Monte Branco da Serra
Farm manager
Alfredo Antunes
Farm name
Monte Branco da Serra
Farm type
Mixed farm with an olive grove and cattle
Location
Beja district, Portugal
Farm size
120 hectares
Primary soil type
Clay soil (40%). Other soil types: sandy soil (30%), loam soil (30%)
Temperature range
0° – 44° degrees Celsius, USDA 10a
Average precipitation
500-600mm/year
Social structure
Sole ownership
Sales channels
No sales as of yet
Produce
No output as of yet
Contact
Monte Branco da Serra
Monte Branco da Serra – transition to regenerative farming
Climate Farmer since
2026
Farm History
The farm belonged to the grandparents of Alfredo, but had been rented out to other tenants for the past 27 years. In 2025, when the rental contract expired, Alfredo decided to cease this arrangement and took the management of the farm into his own hands. Inspired by the regenerative approach, he is actively working to regenerate the farm.
Investment costs
- Purchase of land from family members
- Olive trees and Angus cattle
- Future cooperation with a permaculture design company
New practices
Manure as biofertilizer
❍ Composting & Bio Fertilizers
Permanent pasture
❍ Minimal Soil Disturbance
Holistic planned grazing
❍ Rotational Grazing
Challenges so far
- Extreme weather events
- Inability to access government subsidisation
Outcomes so far
- Increased plant and insect diversity in pastures that have been left to rest
Learnings of your journey
- That it is possible to work with nature instead of against it and that there are many other like-minded individuals. This sense of community is essential when one feels lost.
“I want to kickstart a positive chain of events by transitioning to regenerative agriculture out of my love for the environment. I want to feed nature and inspire others around me to do the same.”
— Alfredo Antunes on what motivates him to pursue regenerative agriculture
Future ambitions
- Multi-species management
- Conversion of 40ha according to the principles of permaculture
- Experimenting with keyline design
- Composting
Our partners
Our partners
