Can Grao, Sa Forada

We are regenerating 20 hectares of land through the rotational grazing of our organic chickens and the implementation of an agroforestry system.

Our polyfarming operation integrates various agricultural practices that would normally function independently, transforming them into an interconnected and holistic system where what was once considered waste becomes a valuable resource.

By combining animals and agroforestry, we ensure the fertility and vitality of both the soil surface and the subsoil, fostering a balanced and self-sustaining ecosystem.

The answer is under our feet

The soil is the best and largest water holding “structure” we have access to. Cisterns and water tanks don’t even come close. How do we increase the water holding capacity of our molested and misused soils? Through carbon! How do we get carbon into our soils? Through the fast carbon pathways associated with trees and plants.

“Plant root inputs build soil carbon at a rate of 5 to 50 times faster than carbon derived from above ground biomass.” - (Dr. Christine Jones)

Chicken grazing

Terra Viva Ibiza is the first on the island to produce certified organic grass-fed chicken. Pasture-fed chicken provides a healthier and more nutritious meat with a higher quality fat content. Its meat has an intense flavor and special consistency due to its natural growth, its varied diet between organic fermented feed, grass and insects and its constant movement thanks to our chicken tractors.

These tractors move every day to be able to regenerate the soil and give enough time for the grass to grow again thus promoting carbon fixation and an increase in organic matter.

Successional Agroforestry

We have planted over 16,000 trees and bushes within a successional agroforestry design. This design is based on intensive biodiversity and on a wholistic understanding of what each species will contribute to the system, their life spam, needs for sun and their growth speed. The constant pruning of the consortium that, with their foliage, provide organic matter and nourish the soil is key in order to promote fertility from within.

The plantation lines have been carefully designed following the topography of the land so that water can efficiently reach the root system of our trees while maintaining enough space for animals to graze in between.

Our water consumption

On an island where drought is becoming an increasingly critical issue, and where political protection has not yet aligned with the scale of the crisis, it falls on individuals to take responsibility for their water consumption.

Although many believe that our system requires excessive water use, the reality is quite the opposite. Through careful pruning management, which reduces evapotranspiration, and an efficient irrigation design that provides only the minimum water necessary for our productive trees, we ensure that our farming model respects the island’s current water situation.

We are also part of a research project with our partners at Flutilliant, developing a digital platform that supports small farmers in making better decisions regarding their water management strategies, helping them reduce water use by up to 40%.