Regenerative agriculture
72 €
4.5 liters (6 x 75 cl) (16 € / Liter)
Cistus Ladanifer
What are the benefits of regenerative agriculture?
Our health and that of our children
By enhancing soil life, regenerative agriculture provides us with rich and healthy food. It connects soil life with plant and animal health, and our own health.
For soil to be healthy, it must be teeming with life. It's comparable to the microbiota in our intestines. The soil's and ours' are connected by plants and animals. If you're interested in this topic, I recommend the fascinating book "One Health" by Pierre Weill (Actes Sud). It explains how essential nutrients (omega-3) pass from plants to animals and from animals to humans—to breast milk... and to babies, with all the beneficial effects that follow.
The taste
Regenerative agriculture is a source of gastronomy . The nutrient density of fruits and vegetables increases their flavor. Animal-based foods don't taste or taste the same if the animals have spent their lives in diverse pastures.
In his studies, Pierre Weill demonstrated that both an uninformed consumer and a trained jury can differentiate and prefer foods from healthy soils, animals, and ecosystems. (Book "One Health" mentioned above)
Biodiversity
Regenerative agriculture plays a key role in biodiversity. To recreate the greatest diversity of life in the soil, farmers:
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replaces monoculture with a variety of crops ;
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in addition to crops, he plants trees and shrubs whose sole objective is to enrich the land ;
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sows cover crops that include 7, 10 or more varieties of plants;
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integrates animals (sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, etc.) into crops;
First, the diversity of plants increases, but then that of insects, birds and wild animals.
The climate
En plantant des arbres et en semant des couverts végétaux, l'agriculture régénératrice a plusieurs impacts sur le climat :
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maintenir une température plus basse en été;
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stocker du CO2 dans le sol;
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permettre à l'eau de pluie de s'infiltrer dans le sol et réduire ainsi l'érosion;
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restaurer les cycles de pluie;
Les arbres et végétaux jouent un rôle essentiel sur les cycles de pluie :​​
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l'évapotranspiration des plantes crée la majorité des nuages;
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les zones arborées, et en particulier les forêts, "aspirent" les nuages de la mer vers l'intérieur du pays;
How does regenerative agriculture work?
No tillage of the soil
The soil is not tilled and mechanical intervention is minimized. The goal is to avoid damaging the living structures in the soil that are necessary for the proper nutrition of plants.
Historically, the soil was plowed to "loosen" the earth and rid it of unwanted plants. But there are other solutions for this. Plant cover...
Vegetation cover
Never leave bare soil. The goal is to have the soil covered with vegetation at all times of the year .
The advantages?
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This helps maximize photosynthesis and therefore enrich the soil and plants . Some plants are selected for their specific role, for example legumes to fix nitrogen in the soil.
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A plant cover reduces soil temperature in summer .
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The vegetation cover promotes water infiltration into the soil, which is essential in the Mediterranean region. At the same time, it reduces erosion, which is considerable in these regions.
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Oh, I almost forgot... this helps prevent the growth of unwanted weeds or plants.
Presence of animals in crops
Nature needs animals for its balance . We must therefore reintroduce animals into cultures .
Grazing is planned to mimic the movements of a herd in the presence of predators .
At Finca Sol de los Pedroches, the sheep are moved every two days to a new pasture. This can be among the olive trees, the holm oak pastures, or the scrubland.
What is the role of sheep in the ecosystem?
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Add fertilizer to the soil;
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Graze part of the plant cover, for example, to encourage water use by olive trees or to prepare for the next sowing. It's less tiring than clearing brush.
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Create additional income for the farmer.
Biodiversity
Monoculture is unnatural. Nature tends toward diversity and complexity . Our goal is to plant and support an ecosystem—a collection of trees, shrubs, and plants that evolve in a complementary way over time and space .
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Rainwater management
In the Mediterranean region, rainwater management is critical . The goal is to slow down the flow of water so that it can infiltrate into the ground.
With our partner Permalab, we created a map that identifies rainwater runoff points in order to position small check dams that allow the water to infiltrate into the ground.
No chemical inputs
At Finca Sol de los Pedroches, we do not use any chemical inputs. The CAAE inspection body inspects our practices twice a year to grant us organic certification.
72 €
4.5 liters (6 x 75 cl) (16 € / Liter)
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