Finca Machinda is a magnificent, fascinating example of Lanzarote’s agricultural rebirth.
Buying a box or basket of fresh organic vegetables every week is a real pleasure. It allows you to improve your cooking and planning skills, keeps you healthy and, best of all, lets you appreciate Lanzarote’s freshest seasonal produce.
That’s why several people already make their way to Finca Machinda, at Calle Aniagua 11 in the northern village of Tao between 4pm and 6pm every Wednesday to pick up their freshly picked and selected goodies.
Finca Machinda is one of the most impressive examples of Lanzarote’s recent food revolution – a dream of getting back in contact with the island’s farming heritage that has come wonderfully true. At the gorgeous Óleo Tapas Bar in Puerto del Carmen’s C/ Doramas, one of the Finca’s partners, Matuli Rodríguez, shows me a perfectly ripe tomato and invites me to listen to the crunch of a lettuce leaf. Picked just a few hours ago at the Finca, this is the sort of fresh, seasonal produce that the best chefs really get excited about.
Óleo gives everyone in Puerto del Carmen the chance to sample the delicious, locally grown, organic fruit and vegetables from Finca Machinda, while in Arrecife, the cafeteria of the Magma Innovation Hub at C/Manolo Millares 30, also makes stunning use of Finca Machinda produce.
Finca Machinda also uses a number of plots dotted around the island, “Each one is perfect for a different product,” says Matuli. The finca produces organic pumpkins, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale, salad greens, herbs, leeks, courgettes, tomatoes and much, much more, depending on the season and demand.
“Our aim is to produce genuine quality produce on Lanzarote,” explains Matuli. “The Finca Machinda project is a tribute to the farmers of the island, who deserve this commitment; and it’s a way of preserving the island’s landscape and agricultural traditions for future generations.”
Finca Machinda arrives at a time when all of us are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues, and its Zero Kilometre ethos and anti-plastic policies chime with current trends. It also accompanies a move towards quality tourism that celebrates the unique landscapes and products of destinations.
The Finca supplies six restaurants on the island, including Óleo, and its products can also be bought at the Los Molinos frutería in Costa Teguise. It’s also open daily to visitors who can buy freshly picked produce and, if they reserve in advance, take a tour of the beautiful farm area, based in the heart of Lanzarote’s El Jable corridor, with stunning views of the landscape and the Chinijo archipelago.
“This is a matter of pride,” says Matuli. “Pride in our island, in what we can produce ourselves, and pride in the future.”
