It’s really already over 1,5 years since we moved to our finca on Gran Canaria. Time Flew by so fast! So much has happened since we moved here in June 2022. We learned a lot about our land, planted over a hundred trees and plants, survived our first tropical storm, saw plenty of virgins carried to caves and boats and chased hunters of our land. What an adventure!
The life changing decision
But let’s start at the beginning. Who are we and how did we end up here? We are Sjef and Winfred and we are from Holland. Sjef is an ecologist, so he knows a thing or two about plants and I am a coach and I am pretty handy. We lived in the busy city of Rotterdam before we decided to change our lives.
During the covid epidemic we took the time to reevaluate our lives and ambitions for the future. While being locked up in a crowded city, we decided that we really would like to make a lasting contribution to sustainable life on our planet. That we wanted a way of life that is more in harmony with nature. And that we wanted to inspire others to make small or big adjustments in their lives.
Realizing a dream like this is impossible in Holland, because it’s way too expensive and probably also too crowded. Therefore, we choose to move to Gran Canaria. I already loved this island a lot and I managed to convince Sjef of the great opportunities that it has to offer.
Our finca
Once we decided to move to Gran Canaria, we started to look for a suitable place for our food forest. We picked several areas that had a suitable climate with enough rain on a south slope that fitted within our price range. Once we decided where we would be located, we started our search for a farm through Idealista, a Spanish real estate website. It was not an easy search because we wanted a farm of at least 10.000 m2 with a house to live in and opportunities for Airbnb.
After an extensive search we picked thee properties we really wanted to see and booked a flight to the island. Because extra eyes are always welcome with difficult decisions, we took our parents with us. While visiting the properties, one really stood out. And that’s the one we ended up buying.
The finca is located in Barranco Hondo in Juncalillo, Gáldar. This area is known for its historic heritage and natural reserves. A quiet place loved by those who enjoy nature, hiking and culture. A great spot to retreat, calm down and get back to earth. We fell in love the first time we visited this magical place.
The farm is enormous with over 28.000 m2 and almost covers a mountain range. It was a small farm and the previous owner already planted some trees like avocados. The terraced land was in great shape, the house was ready to live in and with 3 other cave houses on the property it has plenty of opportunity.
Moving to an island
Once we bought the farm, all we needed to do it pack our stuff and move. But that turned out harder than we thought. We bought a small van to transport our essential belongings to Gran Canaria ourselves. We planned a route from Holland, through Belgium, France and Spain all the way to the harbour Cadiz where we would take the ferry to the island.
We left May 15 but… we didn’t get further than Évreux in the north of France. Our van broke down and we got stuck in this provincial French town. Good for a short visit, but thanks to our insurance company we had to spend 4 days there. And I can tell you that that’s a terrible long time when you get stranded on your way to a new life.
So, Within a week we were back in Holland again. As you can imagine that was a complete disappointment. The van was a bad buy and couldn’t be repaired anymore. We decided to fly to the island and to have our things shipped. We finally arrived June 9 at our new home. With just a few suitcases of clothes and essentials. Our journey had finally begun!
Luckily for us, it is very normal in Spain to leave all the useful stuff that you don’t need in the house when you sell it. We had a bed, a fridge and kitchen essentials. That way you could quickly settle in. and to be honest… we are still eating our meals with the plates that came with the house. I guess to us it feels that’s how its supposed to be.
Maybe the journey wasn’t all joy, but we really felt at home right from the beginnings. Our new life was ready to start.
