THE STORY OF QUINTA DA CORUJA
Shanti and Simon decided to move to Portugal feeling the call to start a new project together, live a more sustainable life where they would be able to produce organic food all year around and to let the animals live a beautiful life in an environment with abundance of nature, mountains and shrubs. They fell in love with the farm and the surroundings at first sight and have been living here since October 2017. At the moment we are guardians of a total of 50ha of land which includes a beautiful river flowing through it.
During the first years our focus has been on getting to know the new land and climate with all its challenges and taking the first steps in regeneration of the land as well as planting a lot of new trees. We have slowly been learning what works and what doesn't. We have made ponds for irrigation and pleasure purposes. As an experienced veggie gardener in Finnish conditions Shanti had to learn a new way of growing veggies, quite different from the customs in the north. Simon also had the same learning experience as an ornamental flower gardener on how to adapt that knowledge to the local climate which is so different from France and the UK. The first years also include quite a lot of sustainable construction to make the farm more functional and beautiful. Now we have reached a point where we hope to share our creation with everyone who feels the call to experience this magic.
Our mission is to listen to the land, take care of it the best we can and being a model for a softer and more sustainable way of farming and living with nature. The way we care for our animals is also different. Our horses stroll around in the hills and drink from the river, living a real horse life. They choose when they want human contact and return to the stable area for a day or two. Our goats spend their days out in a big field, nights in a cosy stable, climb in the trees, go out for long walks every day to find a huge variety of herbs and leaves to eat. They keep giving milk for years without having kids in between so we can enjoy their dairy products with no need to kill an excess of goats. When they do give birth, we don't separate them from their babies but let them stay together and male goats are castrated to be able to stay in the group. We see all animals as precious individuals and treat them with love and respect.
THE TEAM
SHANTI
I have always been a seeker walking my own path. The relationship with nature that I have grown up with since the beginning of my life has made me sensitive and intuitive. My natural way of being a healer, teacher and trainer is also very intuitive which I think has served me well when working with both people and animals. I equally enjoy milking my goats, making cheese, gardening and my job as a therapist and tantra teacher.
SIMON
I enjoy preparing and fixing things around the farm and sharing my experience, hopes and ideas with others who may wish for the same. I love living here as it puts into practice all the time spent on inner growth and heartfelt living.
ANNA
I'm a nature-loving Swedish woman living the beautiful farm life in Portugal. I always had a curiosity to explore the human mind and body and therefore I've deepened my knowledge in yoga, meditation and psychology over the years. The things I appreciate the most about living the farm life is the simple lifestyle, being in close connection with nature and animals and being able to participate in the full circle of growing and producing our own food and products. You'll find me in the stable mornings and evenings when it's milking time. Except from nurturing the animals, I also enjoy gardening, experiment with fermentation techniques, indulge in nature and dive into practices of meditation, yoga, dance and qi gong.