedicated to breeding Salers and Charolais cattle, and the White Merino and Black Merino sheep, which are fed outdoors. This synergetic action replaces the work of machinery and contributes to CO2 reduction, and provides natural fertilisation of the farm's soils, without the need to use chemical products. In the case of the sheep, they roam freely in the montado, to clean the soil of this specific area of the property, but only at certain times of the year. Because between October and February, when acorns appear, it is the turn of the Alentejo pig to enjoy this gift of nature.
