Hello

There’s quite a lot beginning to shift and take shape at the Quinta at the moment, so I thought it was a good time to send a little update about what’s happening, what we’ll be working on over the winter, and some of the plans already emerging for 2027.

First, the 2026 gatherings are now closed for applications. However, the 2027 gatherings already have dates confirmed:

19–21 March 2027: Equinox Weekend
A small weekend gathering around spring, seasonal change, land and life at the Quinta.

25 April – 2 May 2027:  Spring Work Week & Beltane
A week of working together on the farm on a defined project, with the last day being the Beltane celebrations.

20–27 June 2027: Nudist Summer Camp
We are queer, we are here... and we are naked. Come for some summer fun (like it used to be). 

8–14 November 2027: Olive Harvest Week
The annual gathering to harvest the olives and make the year’s olive oil.

And then: back to work on the land

From November onwards I’ll be welcoming volunteers again, and there is quite a lot I’m excited about.

The biggest project is Promiscua.

For those who have been to the Quinta before: this is the land on the other side of the river. Until quite recently, much of it was so overgrown that it was basically inaccessible. Underneath all that growth, however, is an extraordinary landscape of old stone terraces and olive trees.

It was probably once one of the most productive parts of the farm.

Over the coming years, I want to bring it back into use slowly. The name comes from coltura promiscua, the traditional Mediterranean practice of growing different perennial crops together. The idea for Promiscua is therefore a mixed mountain landscape: existing olive trees alongside vines, fruit and berries, vegetables and other useful plants, with the terraces, paths and soil gradually restored.

It is a big project. And that is rather exciting...

The Plan for this winter...

From November through January, work will include clearing invasive mimosa, restoring old stone terraces, reopening paths, creating planting areas and beginning to put simple irrigation infrastructure in place.

There will also be plenty of general land management as we start to understand this part of the Quinta properly again.

Then in February and March, attention moves towards the new growing season: pruning olive trees, planting the first areas of Promiscua and preparing the vegetable gardens for spring.

Alongside all this is ordinary Quinta life, of course: cooking, cleaning, looking after the dogs, harvesting whatever is growing and keeping the house and gardens going.

Volunteering here can take many forms: from land clearing to cleaning... so get in touch if you are interested in spending a minimum of four weeks on the land.

And perhaps some new beings…

There is another development slowly coming into view for next year.

I’ve wanted for some time to make the Quinta a home for a small number of rescue animals, and I’m now beginning to look seriously at how that could work.

Most likely this will start with some pigs and sheep.

There is infrastructure to think about first — shelter, fencing, water, land management and making sure I can give them a genuinely good home... so this is still very much a developing plan.

But if all goes well, they will begin to become part of everyday Quinta life during 2027, too.

Which will undoubtedly change things around here in all sorts of interesting ways.

Watch this space.

And if spending some time here over the winter,  working on Promiscua, helping with the gardens and becoming part of Quinta life for a while sounds interesting, get in touch about volunteering from November onwards.

And finally, thank you for being part of the Quinta in whatever way you have been: whether you’ve stayed here, volunteered, joined a gathering, helped with the land, shared a meal, or simply followed along from afar. All of those connections are part of what makes this place what it is.

I hope you’re having a lovely summer, wherever you are. I’m looking forward to everything that is taking shape here over the coming months... and hopefully to seeing many of you back at the Quinta before too long!

Much love from the mountains,
Stephan