We focus on a healthy soil and ecosystem

 
 

Diego Chico de Guzmán Figueroa

 
 

A farm more than 200 years old

In 1829 Diego Chico de Guzman Figueroa bought part of the farm La Junquera during the “desamortizacion” of Riego. It belonged to the Carmelites of Caravaca and the Government sold it to Diego in an auction together with other pieces of land.

From then on, the farm goes through different stages and transformations until becoming one of the largest regenerative farms in Europe.

 

  • 1829 - Purchase of the farm

    Diego Chico de Guzmán Figueroa buys La Junquera in the confiscation of Riego.

  • 1829 - Esparto grass and hemp

    The farm becomes one of the main producers of esparto grass and hemp. They trade esparto grass in the shipyards to make ropes and sails for the port of Cartagena, and hemp for textiles and sale of seeds.

  • 1930 - From hemp to cereals

    Esparto and hemp begin to disappear and the farm begins its conversion to cereal. In 1940 it becomes a farm exclusively for cereals.

  • 1969 - Depopulation of La Junquera

    The town of La Junquera goes from a population of 120 inhabitants to zero, it is completely abandoned.

  • 2010 - La Junquera transitions to organic

    After almost 60 years of conventional agriculture, La Junquera gets the organic certification.

  • 2012 - The town is repopulated

    Alfonso Chico de Guzmán moves to the town of La Junquera, and thus opens a new period for the farm.

  • 2015 - Regenerative agriculture

    La Junquera begins its process of implementing regenerative agriculture techniques. Committed to improving the landscape every day.

Crops and Livestock

  • Cereals and legumes

    The main commercial crops in La Junquera are cereals such as chamorro wheat, barley, and giant rye. We use old varieties of grains that have deeper roots and are more resistant to difficult years with little rain, thus stabilizing the harvest. The grains are rotated with legumes to fix nitrogen and improve the soil.

  • Almonds

    The almond trees are part of the first steps to diversify the crops and move to regenerative production. The trees grow in dryland using vegetation covers to improve soil conditions. Today they are distributed by La Almendrehesa.

  • Aromatics

    We plant native lavender, rosemary, thyme, and sage shrubs between tree lines and on field hedges, as well as on a crop scale. These plants have the ability to survive the long dry season here in the south of Spain and can be seen growing wild in the hills around La Junquera, creating a perfect home for pollinators.

  • Pistachios

    We have a 6-hectare plot of pistachios which started as an experiment in 2013. We have gained knowledge on how to grow this crop in a sustainable way adapted to the dryland conditions of the altiplano. With the students of the Regeneration Academy, we have found a way to implement permanent vegetation strips that do not harm production.

  • Vegetables

    We work with seed banks to recover the traditional Murcian orchard, both in terms of techniques and local varieties to recover, promote and market native varieties that are being lost. With part of the harvest we make sauces, jams, and pickles to preserve products for the winter.

  • Cows

    We are in the process of recovering an endangered species, the Murcian-Levantine cow, of which we have 20 of the 30 that remain in the world. Holistic pasture management is another regeneration technique that we apply on the farm, where cows play a key role in “creating” soil.

  • Vine

    In 2021, we decided to plant a 5-hectare vineyard on keyline with local varieties, an excellent way to start regenerating the land and soon have our own wine production. The vineyard has been planted in a rocky terrain at an altitude of 1,000 meters.

  • Apples

    We have an apple orchard of 0,5 hectares where we leave an all-year-round ground cover and that we have intercropped with aromatics to increase biodiversity. From the apples, we make a delicious natural cider and sweet apple juice.

 

Regenerative techniques

The landscape and the local ecology are the basis of La Junquera. A functional, biodiverse, and beautiful ecosystem that gives us our livelihoods. It provides us with affordable, safe, nutritious, and great-tasting food, now and in the future.

The regenerative practices that we apply sequester carbon and increase soil fertility while also providing opportunities for the people living here.

Not only are we completely organic, but we are also committed to improving the soil, water, and biodiversity of our farm, as well as the production. We apply regenerative techniques such as infiltration ditches, ponds, compost, keyline, native vegetation corridors, beehives, crop diversification, and more.

 

  • Swales

    Swales are contour-following gullies that prevent erosion and run-off. We make them big, so they serve as ecological corridors as well. More than 10 km of swales can be found on the farm.

  • Ponds

    Strategically placed ponds hold on to water throughout the dry season. They provide drinking water for wildlife and migratory birds. La Junquera has more than 60 ponds and sediment traps.

  • Biodiversity

    By increasing the hedges and natural corridors in the farm which are reforested with native species that are well adapted to the climate, we provide refuge and food for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.

  • Green covers

    Exposed soil is like an open wound, the green covers help us maintain moisture in the soil and protect against erosion and some plants fix nitrogen in the soil. The organisms that inhabit them also create a beneficial environment for crops and soil.

  • Compost

    Compost

    We aim to develop a circular system, with as little waste as possible. By implementing a vermicompost system we can obtain a valuable organic fertilizer to improve the soil. For this system, we use manure and organic matter that is generated on the farm.

  • Reforestations

    On the farm, reforestation is carried out in natural areas using native species. We are planting around 10,000 trees and shrubs a year.