Coitena Farm

As a boy, Luís Brito dreamed of becoming Portugal's biggest goat farmer. He grew up used to the countryside, at Quinta da Coitena, in Oliveira do Hospital, a vacation home owned by his mother, Margarida, where for years her father, Carlos, and brothers practised simple farming for their consumption.

Part of the Estrela Geopark, a UNESCO heritage site, the Brito family changed the course of this centuries-old farm after the fires of October 2017. "We were in Lisbon when they called to tell us everything had burned down. We thought we'd lost the farm," says Carlos Brito, recalling that fateful day. Since then, The family has decided to focus on farming and livestock to overcome the challenges of the countryside and climate change. "I became a full-time farmer," laughs Carlos.

Carlos and his son Luís are responsible for applying regenerative and holistic management at Coitena. Studying veterinary science in Lisbon, the 21-year-old son Luís travels to Oliveira do Hospital every weekend to look after the farm. His enthusiasm for the project is palpable: "I've always liked animals. And there's no plant production without them," he explains while stroking the horns of Trovão, one of the farm's goats.

Biomimicry is his mantra. A vision that applies the lessons of nature: "If you look at the example of the savannahs, the animals are always on the move, whether it's because of the rains or to escape predators," explains Luís, about the way they deal with raising turkeys. The birds are born in Portugal and arrive at the farm less than 24 hours old. Even in the first six weeks of life - when the chickens still don't have control over their body temperature - they are managed by moving a mobile pavilion. Once the rearing period is over, the turkeys live outdoors with full access to the property. "Not having the birds always in the same place, with food and waste in the same place, allows us to forgo dewormers and antibiotics," he says, "so we can focus on prophylaxis. Our animals have a strengthened immune system." 

The term "holistic" sums up the method used by the Brito family. "The animals transform the biomass into a value-added product. Our business is the soil. We have vegetables, fruit trees, olive groves, forests, turkeys, goats and cattle." The animals are fed the unsellable fruit. "The grass turns into meat and milk, the excrement fertilizes the soil. Everything is part of a perfect cycle, from the different minerals in the animal waste to the maggots and flies."

In addition to poultry farming, Quinta da Coitena has 30 goats and 10 cattle to diversify production and encourage biodiversity. Inside the house, where old Jewish quarters can still be seen, there are turkey eggs in wicker baskets and shelves filled with orange jams and lemon preserves. The goat's yoghurt in the refrigerator is separated into different jars for individual consumption.

For sale, Quinta da Coitena offers turkey meat through Talho das Manas, Freixo do Meio, some organic stores and El Corte Inglês. The fruit and vegetables are available at Alecrim aos Molhos in Lisbon, Castiça in Seixal and Bioescolha in Coimbra.