Agroforestry is a system of land use in which harvestable trees or shrubs are grown among or around crops or on pastureland, imitating the structural principles of a forest. Like this, agroforest as a system improves the productivity of the land, strengthens environmental resilience and ecosystem sustainability.
To build an agroforest was the very first task after we had just arrived here. The first attempts were quite challenging – to open the beds right on a stone-hard pasture, to fight the brachiaria and finally, to plant the placenta of the system. The hard work has paid off since over the years, we have witnessed how almost magically the fertility and the biodiversity increases, creating a special micro-climate within the system. The harvested fruits, veggies and greens are notably overgrowing their brothers from the common vegetable garden. This agroforest just doesn’t stop surprising us.
The second agroforest (that we started just two years later) will be more intentional and thought through. It will focus on the production of coffee, berries and wood, and will increase the total size of the agroforest up to about one hectare.
This hard work and effort is definitely worth the benefits it brings to the nature and us. Come and join us to help this miracle growing!
