Herdade do Freixo do Meio is located at the geological boundary between Alto Alentejo and Ribatejo, near the village of Foros de Vale de Figueira. This village is a relatively recent settlement, originating in the last century, and had a population of 1,070 people in 2011. However, human remains found in the estate and the surrounding region date back to the Early Neolithic period.
Since then, various cultures over different periods have shaped the Mediterranean forest into what we now refer to as Montado—from the Middle Ages onward. Montado is an agro-silvo-pastoral system of agroforestry and multiple use that allowed us to reach the mid-20th century without relying on any external production factors beyond our ecosystems.
The efficiency of this method of cooperating with our planet was compromised first by wheat campaigns and later by the Green Revolution, which abruptly subjected the agricultural sector to industrial practices and centralized distribution.
In 1990, a new generation of the Praça Cunhal family, who have managed the estate for four generations, took over with a mission focused on high standards, transparency, knowledge, and innovation. The failure of the industrial agriculture model, inherited from the post-revolution collectivization period and further promoted by the European Union, led to the decision to return to the agroecological practices of Montado. In 2001, Organic Farming was chosen as the most effective approach.
Since the beginning of this century, the estate has prioritized the restoration of soil and the various layers of the system (arboreal, shrubby, and herbaceous) characteristic of complex ecosystems, as well as natural and local fertility cycles.
Gradually, the project has evolved into a multifunctional concept, managing forestry, agricultural, and livestock activities, as well as fruit and vegetable production, food processing and distribution, retail food services, environmental services, energy production, research, and educational and tourism services.
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.
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