Peñarrubia
Juan Olivares Fernández
Farm manager
Farm name
Peñarrubia
Farm type
Tree crops (olive and almond)
Location
Albacete, Spain
Farm size
400 hectares (190ha cultivated)
Primary soil type
Silty soil
Temperature range
-10° – 40° Celsius, USDA 8b
Average precipitation
<300 mm/ year
Social structure
Limited liability company
Sales channels
Direct to consumer platform, international distribution, farmer cooperative
Produce
Organic extra virgin olive oil, organic almonds
Contact
Peñarrubia Farm‘s transition to regenerative farming
Climate Farmer since
2023
Previously organic
Previous practices
-
Cover crops
-
Incorporation of cover crop residues and shredded prunings into soil
-
Creation and development of natural biodiversity areas
-
On-site composting
-
Addition of organic matter every year
-
Monitoring of soil moisture to optimize irrigation
-
Solar energy to power irrigation pumps
Investment costs
We have not made major investments, rather we have changed the way we manage the farm. Minor investments include the purchase of a roller crimper.
New practices
Incorporation of Pruning Residues
❍ Agroforestry
Cover cropping
❍ Cover Cropping
Solar energy to power irrigation system
❍ Water Cycle Restoration
Addition organic matter
❍ Cover Cropping
Challenges so far
- Training and change of mindset throughout the company, both at the worker and management levels
- Lack of knowledge / training
Outcomes so far
- Greater number of insects and arthropods on the farm
-
Soil improvement in both organic matter levels and water infiltration
Learnings of your journey
We have learned that soil regeneration is a long-term process that improves fertility, makes our crops more resilient and reduces input dependency.
Training and getting the team excited about the project have also been key.
Advice: Start slowly, learn from others, and visit successful projects. The benefits of regenerative agriculture go beyond yields; they are also environmental and social.
“We are driven by the responsibility to care for our soils – a much overlooked resource. One of the greatest challenges we face is maintaining healthy, productive soils. We want to prove that it is possible to produce high-quality food and care for the land and at the same time make a profit.”
— The reason why Peñarrubia decided to transition to regenerative agriculture
Future ambitions
Expand biodiversity zones
Optimize irrigation
Integrate animals (the most challenging part is the bureaucracy)
Install another solar energy system to avoid dependence on external energy sources
Regenerative Agriculture Score
2.27 / 5.00
Score (weight)
Indicator
Soil Chemistry
Soil Structure
Soil Biology
Plant Health
30%
30%
30%
10%
- 48.0%
- 23.6%
- 51.6%
- 33.4%
2.40
1.18
2.58
1.67
Soil Chemistry
30%
- 48.0%
Soil Structure
30%
- 23.6%
Soil Biology
30%
- 51.6%
Plant Health
10%
- 33.4%
Indicator
Cultivated biodiversity
Natural above ground biodiversity
Natural below ground biodiversity
33%
33%
33%
- 30,0%
- 45,0%
- 53.6%
1.50
2.25
2.68
Cultivated biodiversity
33%
- 30,0%
1.50
Natural above ground biodiversity
33%
- 45,0%
2.25
Natural below ground biodiversity
33%
- 53.6%
2.68
Indicator
Green Water (absorption)
Blue Water (consumption)
60%
40%
- 38.8%
- 86.6%
1.94
4.33
Green Water (absorption)
60%
- 38.8%
1.94
Blue Water (consumption)
40%
- 86.6%
4.33
Indicator
Farm Yield and Income
Direct costs
Resilience
Personal well-being
20%
30%
30%
20%
- 60,0%
- 60,0%
- 66.6%
- 63.4%
3.00
3.00
3.33
3.17
Farm Yield and Income
20%
- 60,0%
3.00
Direct costs
30%
- 60,0%
3.00
Resilience
30%
- 66.6%
3.33
Personal well-being
20%
- 63.4%
3.17
Indicator
Work environment
Public commitment
75%
25%
- 82.0%
- 32%
4.10
1.60
Work environment
75%
- 82.0%
4.10
Public commitment
25%
- 32%
1.60
This MRV data was collected in collaboration with
CrowdFarming supports regenerative agriculture through its “1% for the Soil” programme, helping farmers transition through training, monitoring and awareness.
Learn more about how we measure impact
Measure the results of regenerative management
Assess what works and what doesn’t, benchmark your progress against similar farms, and make yourself visible to potential customers.
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