Projects

The landscape of Freixo do Meio is an illustration of the great diversity in experiencing the project, as well as of the interaction with the natural systems, keeping the focus on what people need, and not only on what can be sold, through a use of resources defined by limits and rules.

In 2017, an international and collective debate was organized under the theme «The New Montado», from which came out a clear strategy regarding the way forward in building a future relationship with the natural system, one more dignifying for all those involved. To this path we called New Montado. It is fundamentally about structuring the relationship with the place starting from a central axis – the stratified dynamic succession forest.

These are some outstanding examples of the measures being put in place:

More efficient use of rain water, through small retention basins and use of drip irrigation.
Diversification of the crops and planting of evergreen trees, fruit trees and legumes in dynamic succession agroforest systems, with the goal of creating diversity, food abundance and various microclimates.
Organic fertilization of crops, using beneficial micro-organisms
Use of renewable energy, namely solar power
Continuous work to increase the level of organic matter in the soils, promoting greater water retention
Use of techniques for restauration of the ecosystems resulting from Permaculture and Agroecology, namely the Keyline system (with scientific support from projects like Ecomontado XXI).

Currently the following projects are in place:

PRIMA Wildfood – Eating the wild: Improving the value chain of Mediterranean Wild Food Products
H2020 RADIANT – Realizing dynamic value chains for underutilised crops

Projects we have participated in:

LIFE Montado-adapt – Montado and Climate: A need to adapt
Projeto SISTEMAS AGROFLORESTAIS – Alternativa inteligente para combater as alterações climáticas na ilha de Santo Antão
PDR2020 ECOMONTADO XXI – A Agroecologia aplicada ao design do Montado novo
HORIZON2020 TRUE – Transition paths to Sustainable legume based systems in Europe
PDR2020 GEOSUBER – Monitorização do Montado
LIFE FOOD & BIODIVERSITY – Biodiversity in Standards and Labels for the Food Industry.

Our mission is to build a community around Herdade Freixo do Meio that is democratic, inclusive, transparent, autonomous, and resilient, that achieves a constantly improving relationship with natural resources, and that encourages personal development.

Designed with ❤ in 2021