Manolo Peláez is the best-known organic farmer on the island. We have been working with him for a year and a half: On our finca Lomos Altos, he and his team take care of the olive trees, plant vines and pitaya and also lease the vegetable field, which has finally been allowed to be lush and green again.
In October 2024, we planted 100 trees on the finca as part of a community initiative. Avocado, mango, papaya and exotic-looking Lilipili trees will bring more life to this piece of earth, eventually bearing fruit and providing inviting shade.
With his “Finca Tres Peñas”, 16 hectares of planted land and stalls at all the farmers’ markets selling local fruit, vegetables and freshly squeezed juices, Manuel Peláez is by far the best-known face of the island’s organic farmers. Manuel, known as Manolo, was born in Andalusia and has been connected to the earth, plants and animals from an early age. A finca that was only accessible by horse and donkey with pigs, vegetables and olive groves that stretched to the horizon shaped his childhood in the 1950s.
Manolo has been associated with Lanzarote for over 35 years now. It is thanks to his commitment that there are local organic lunches at some schools. During the pandemic, he was the talk of the town when he went on hunger strike at the gates of the Cabildo, the island’s government, demanding that local markets be allowed to open in the fresh air again. With success.
In his latest project, “Finca Tres Peñas” is currently being transformed into a community-run organization that will not only safeguard Manolo’s legacy, but also his long-standing employees. This will also create a consumer association that will secure sales via organic boxes and whose members will in turn benefit from affordable, high-quality organic products.
Until then and beyond, Manolo’s big, strong hands continue to dig restlessly into the earth, planting, harvesting, cleaning, pruning, plucking… a life mission.
