A new project is starting in La Junquera to become more circular and to increase our short supply chains. We do this through a vermicomposting business that increases our soil fertility and reduces our need for pallet fertilizers.  Soil fertility is a major challenge in the area, and available local organic humus is usually at a too young stage to increase notably the soil fertility, as well as too expensive considering the farm size. In collaboration with Bioagricultiva, [...]

At La Junquera farm (Spain) we have planted over ten thousand trees this winter to restore the degraded natural landscape. We have found two main challenges during the process. The first one was the selection of species. The farm is located at 1200m above sea level and the region presents a semi-arid climate that has an extreme variation of temperature between seasons (from -15º in winter to 36ºC in summer) and scarce and erratic precipitation (average 350-400ml). These [...]

The Spanish bank BBVA has recognized La Junquera, a partner of the eTOMATO project, with one of the six Awards for the Best Sustainable Producers, an initiative that the bank has promoted in collaboration with El Celler de Can Roca to give visibility to local products committed to the environment and responsible production. La Junquera has been selected from among more than 60 candidates from all over the national territory. BBVA has recognized the commitment to sustainability of [...]

The agricultural business of La Junquera (Spain) is engaged in developing a co-innovative, transdisciplinary initiative to involve researchers and students in engaging with the local communities, to identify and understand barriers to transformation. From this, it is possible to either chart a path to removing these barriers, or iteratively ‘redesign the lighthouses’ to be compatible with local decision making. As La Junquera is working on a new way of farming and a new way of living in the [...]

Multifunctional and regenerative farming is gaining momentum. Last autumn Patagonia visited the farm with a film crew and they made a short documentary about how our project partner La Junquera is dealing with climate change, an emptying countryside, and more complicated farming systems. After four days of filming we had been able to show them the different crops we produce (almonds, apples, pistachos, aromatics, vegetables), as well as the different projects that supplement the farm and work in [...]

In rural areas like the Altiplano in Southern Spain there are many challenges of which graying and outmigration of young people are very important ones. As more and more people leave the small villages many of the facilities of these villages close too. We see all around us that schools close, supermarkets, and bars.  People leave for many reasons like lack of jobs, livelihoods, opportunities and inspiration. At La Junquera we try to be an example for people [...]