This has been the wettest winter in living memory here in La Janda. In January alone, more rain fell than in some entire years. The land drank deeply — and sometimes struggled to keep up.
Water is life. And like life, it brings both celebration and correction, showing places where our decade of water-retention work held beautifully and others where the land showed us what still needs attention. After more than ten years shaping this landscape with patience and contour, this winter felt like a real test — and a quiet milestone.
The abundance of water mirrors the abundance of what’s unfolding here this spring. Courses, JARA volunteer days, and our annual Festival are just around the corner. If the rains have stirred something in you too, we’d love to welcome you.
Lessons from the Rains – our water retention landscape has passed the test
Across 13 hectares, we have seen almost no erosion. The rain slowed, spread, and sank into the land until the soil reached saturation. Only once the ground could absorb no more did water move gently downhill — into overflow structures and eventually into the stream below. Our swales filled and functioned as designed. Even most pathways held, despite weeks of relentless downpours.
The large gully just north of Cuartilla also surprised us. Thanks to our neighbors keeping cattle out in recent seasons, vegetation has been able to re-establish. Roots held the soil in place and instead of dumping sediment down the valley, the gully formed a small seasonal stream with clear water flowing from pool to pool.
The large gully just north of Cuartilla also surprised us. Thanks to our neighbors keeping cattle out in recent seasons, vegetation has been able to re-establish. Roots held the soil in place and instead of dumping sediment down the valley, the gully formed a small seasonal stream with clear water flowing from pool to pool.
When we began stewarding Catalina in 2019, we uncovered a shallow well near what is now the Catalina Kitchen. We cleaned it, covered it, and quietly hoped that one day it might fill again. A few weeks ago, once the slopes above were fully soaked, it did. It may not signal the return of historic springs — but it is certainly something to celebrate.
But of course, not everything worked perfectly. The terrace around the kitchen and well was never properly levelled or given a clear overflow. During peak rains it flooded so deeply that welly boots became essential. We have now seen firsthand: every water retention structure — even a terrace — needs an overflow, even if such rains come only once in a hundred years. Once the land dries, we will reshape this space. (It would, admittedly, have been easier without buildings already in place.)
And then there is mud. We often say humans compact soil more than elephants. This winter proved it. Where we had defined paths, mud accumulated. To avoid it, people stepped aside — widening the impact zone. A narrow mulched path quickly becomes a slippery field. On steep slopes, log steps have helped. On flatter areas, once things dry, we will install stepping stones to protect the soil during future storms.
Every intense rain event is a teacher. If you’d like to see more, watch the short video that Objetivo de Luz has created that illustrates the impact of these rains on the our water retention landscape and enjoy the sound of clean water running down the valley….
JARA – La Janda Acción Regenerativa
Our JARA sessions are continuing into the spring, and will offer lots of opportunities to care for the land, learning by doing, and participating in a network of people from our local community who are committed to regenerating our territory. JARA meets twice a month—one weekday, one weekend—and anyone from La Janda can join these hands-on regenerative activities. Compost, planting, pruning, water-retention work, seed harvesting, propagating cuttings… each session is a small piece that plays its part to restore our shared home. Our rhythm is simple:
10:00–14:00 – introduction, ecological context, hands-on learning
14:00–16:00 – lunch together
16:00–18:00 – second activity
Why not put the next session in your diary: next Saturday 28th February will be dedicated to a project that is a collaboration between art and science: “Bajar a Tierra. Laboratorio de regeneración invasiva” (Down to Earth. Laboratory of Invasive Regeneration). We wrote about this project in our October newsletter and we’re really excited to be getting our hands dirty as we start the intervention designed to explore how exotic plants and microbes can restore lost life to degraded landscapes.
Join our Telegram group for up-to-date information on future dates and activities or visit our JARA page here:
https://t.me/c/almenarafestival2024/1
Ampadrinar un Alcorque
If you were passing Almenara on St Valentine’s Day you would have surely smiled at the cheerful sight of a bunch of people of all ages busily enjoying the first sunny day outdoors after all the rain we’ve had. A diverse group of associations, activists, families, school children and friends came together on the common land between the road and the border of the finca to create 12 “alcorques” – groups of trees and plants planted together in a small water retention basin. This activity collaboration between Be.Time, Almenara Culturas Regenerativas and Objetivo de Luz is part of our EMCCINNO pilot.
Usually we are told trees and plants need a lot of space between them or else they will compete for nutrients and water, but this is an oversimplification. Participants heard about all the ways plants cooperate in a syntropic design and after a short demonstration of how to create an alcorque, each group set about planting a collection of drought resistant trees, bushes and plants, before fertilising and mulching. The commitment of our madrinas and padrinos is to care for their alcorque for 2 years until it is established, with a particular focus on watering in summer.
ConTribuIr
This Easter, Objetivo de Luz is offering a residential course in our Pasillo de la Fertilidad in Vejer, focusing on the planting and care of a summer veg garden. This is a hybrid training course in succession gardening aimed at designing the future of food and regenerating your well being in community.
All the details are available online: the itinerary, the immersive experience, the opportunities for rest and regeneration in Casa Cuartilla and the shared luxury of our new spa space (sauna and hot tub). You’ll find full information here.
Festival Almenara – Saturday 16 May 2026
We’ve set the date for the 5th edition of FESTIVAL ALMENARA, our annual gathering designed to share knowledge, projects and initiatives surrounded by the natural beauty of Finca Catalina, with our community of friends, neighbours and supporters. This year the focus is on “CARING FOR THE FUTURE”.
Every year Festival Almenara proves that the we join our hands, heart and minds to share ideas and care, we create some really beautiful and magical experiences for all. That’s why we don’t try to go it alone, but offer an open invitation to anyone who wants to actively participate:
🌱 Would you like to offer a talk, workshop or activity that lasts an hour or an hour and a half?
📚 Do you want to participate in our Human Library, sharing your inspiring local initiative in the format of a 10 minute talk with 5 minutes for questions (repeated 3 times to small groups)?
🎶 Would you like to collaborate offering something else: music, video, photos, welcoming people, helping behind the bar, preparing the spaces before or clearing up after…?
If you’d like to offer a session, we’d love to include you in the programme. Write to us before the end of March with a brief description of your proposal. And don’t forget to put the date in your diary!
🎟 Entrance by donation
🍲 Food and drink on sale
💃 And as always… we’ll close the day dancing under the stars!
Residential Earth Care Steward – Vejer de la Frontera, Spain
Our resident arborist Thomas has left to start his own exciting project in France. This means that here at Catalina, we’re seeking a Resident Earth Care Steward to live in community and work on-site, caring for the land while guiding its next phase of regeneration. The role involves coordinating daily Earth Care work, supporting volunteers, and refining our systems for tree care, soil building, and agroforestry. Ideally, this role would begin in February or March 2026, though we can be somewhat flexible.
The right person will be grounded in permaculture design, with experience in regenerative agriculture and/or syntropic agroforestry, and comfortable leading small teams with clarity and care. This is a resident position for someone proficient in English and Spanish, organised, collaborative, and ready to imagine a multi-year commitment following an initial trial period.
Our remuneration has two parts: a modest paid salary with benefits, plus food, private accommodation, and access to community spaces and resources.
If you’re drawn to work where water, trees, and people grow together, we’d love to hear from you! Write to us at this address.
