Discover and learn about ecosystem regeneration
Join us on select Saturday afternoons at a local organic farm to learn about regenerative agriculture and land use, as well as our local ecosystem. You will meet and engage with experts in a variety of fields while spending time outdoors.
Each event starts with a guided farm tour, highlighting a variety of zones and the regenerative activities taking place in each. This is followed by a themed workshop or interactive lecture, with topics varying each time. These sessions offer you the opportunity to gain deeper insights into different concepts and challenges impacting our local area and ecosystem.
Saturdays at the Farm takes place monthly at Quinta Vale da Lama, near Lagos, Portugal.
👉 Participation is free, but pre-registration is required, as we limit capacity at these events.
🌐 This program is presented in both English and Portuguese.
📅 Upcoming dates and topics can be found below.
Why attend?
Spend time in connection with nature
Discover our local ecosystem
Learn about regenerative agriculture
Meet others interested in regeneration
Program Schedule
All activities at Saturdays at the Farm are free of charge. Each session is from 2:00 to 6:00pm. Pre-registration is required.
Welcome
Meet at the Food Hub
🕑 2:00pm
👉 The area where we’ll be meeting is the “Food Hub” at Quinta Vale da Lama. See below for more information on the parking lot (if you’re coming by car) and how to get there.
Regenerative Agriculture
Guided Farm Tour
🕑 2:30 – 4:00pm
🗣️ Facilitator: Hugo Oliveira, Landscape Ecologist and Regenerative Systems Designer
🌱 Learn how regenerative practices are applied at the farm. You’ll visit a variety of areas, such as the fig orchard, syntropic garden, composting facility, fruit orchard, and market garden, to see our work in action!
🌐 Language: English and Portuguese
Workshop or
Interactive Lecture
🕑 4:30 – 6:00pm
💡 Gain knowledge of specific areas of regeneration, issues affecting our ecosystem, or other topics related to our local area and culture. Topics vary by session, so be sure to check the schedule often!
🌐 Language: Portuguese and English
Upcoming Dates and Workshop Topics
Please note that dates and topics are subject to change. Check this page regularly for updates.
19 October 2024
Introduction to Permaculture
Learn about what permaculture thinking and design is, and how it seeks to integrate landscapes and people. This session will introduce the basic concepts and share examples of how permaculture has been implemented. We will also share some of the work completed during the recent Permaculture Design Course at Quinta Vale da Lama.
Facilitators
- Hugo Oliveira – Landscape Ecologist and Regenerative Systems Designer
- Lesley Martin – Permaculture Design Course Manager and Teacher
9 November 2024
Ecosystem Restoration Communities
Learn about regeneration work being done around the world with our partner organization, Ecosystem Restoration Communities (ERC). This growing network of 60 hubs, including Quinta Vale da Lama, is actively working to rehabilitate degraded lands while sharing our knowledge and learnings with each other to maximize impact. We will be joined by John D. Liu, the founder of the ERC, who will share his thoughts and insights into ecosystem restoration and how we can all work to make a difference.
Facilitator
- Hugo Oliveira – Landscape Ecologist and Regenerative Systems Designer
7 December 2024
Soil Health
Healthy soil is the foundation of ecosystem restoration and regeneration. It supports increased and healthy food production, captures and maintains water, increases biodiversity, and sequesters more carbon. The Soil Lab at Mud Valley Institute is an onsite, field-based soil laboratory supporting research and education focused on improving soil health and agricultural production gains. This session will share information on what healthy soils are, how we monitor soil quality, and examples of our work. It also is the final program of our Soil Week, a series of events taking place from December 2nd through 7th.
Facilitator
- Dr. Elodie da Silva – Chief Scientist, The Soil Lab at Mud Valley Institute
Quinta Vale da Lama
Living and Learning Closer to Nature
Quinta Vale da Lama is a 43-hectare farm, featuring an organic market garden, applying regenerative agriculture and ecosystem restoration methodologies to improve soil quality, water availability, biodiversity, and local livelihoods.
It is also an active member of Ecosystem Restoration Communities, a group of 60 global hubs pursuing diverse restoration initiatives rehabilitating degraded lands to create flourishing ecosystems.
Quinta Vale da Lama is located in southwestern Portugal, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains of the western Algarve.
How to Get Here
Click for Google Maps directions
Click for Google Maps directions
Questions? Email us: info@mudvalleyinstitute.org
Register for Saturdays at the Farm
- Who: All ages are welcome and you can bring others with you. We limit attendance to 30 people.
- When: Each session is from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday.
- Where: We’ll meet at the Food Hub at Quinta Vale da Lama. Parking is across the street.
- What to bring: Water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and sunscreen are always a good idea.
Please complete this form for each session you wish to attend.
A regeneration initiative in partnership with Quinta Vale da Lama
Learn about Quinta Vale da Lama here.
English 
Portuguese