CORENET STORIES: HOW QUINTA DO FREIXO BLENDS NATURE, FOOD, AND TOURISM
In the heart of Portugal’s Algarve, one of COREnet Golden Cases is showing how sustainable farming can thrive in harmony with nature and business
Spanning 800 hectares, a farm named Quinta do Freixo combines organic agriculture, biodiversity regeneration, and local food processing into a circular model that supports the environment and the local economy.
From forestry to livestock (sheep, cows and pigs), from hosting guests to a restaurants offering local products, every activity on the farm is interlinked, forming a self-sustaining ecosystem. Tourism plays a key role, creating a stable market for Quinta do Freixo’s products and balancing ecological practices with economic viability.
Set against the backdrop of a region increasingly affected by climate change and prolonged droughts, the farm’s approach offers a timely and practical response. It shows that working with nature can also be profitable. While business approaches often requires diversification, which can be economically challenging, Quinta do Freixo turns this into an advantage by integrating tourism. Visitors not only support the farm through hospitality services, but also become its main consumers, creating a stable internal market for its sustainably produced goods.
But, as Quinta do Freixo’s Manager, Luis Cabral e Silva explains, the message is not about one-size-fits-all solutions, as each farming context is different. The value lies in sharing adaptable practices and models that other farmers can learn from, modify, and apply to their own realities.
This innovative, holistic approach has earned recognition from the European COREnet project, which highlighted the farm as a Golden Case of short food supply chains.
By closing the gap between production and consumption, Quinta do Freixo offers a model that other farms can adapt to their own context, supporting resilient, low-impact agriculture across Europe.
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