Welcome to our permaculture project “Food Forest Ecotava”

For a number of years, the signs have been changing in a wide variety of areas in a direction that we no longer like. Whether climate, politics, economy, society and many other things. The consequence of this was to do it differently, i.e. better. This is how the permaculture project “Food Forest Ecotava” came into being in the north of Tenerife. Why Tenerife? Organic farming in Tenerife. Why an organic finca on Tenerife? Why a permaculture in Tenerife? Why a Food Forest in Tenerife? And what else do we do for a sustainable life on Tenerife?

Organic farming in Tenerife

A few years ago we started as a couple with our eco finca on Tenerife, today we work in a small community. People interested in organic farming, healthy fruit and vegetables in Tenerife, sustainability and an active lifestyle. Permaculture and the food forest with an integrated food garden support us in this. And all of this in a breathtaking setting.

Tenerife is part of the Canary Islands, located around 250 km off the west coast of Africa, roughly level with Morocco. Influenced by the Sahara on one side and the Atlantic on the other, Tenerife has spring-like weather all year round and multiple climate zones. Therefore an extremely exciting starting point for an ecological project.

An organic finca on Tenerife

An organic finca on Tenerife for self-sufficiency is the dream of many people who are concerned with the topic of emigrating to Tenerife. But few have experience beyond a normal allotment garden. That is why organic farming on Tenerife is an enormous challenge to start with. But what exactly distinguishes an organic finca or one based on biological principles? Is it really only if you don’t use insecticides or herbicides? And what exactly do you do against whiteflies, scale insects and the like? These were all questions that we also had to deal with and that we could of course also bring into our permaculture on Tenerife as an experience.

Markets in Tenerife: fruit and vegetables directly from the producer

There are plenty of pleasant to look at, colourful, fresh fruit and vegetable scented markets in Tenerife . Smallholders usually offer their agricultural products there at weekends. Unfortunately, the products are hardly subject to controls and how generously the use of pesticides, herbicides, artificial fertilizers etc. takes place can be guessed at by looking at the shelves of the countless small shops for agriculture. The better choice is to go directly to the producer you know.

Permaculture in Tenerife

From a global perspective, we are now at a crossroads for humanity. More and more people are consuming more and more resources that are simply irretrievably gone. Many resources are not only consumed, but wasted. It’s time to change systems. Ultimately, this is a matter for politics, but that doesn’t mean that everyone can’t do their part. One approach to solving this is the circular economy, as nature sets an example for us in principle.

A primeval forest shows us a perfect circular economy. Sun, light, shade, water management, biodiversity, etc. ensure a self-sustaining cycle. A cycle that permaculture tries to copy or to optimize in detail. So permaculture is at best a new invention in terms of terminology or systematics, but not in terms of the starting point.

It is a matter close to the heart, especially for permaculture, to renaturate or change areas that are generally considered unsuitable or difficult. The Canary Islands and Tenerife, with their many fallow, deforested areas, are an interesting environment for permaculture.

Tenerife and the Food Forest

In permaculture, just like in conventional gardens (cottage garden, monastery garden, ornamental garden, etc.) or planting or management methods, there are also different forms of design. One of them is the Food Forest. We decided on a food forest with an integrated food garden. A food forest comes relatively close to the idea of ​​a primeval forest, but the ultimate goal is an edible forest that only needs a few human interventions or maintenance measures.

Where land that had been lying fallow for decades is now a biotope for plants and animals. The Food Forest Ecotava.

WorkAway, WWOOF, helpX, volunteers in Tenerife

It is our goal to give as many people as possible food for thought, to convey ideas, to transfer knowledge and skills, perhaps even to change their lifestyle. We won’t be able to do this if we only deal with ourselves in a small community.

But in recent years we have been able to realize an exciting project with the help of numerous volunteers, WWOOFers, Workaway but also members of Urlaub gegen Hand etc., but also pass on a lot of know-how. And of course win friends worldwide. If you would like to find out more about the possibility of a traineeship in Tenerife, you will find a lot of information here. And ultimately there are plenty of opportunities to get involved on site. WorkAway Tenerife – support and learn on a sustainable and ecologically managed finca.