Manolo Peláez tends to the olive trees, grapevines, and pitaya at our Finca Lomos Altos and also leases the vegetable garden. In July, he sun-dries large quantities of tomatoes.
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.
Manuel Peláez runs his “Finca Tres Peñas,” a 16-hectare farm. He sells his fruits, vegetables, and freshly squeezed juices at every farmers’ market and is by far the most recognizable face among the island’s organic farmers. Manuel, known as Manolo, was born in Andalusia and has been connected to the land, plants, and animals since childhood. A finca accessible only by horse or donkey—with pigs, vegetables, and olive groves stretching 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.
As part of his latest initiative, “Finca Tres Peñas” is currently being transformed into a community-run operation designed to safeguard not only Manolo’s legacy but also that of his long-time employees. As part of this effort, a consumer cooperative is also being established to ensure sales through organic food boxes, with members benefiting 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.
