Growing Food
We produce most of what we eat on the farm and sell the surplus to consumers and family groups who care about healthy, organic food. The organic vegetable gardens are in production throughout the year, we also have a great variety of seasonal fruits, from the Pero de Ronda, an ancient and rare local variety of apple, to peaches, apricots, pears, quinces, figs, chestnuts, plums, cherries and oranges. We have chickens for eggs, as well as sheep and goats for milk and cheese.
A medicinal garden, inspired by the ancient monastery gardens that served as living pharmacies, contains more than 350 species of healing, calming and invigorating plants used in food and infusions (as well as lotions and balsams).
Our olives are hand-picked and pressed in a matter of hours in our own oil mill. We produce approximately 800 litres of extra virgin olive oil per year. We also harvest hundreds of kilos of almonds for milk and almond oil, as well as for consumption.
The Serranía de Ronda has the soil and climate to become one of the main wine regions of Spain, along with excellent winemakers. The Romans brought vineyards to the nearby settlement of Acinipo 2000 years ago. We have produced several award-winning wines in a 7 acres vineyard, however, in 2013 we decided to take a step back, change the orientation of the rows, and start again stronger. Currently, we have our own winery and grow to produce excellent red and rosé wines of the Cabernet Franç, Petit Verdot, Blaufränkisch, Malvasia, Chardonnay, Vermentino, Macabeo, Garnacha Tinta and Tintilla Rota Graciano grape varieties. Future plans are to expand the vineyard and focus on growing local grape varieties.
A large new no-dig market garden is under construction, in preparation for the roll-out of our community supported agriculture programme. Compost and biodynamic preparations are produced on-site for fertility and pest management. Several types of perennial cash crops are being trialled for the future diversification of income streams.
