Expat Garden Group

One of the big selling points to Portugal is the climate and natural beauty… and the gardening opportunities associated with it!

Espaço Rumaso, Ram’s organic farm

I noticed in the Expats Ericeira Facebook group Lisa and I joined that a group of green-thumbed enthusiasts was forming a monthly gardening talk, with the first meetup landing on my first full day in Portugal.

With little sleep, and Hill in tow, I made my way to Ram Mizrachi’s farm to discuss making a plan, soil maintenance, raising healthy, sustainable plants, and meeting like-minded expats. Ram’s farm is about 2 years in the making, supplying vegetables, herbs, and fruit for his produce box delivery business here in Ericeira.

Ram answering questions about making compost.

Ram gave us a 4-hour course in regenerative farming - a term he didn’t use but effectively is practicing. As we contemplate buying agricultural land connected to the hotel, the information and discussion are timely and relevant.

About 15 of us met and could not have been nicer. Half of the attendees were German, with a smattering of other European countries. The farm’s setting resembled a remote canyon in Bali (sans rice terraces) and the group could easily have been Ubud global nomads. While just a BIT younger than me, I think LIsa and I will fit in.

Expat group of gardeners

I came away learning a lot about how to approach the blank slate of land we hopefully will own soon and excitement to learn more about regenerative farming. My sister-in-law Danielle had the brilliant idea of creating a regenerative farm school and marketing the hotel as a retreat to learn farming practices… She’s a genius and perhaps we’ve found a possible teacher :-).