Journal
Field notes from a regenerative way of life
07/08/2025
Life at Vinagra: A 30-Year Journey, Rooted in the Land
Our connection with Vinagra spans over three decades, but it wasn’t until 2022 that we made it our permanent home. Getting to know a place—and its people—takes time, often a lifetime. And even then, there’s always more to discover. Here, the rhythms of the land shape our days, not the walls of an office.
30/05/2025
Vinagra's Sheep Shearing Day: A New Tradition of Community and Sustainability
Every year since 2022—in late April or early May, depending on the weather—Vinagra Village hosts its Sheep Shearing Day, a young yet deeply meaningful tradition that blends hard work, skill, and community spirit. More than just a practical chore, this gathering celebrates neighbourly bonds and honours the enduring connection between the land, the animals, and the people who care for them.
07/05/2025
Natural Beekeeping: How to Set Up a Hive That Attracts Local Bees
Bees are essential pollinators, vital for healthy ecosystems and food production. Instead of buying imported honeybees, why not attract local, wild bees to your garden? Natural beekeeping focuses on creating a bee-friendly environment that supports native species, promoting biodiversity and sustainability. Here’s how to set up a hive that will welcome local bees.
05/05/2025
Lessons from the Blackout: Why Our Solar Panels Weren’t Enough
Like the rest of Portugal, we were caught off guard by the massive blackout that brought both Portugal and Spain to a standstill. At the farm, confusion quickly set in—after an hour of troubleshooting, we couldn’t find any issues with our solar panels. The sun was shining, the system seemed operational, yet we had no electricity. How was that possible?
01/04/2025
Spring Awakening in Vinagra Village
Spring has sprung in Vinagra Village, and with it comes a fresh natural cycle—a rebirth of life after winter’s slumber. The vernal equinox marks this shift, a celestial turning point where the northern half of the Earth transitions from seasonal ‘death’ to vibrant ‘life.’ Here in our village, the land awakens, and so do our spirits, as longer days and warmer breezes stir both the soil and the soul.
21/03/2025
A New Arrival at Vinagra Village: Meet Our Baby Donkey!
At Vinagra Village, nature has once again gifted us a magical moment—the birth of a baby donkey! This adorable new addition to our eco-farm arrived in the early morning hours, bringing joy and excitement to everyone on the property.
18/03/2025
IT was A Day of Flavour, Wisdom, and Connection at Vinagra Village!
We came together to celebrate the land, sustainable practices, and the rich secrets of Alentejo cuisine.
09/12/2024
Fall Lambing Challenges and Bluetongue Virus Impact
This year’s fall lambing season has been nothing short of a disaster. Typically, my flock of Merinos has smooth deliveries with minimal intervention, but this year has been very different. A few ewes required assistance during lambing, which is unusual.
27/09/2024
Seasons of Change: Embracing Life and Growth at Vinagra Village
As the seasons shift and the leaves change, I reflect on the joys of slow living in Alentejo, the challenges of transforming my home into a retreat, and the profound lessons I've learned about sustainable food and healthy living. This is a heartfelt account of embracing change, connecting with nature, and finding freedom in the little moments.
18/07/2024
Embracing the Simple Life at Vinagra Village
Enjoying the tranquility of nature and the rewards of homegrown produce, we invite you to experience the joy of living in harmony with the earth. Join us in rediscovering the beauty of a close-knit community and the satisfaction of caring for oneself.
01/04/2024
The first month of the natural year
It's the vibrant season of spring, and here on our regenerative farm in the Alentejo, the picturesque Vinagra Village, nature is alive with anticipation. Our newly planted fruit trees from last year are bursting into bloom, promising a bounty of apples, pears, oranges, and plums.
27/10/2023
Join our Mangalitsa piglet list
Mangalitsa pigs have a unique appearance, fabulous meat, and a fantastic history. The breed became official in 1927. One of their most notable characteristics was their ability to produce excessive amounts of fat, which was used for cooking and in cosmetics.
17/10/2023
Miyawaki Forest in Vinagra Village
We planted the Vinagra Village Miyawaki Forest in May 2023, just four months ago. Miyawaki forests are mini miracles of nature, created by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. They grow ten times faster than normal forests, with density being a key factor. To put this to the test, we planted 375 native species very close together, approximately 1 meter apart, in order to recreate the layers of natural forests. The results have been fantastic, as you can see here.
26/09/2023
Vinagra Village's daily boost of vitality and energy with it's Organic Natural Raw Honey
Derived primarily from the nectar of a variety of wildflowers on Vinagra Village's Organic Farm, our honey presents an array of flavors and hues each year. This diversity is influenced by blooming flowers, as a result of our soil regeneration efforts, and also weather patterns.
29/08/2023
A Spectacular August Affair: Uniting Hearts at Vinagra Village
It's the end of August the sky has turned overcast, and the temperature has dipped with the arrival of clouds. While it may seem like the seasons are shifting, the reality remains unchanged – there's been no sudden transformation. Rainfall isn't anticipated until late September. This summer has proven challenging for our Merino sheep flock due to meager pastures, characterized by dry, nutrient-deficient grass and scarce water sources, our ponds are almost dry.
30/07/2023
July at Vinagra Village
The scorching days of July in Alentejo resemble those of June, with temperatures consistently soaring above 37ºC beneath the blazing midday sun. Throughout both months, the mercury hardly relents, occasionally touching 40ºC.
12/06/2023
May at Vinagra Village
May at Vinagra Village was scorching hot, with average temperatures reaching 29ºC. Managing complexity was crucial as we faced the challenges of drought and unusually high temperatures resembling those of August.
02/05/2023
Functions applied to Vinagra Village within Life Desert Adapt
Vinagra Village is one of the replicators of the EU program Life Desert Adapt, promoted in Portugal by ADPM (Associação de Defesa do Património de Mértola). The goal is the dissemination of good practices for the fight against land degradation and climate change.
26/04/2023
Reasons to buy the The Vinagra Village Soap box Collection
Our soaps have a 100% ecological process, are 100% biodegradable and do not pollute the earth. Our ingredients are organically grown, locally grown. These are unique soaps produced with the simplicity of the artisanal know how, and very exclusive because of the very small quantity produced.
24/04/2023
From Entrepreneur to Ecopreneur: The Journey to Save Soil and Create an Eco-Resort
We bought this farm 35 years ago, with a broken down adobe house. It had been abandoned many years before, and ten years later we bought another house part of the same original property because it looked like it could be a safe place for the future.
14/04/2023
Navigating the World of Regenerative Farming
February was a very cold month that burned every green grass sprouting on pasture and froze some of the trees that we planted. The lambs born in December and January were 70% male, so we decided to swap them for females, because we want to increase our flock, to help regenerate the soil.
10/04/2023
Vinagra Village approved as replicator for Desert Adapt Project
Vinagra Village is one of the 40 replicators approved in 2022 that have embraced the responsibility to protect land by using adaptative strategies to ensure a safer planet for present and future generations.
09/04/2023
Applying stock market theory to farming
In finance, where I spent most of my life, there is a theory that suggests that asset price volatility and historical returns will revert to the average. We call it reversion to the mean. I am now trying to apply that theory to farming. The last 2 years have been very dry, with almost no rain, so I expect this year will revert to the mean, with more rain.
06/04/2023
Big storms in December brought us much needed water
Here in the Alentejo, after the big storms in December that brought us much needed water, temperatures are falling. It's been a very cold week here. Each night, the mercury plunged to 2º centigrade making it cold enough to have white frosty fields in the mornings.