“There is only forward, and forward is regenerative”.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
BIODIVERSITY ENHANCEMENT
PESTICIDE FREE
LOCAL AWARENESS
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
COLLABORATIONS
PORTUGUESE FAMILY LAND
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
BIODIVERSITY ENHANCEMENT
PESTICIDE FREE
LOCAL AWARENESS
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
COLLABORATIONS
Quinta da Fornalha is first and foremost a fully operational organic farm. We believe that listening intuitively to the voice of nature brings out the best in us and our environment, which is why we choose to minimise our impact on the land by allowing for animals and plants to grow in symbiosis as much as we can. Additionally, we grow everything free of inorganic chemicals.
The main focus of the agricultural aspect of the farm is our fig production. Due to the unique type of fig we have growing here, we are able to produce figs twice a year; which is uncommon in the rest of Europe. Quinta da Fornalha has been active in producing figs for exportation since 2015 and continues to do so during our summer harvest season. Besides this production, we also harvest carob (a legume cultivated for its edible pods and used often as a thickener agent or as a chocolate substitute), orange, and almonds to be transformed into products for our farm shop and restaurant.
Rosa Dias, the owner and manager of Quinta da Fornalha, has been working tirelessly and passionately to develop, adapt to, and alter the make-up of this land. Taking on the farm from her father who took over from his grandfather, she took on this role to be able to continue working on her ancestral land and to provide a future for her children and the local community. Her aim to is continue the work of her father to keep the Portuguese tradition alive and to make more space for regeneration in a region where commercial agricultural farms are increasing by the year.
We believe that engaging the rest of our community and region with a similar purpose brings more strength to the common goal. This is why we collaborate with locals, Casa de Cacela and Organica Shanti, during the fig harvest, for example, and also sell products from the area at the farm, such as our local Senescal beer brewed by Gabriel less than 1 km away in Castro Marim.
We believe that engaging the rest of our community and region with a similar purpose brings more strength to the common goal. This is why we collaborate with locals, Casa de Cacela and Organica Shanti, during the fig harvest, for example, and also sell products from the area at the farm, such as our local Senescal beer brewed by Gabriel less than 1 km away in Castro Marim.
Hi there, my name is Rosa, I’m an Algarve autochthone (that means that my family is from here and I was raised here also), I studied psychology in Lisbon, but soon realized living in the city is not for me. I felt the urge to return to my fathers lands, certified organic for over 15 years, to avoid their abandonment and; the loss of all traditional oral knowledge regarding managing orchards within water scarcity.
I’ve been here since 2007, transforming the old Roman Villa houses into eco-tourism, developing strategies to make the farm profitable, sustainable and self-sufficient in food. Our aim is also to be self-sufficient in energy by the end of the decade.
Hi there, my name is Rosa I’m a 39 years old Algarve autochthone (that means that my family is from here and I was raised here also), I studied psychology in Lisbon, but soon realized living in the city is not for me. I felt the urge to return to my fathers lands, certified organic for over 15 years, to avoid their abandonment and; the loss of all traditional oral knowledge regarding managing orchards within water scarcity.
I’ve been here for 13 years now, transforming the old Roman Villa houses into eco-tourism, developing strategies to make the farm profitable, sustainable and self-sufficient in food. Our aim is also to be self-sufficient in energy by the end of the decade.
2013
2022
2013
2022
A long term aim of Quinta da Fornalha is to transform the land from a state of desertification (land degradation due to human activities and climate variations) to regeneration (the renewal of tree cover and establishing of new young trees).
The region of the Algarves during summer season as been officially categorised as a drought due to the lack of precipitation and change in climate. This, of course, causes many problems in the region, with fire damage, erosion, and crop loss being some of the worst effects.
The first step in the process of regeneration is the reestablishing of the soil. This entails creating a conscious design approach towards this goal while using methods of organic farming and agroecological practices on the land. The first objective for Quinta da Fornalha is thus the regeneration of the soil, which entails providing carbon to the soil through the planting of trees, cover crops, and erosion-fighting shrubs. The final objective to create a biodiverse and resilient ecosystem with the hope of inspiring the region to apply similar techniques to transform it on a larger scale.
Quinta da Fornalha is participating in regenerative farming through agroforestry to rebuild lost topsoil and reverse land desertification while enhancing biodiversity.
Most of the fruit harvest from our farm is transformed into products for our farm shop and restaurant. Our fresh figs are exported to France and are also turned into our popular fig chutney, jams, and our dry figs. We also produce apricot jam, onion relish, and fleur de sal with a variety of flavours from our salt pans close by. The aim is leave no waste behind; this means that, for example, even the figs that seem too ‘undesirable’ are in their last step turned into a popular fig liqueur.
Visit our farm shop here to have a look at all of our products!
Most of the fruit harvest from our farm is transformed into products for our farm shop and restaurant. Our fresh figs are exported to France and are also turned into our popular fig chutney, jams, and our dry figs. We also produce apricot jam, onion relish, and fleur de sal with a variety of flavours from our salt pans close by. The aim is leave no waste behind; this means that, for example, even the figs that seem too ‘undesirable’ are in their last step turned into a popular fig liqueur.
Visit our farm shop here to have a look at all of our products!
Most of the fruit harvest from our farm is transformed into products for our farm shop and restaurant. Our fresh figs are exported to France and are also turned into our popular fig chutney, jams, and our dry figs. We also produce apricot jam, onion relish, and fleur de sal with a variety of flavours from our salt pans close by. The aim is leave no waste behind; this means that, for example, even the figs that seem too ‘undesirable’ are in their last step turned into a popular fig liqueur.
Visit our farm shop here to have a look at all of our products!
We have a large and reliable team to support our agricultural efforts on the farm. With a mix of local staff and volunteers from all around the world, we are able to learn, develop, and grow each year.
Hardworking but never shy for singing a classic Bob Marley song, Joao works as the main farmer of the quinta. You can always spot him with Bob, the dog!
Filipe is in charge of the food transformation aspect of the farm. He makes the all the products from the ingredients of the farm that end up in our farm shop!
Our farm would be incomplete without Joao’s best friend, Bob. You can spot him running around the farm or quietly observing his kingdom.
Our volunteer program hosts many volunteers per year, ranging from 2-16 at a time and help with pruning, harvesting, and lots of other agricultural work.
Are you interested in learning more about our vision, projects, and future plans? Please do not hesitate to contact us or come by for a visit.
If you are interested in working with us, we offer a volunteering program with a work-for-your-stay approach and are, of course, very open for possible work collaborations. Would you like to spend your holiday on our farm instead? That is also possibly by booking your stay here.
Timetables:
September till June
. Check-In: 15h00 until 19h00
. Check-Out: until 11h00
July and August:
. Check-In: 16h00 until 20h00
. Check-Out: untill 12h00
Are you interested in learning more about our vision, projects, and future plans? Please do not hesitate to contact us or come by for a visit.
If you are interested in working with us, we offer a volunteering program with a work-for-your-stay approach and are, of course, very open for possible work collaborations. Would you like to spend your holiday on our farm instead? That is also possibly by booking your stay here.
Timetables:
September till June
. Check-In: 15h00 until 19h00
. Check-Out: until 11h00
July and August:
. Check-In: 16h00 until 20h00
. Check-Out: untill 12h00
