Look, Autumn is here!

Autumn is just around the corner, bringing a new season to the garden :-) As we finish harvesting the last fruits of summer – tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, aubergine, beetroot, rocket, and lettuce – it’s time to tend to our beds and prepare them for a new big planting, which will take place in October.

During this September session, we’ll harvest, remove plants that have reached the end of their cycle, turn over the soil, and fertilise the earth with our own compost (and other fertilisers), preparing the ground for what’s to come.

At Agra, we have a garden with five beds of vegetables and aromatic herbs that have been built over the past two years by the resident community and anyone who wanted to lend a hand. Throughout the process, we have benefited from the invaluable guidance and enthusiasm of Filipa Almeida from @jardins_al_dente.

The beds are fertilised with compost produced here, made from food scraps from the kitchen and bar, creating a direct connection between growing and consumption. During harvest season, the produce is shared with the community, while some of the plants are used in Agra’s kitchen, adding flavours grown in the garden right outside to our dishes.

Whether with our hands in the soil planting vegetables, or sitting together to watch a documentary and talk about our consumption habits, the monthly garden sessions are open to everyone and designed to accommodate different ways of participating. The garden gatherings have become a space for pause and rest, where participants can find time to slow down and connect with nature amidst the city and the rush of everyday life. They are also opportunities to come together, care collectively, and reflect on the way we relate to the land and to food.