At Finca La Mohea

AT FINCA LA MOHEA
We value the inheritance that traditional agriculture has left us: the uncontaminated soil, completely chemical-free, the high-quality water from our own spring for irrigation and drinking; the infrastructure of ancient terraces and fruit trees; and the wealth of local knowledge that our neighbours share with us.

Starting from this solid foundation we are developing the farm according to sustainable philosophies, using modern techniques of organic and biodynamic farming within a design framework of permaculture.

For ten years we have been planting fruit trees to create an edible landscape - from oranges, persimmons and figs to apples, pears and cherries, amongst others - giving us year-round fruit. Similarly our vegetable crops are many and diverse; we grow all the typical Mediterranean species (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, etc) and we experiment with exotic crops such as Mexican tomatillo and African chillies, not to mention the familiar carrots, leeks and potatoes (two crops a year!).

FOREST FOODS

Edible wild mushrooms
Edible fungi collected from the forest

Our cultivated terraces are an island in the middle of a dense oak and pine forest where human intervention is minimal. We have designated some areas as "food forests" where we are gradually increasing numbers of native fruiting species such as sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts and cherries. In autumn the forests produce abundantly, with the sweet chestnut harvest and the flush of edible fungi which give us many real gastronomic treats!

A SIMPLE LIFESTYLE
	The farmhouse at La Mohea is hundreds of years old, with thick stone walls and a tiled roof. Our lifestyle is simple and in keeping with the place; we live at the pace of the sun and seasons and we cook on an open fire. The kitchen is the heart of the farm, where we enjoy our vegetarian meals together, prepared from our own garden vegetables.
We have a seasonal production of home-made conserves, jams, vinegars etc., making use of all the fruit and vegetables that are excess to our daily needs. We bake bread and cakes in an ancient wood-fired oven. Our energy is supplied by firewood and solar electricity; the house has no mains services as we live 8km from the nearest village in an isolated rural area. Wholemeal bread baked in the wood-fired oven>

GREEN OASIS
Our own area of the Sierra Bermeja in Málaga province is unique within Andalucía with its relatively high rainfall and gentle maritime climate; this means that when the rest of Andalucía is parched brown and dry in late summer, these forested valleys feel like a green oasis. The mountainous landscape is dotted with small family farms which make the most of flat land in river bottoms or on ancient Moorish-built terraces, giving a patchwork effect with their fruit trees, pastures and staple crops.
Mountain landscape of Los Reales.	Surrounding the cultivated lands the forest is managed for sweet chestnuts and cork, but climbing higher into the mountains dominated by the peak of Los Reales at 1450m the forest becomes wild, with numerous secret corners that nobody has ever seen. Here the flora and fauna still have a safe refuge, and you can see eagles soaring over the trees where the wild boars, roe deer and mountain goats are hidden. Spain's famed high level of biodiversity is nowhere more apparent than here.