Herdade dos Alfanges is the official name of the farm. The nearest town is about four kilometres away - Vila Nova da Baronia, Alentejo. The Moors and the Arabs lived in this area in the 800’s, the farm itself has roots going back to the 1600’s. The actual name, Alfanges, means sword in Arabic and of course there are stories and mysteries attached to it - about Princes and and sons and battles fought.

When the Berger family first came here in 2017 it was a sadly neglected place and there was a serious threat that it would become yet another factory farm with rows and rows of stumpy olive trees. The Bergers didn’t want this, they wanted to preserve the old trees and the old was of making the oil. There are three types of tree growing here, the olive tree of course, (some of which are a 1000 years old!), Iberian Stone Oaks and Cork Oaks which still provide cork for a variety of uses. The olive trees are not planted in straight regimental lines but are scattered higgledy-piggledy over the farm each with room to breath and grow. Standing next to such an ancient tree and just thinking of the times it has ‘seen’ is quite a spiritual experience.

Every year a squad of volunteers descend upon the farm to help with the harvest. They do this in exchange for board and lodging - it’s hard work, but it’s a refreshing change from their usual lives - and there’s a beautiful salt-water pool for a swim at the end of the day, and a drink of course.

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