Quinta Anema

Quinta Anema is a certified organic farm located at Courela da Ponte Velha, near the banks of the Ribeira de Lavre, in the parish of Lavre, Montemor-o-Novo, Alentejo. Founded by Dutch couple Jan and Elisabeth Anema, who moved to Portugal in 1987, the farm has evolved from a dairy operation with up to 80 cows into a focused, small-scale organic cheese enterprise following the 2010 milk crisis, when the couple returned to the craft they had practised in the Netherlands. Rather than raising high-intensity 'fast food' cattle, Jan and Elisabeth chose the Blaarkop breed, a hardy 'slow food' cow fed primarily on forage, of which they now keep around 15. The milk from these animals is used exclusively to produce Gouda-style cheese, the most traditional cheese of the couple's native Netherlands, made using traditional equipment under full organic certification, including the Agricultura Biológica seal and the CSS stamp. Beyond cheese production, Jan Anema founded Escola Viva, a social initiative and visitor programme designed for young people who, in his words, 'only live in the virtual world'. Through hands-on encounters with the land, the animals and the cheese-making process, the programme seeks to reconnect a generation more familiar with smartphone screens than physical work with the realities and value of rural life. While physically demanding, the work at Quinta Anema is guided by a clear commitment to sustainable practices and respect for rural heritage. The farm represents a quiet but deliberate model of small-scale, values-driven organic farming, one that prioritises quality, animal welfare and cultural continuity over scale or industrial efficiency.