Vora Riu is a regenerative olive farming project based in Valencia, Spain.

We work the land directly, with a stewardship mindset and a hands-on approach.

The project focuses on building soil health, biodiversity and long-term resilience in a Mediterranean context.

We test practices, processes and tools on the ground. What works stays. What doesn’t, goes.

We document what we learn and share it so it can be adapted elsewhere.

Our work draws from Mediterranean permaculture, but is guided by observation rather than doctrine.

Some of the principles we are shaping:

  • Observe before acting. Let the land speak first.

  • Work with what you have. Reduce inputs to what is strictly necessary.

  • Prototype and iterate. Once you jump to action, be smart and learn quickly.

  • Act with care. Every system and person has a context, even when it is not obvious.

A sunlit orchard with rows of olive trees, lush green grass, and a distant hill under a blue sky with some clouds.
Nighttime photo of a backyard with a large olive tree in the centre, illuminated houses in the background, and various objects on the ground, including rocks and bags.
Close-up of two flowers with green petals and yellow centers, one in bloom and the other with withered petals, on a background of blurred brownish ground.
A sunny grove with rows of olive trees and dry grass between them under a clear blue sky.
Close-up of a purple thistle flower with two bees collecting nectar.
Close-up of black and green grapes on the vine.
Two red, round ant hills on the ground in a grassy and leafy outdoor area.
A close-up photo of a green praying mantis perched on a olive picking net.
Large white container filled with green, red, and dark purple olives, awaiting to be pressed at a processing facility.

Our notes from the field

We have condensed our learnings from the first three years of practice into a manual free to download and use.

Feedback is most welcome. Drop us a line in the contact form with your thoughts.

Readings

Book titled "Sembrando en el desierto" by Masanobu Fukuoka, with a cover image of an elderly man with glasses among tall, pinkish grass and mountains in the background.
Blue book cover titled "Viure a la Caseta" by Carles Rodrigo Alfonso, featuring illustrations of small traditional Valencian sheds with red roofs and beige walls, on a bed of dry leaves and grass.
Book titled 'Loa a la Tierra: Un Viaje al Jardín' by Byung-Chul Han, lying on wood chips and small plants, with a botanical illustration on the cover.
Book titled "The Wisdom of Trees" by Max Adams, placed on a bed of mulch with small green plants nearby.
Cover of a book titled "Let's Become Fungal! Mycelium Teachings and the Arts" with illustrations of fungi, including pink mushrooms, a green stalk fungus, and a patterned mushroom, on a white background.
Book titled "The Hidden Life of Trees" on a bed of dried leaves and small green plants. The cover features an illustration of three trees with visible roots.

A plant compendium

We regularly update a census of the plant species we have observed in our field.

Here’s the latest version in English and Spanish. Click below to download.

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