Galeana Farm

In addition to the acquisition of Quinta da Galeana, a 23-hectare property located in the village of Nadrupe, in Lourinhã, 2015 was also marked by the establishment of Ovinos do Futuro, the company of the couple Sérgio Henriques, Zootechnical Engineer, and Rita Barceló, Food Science and Engineering. The initial objective is to create sheep breeding of the French Romane breed, coming from France, “because of their meat suitability”, to sell to other producers, “especially females, for reproduction, and males, partly for reproduction and the remainder for meat”, explains Sérgio Henriques.

The ability that females of this breed must breed a greater number of lambs compared to other breeds of sheep, is another advantage pointed out by our host, about the choice of Romane, as well as the fact that “the meat has good characteristics: it is succulent, tender and not too fat”. The response to this reduction in fat is due in part to the freedom given to 250 animals to graze in an area of ​​the defined farm. The other part is related to the type of straw-based food manufactured by the owners.

Anyone who speaks of Quinta da Galeana must mention its homemade chickens, “which we already raised for our consumption, in our house”, says Sérgio Henriques, “but our friends also started to want our chickens and they were the ones who helped to expand this business.” These animals are around two hundred. “They are all raised outdoors and fed with cereals, corn, barley, food waste from biological products from Biofrade, which are also from Lourinhã”, he informs.

In 2019 he adds another business, this time linked to the biological eggs of Quinta da Galeana. “The challenge was made by Biofrade [organic production company] and we took advantage of five hectares of the farm to convert into an organic mode, where the chickens roam freely during the day. At night they retire to the chicken coop.”

The eggs are sold exclusively by Biofrade, while the homemade chickens from Quinta da Galeana are sold at Talho das Manas, located in Largo Luís de Camões 1, Ponte do Rol, Torres Vedras and “which is distributing throughout the Lisbon area. We distribute to Lourinhã's customers”. Lamb meat isn’t sold by Ovinos do Futuro.

To complement the offer at Quinta da Galeana, Sérgio Henriques and Rita Barceló decided to recover the existing house on the property, respecting its original design, and convert it into Rural Tourism, without forgetting the chapel, which is part of the centenary houses of this farm. From Sérgio Henriques is the promise of guests “feeling that they are in a true Rural Tourism”. In addition to being able to eat what is produced there, it’s also possible to include raw material from other regional producers, such as the father's calf meat or Porco Malhado de Alcobaça produced by João José Santos, founder of Porco Saloio. But there is more! The Firefly Trail is planned to be created in the wildest part of the farm, where the so-called fireflies appear copiously between May and July, a rarity to be preserved, and the reservation of an area for yoga, the practice of the cult of the body and the soul that communes, in perfection, with nature. “We are also going to have a riding arena, which is under construction”, which is why there will be an equestrian experience available for guests in the future.

The house consists of four bedrooms, three of which have a mezzanine, all of which are prepared to receive a couple and two children. "There is a large room, where the bar will function, as well as the living and dining area, and another room, where our store will be to sell regional products and products from other parts of the country so that guests can enjoy there or take it home.” The kitchen maintains the wood oven and has a barbecue area.

The opening of Quinta da Galeana Rural Tourism is scheduled for July 2021.