“Regenerative Heritage Grains—From Soil to Bread”

A Journey through DiversifICATION w/ José da Camara Ruas

Cereal rows and tree lines in Alentejo, Portugal. Photo: José da Camara Ruas

Where to find heritage grains likely to thrive in a Portuguese climate and soil conditions? This was the question asked by José da Camara Ruas, when he reached out to Seeds4All a year ago. A farmer in training at the Kalo Organic Agriculture College of Denmark, José told us about the farming project he had just started with his partner and friend, Pedro Cabral, in the Alentejo region in south Portugal.

Back then, their vision already integrated a high level of diversification—from ancient grains and species mixtures to agroforestry and the introduction of animals. Seeking to explore the specific challenges involved in setting up such a model, particularly in terms of access to land, seeds, technologies, and subsidies, we invited José for an interview in March 2025. This article looks at his initial feedback on the evolution of the project on “Regenerative Heritage Grains – From Soil to Bread”.

From Philosophy to Agroecology

José da Camara Ruas grew up in the countryside near Évora, where his mother worked as a farmer cultivating nut trees. In high school, he studied music before pursuing a bachelor's and master's degree in philosophy and literature. After starting his professional career in Lisbon, José shifted his focus towards business and innovation.

As José's career evolved, his growing interest in food production, and the role of food in health led him to take a course on syntropic agroforestry. His journey further developed when he met someone involved in the Kalo Organic Agriculture College of Denmark, where he started to study, while gaining hands-on experience through internships.

José's first internship was with John Letts, a Canadian farmer based in England, renowned for his use of diverse heritage and ancient grain varieties, grown together as a population and undersown with white clover. Lett’s system prompted José to address a critical situation in Portugal, where 97% of cereals are imported, mainly from Spain, France and Ukraine.

This heavy reliance on imports makes it challenging to access locally produced flours made from heritage grains, despite a growing demand from artisan bakers. This is how José and Pedro's project was born, aiming at producing high quality wheat for flavourful and nutritious products, from bread to pasta.

First harvest of 8 hectares of ancient grains, in summer 2024. Photo: José da Camara Ruas.

The Importance of Ancient Varieties in Microbial Interactions

With nothing but an Erasmus grant invested in purchasing raw materials, José and Pedro embarked on their first experiment. In the winter of 2023, they sowed 2 tons of heritage seeds sourced from a neighbouring farmer, Afonso Fontoura, on 8 hectares, replicating John Letts’ practices.

In the meantime, José discovered the work of Harriet Mella on the importance of feeding the seed microbiome so it can thrive and increasingly enrich the soil in return. According to Mella, heritage seeds have a greater capacity than hybrids to incorporate and interact with microorganisms due to their richer genetic diversity and enhanced adaptability.

Eager to experiment with a new seed inoculation method to boost their microbiome, José set out to find additional heritage varieties for broader diversity in his trials. He speaks about the challenges of limited diversity in the official market and the lack of information about alternatives available elsewhere:

“It takes time and patience because there isn’t really a store where you can find highly diverse collections of seeds sold in large quantities. You have to conduct extensive research and speak to many people, sometimes in different languages. It was truly an odyssey to find my grains. But they’re in the field now.”

As José points out, seed banks are crucial for preserving heritage but limited in supporting the initiation of farming projects due to the small quantities of seeds they offer. “It’s only thanks to farmers and millers that we were able to access seeds,” he adds.

José da Camara Ruas and Pedro Cabral in their fields. Courtesy of José da Camara Ruas

“The More Plant Families Diversity, the Better the Microbiome”

In the winter of 2024, José and Pedro sowed 10 varieties of ancient wheat in separate rows across 17 hectares of land lent by their friend Alfredo Sendim of Herdade do Freixo do Meio, as well as 5 additional hectares provided by a neighboring farmer, Herberto Brunk.

Before sowing, they inoculated the seeds with microorganisms by placing them in a cement mixer along with natural compost, molasses, biochar, seaweed extract, and minerals.

Before sowing, they inoculated the seeds with microorganisms by placing them in a cement mixer along with natural compost, molasses, biochar, seaweed extract, and minerals. "What we essentially did was provide the seeds with what they needed to truly begin interacting with their environment, and most importantly, with the soil."

Determined to develop the most ecologically and economically coherent practices possible—allowing productive activity while regenerating the ecosystems that support it—José continued to deepen his knowledge, particularly in soil science as a key element in biodiverse farming.

Referring back to Christine Jones' work, he explains that the benefits of diversity for soil health become truly evident once you reach seven plant families in the field. In addition to the cereal, companion plants from Solanaceae, Polygonaceae, or Cucurbitaceae families will release a significant amount of carbon into the soil, particularly simple sugar carbon, which is easily digestible by microorganisms.

Sown roughly at the same time as the cereals, the companion crops are cut before reaching their reproductive stage, ensuring that all the carbon they would have directed towards fruit production stays in the soil. This method allows for continuous soil nourishment while promoting deeper root growth as the plants search for water. In early summer, the cereals are harvested, while the companion crops remain green, continuing to protect the soil as cover crops.

Facelia and trigo sown in 2024. Photo: José da Camara Ruas

“This process is a highly effective solution for breaking soil compaction and improving its structure, reaching far beyond the shallow 15 cm where most farming occurs globally,” says José, explaining that this method, along with other new knowledge he has acquired, will be implemented in the next sowing season.

2024 sowing of several varieties of wheat in rows, separated by tree lines, at the Herdade do Freixo do Meio. Photo: José da Camara Ruas.

An Ongoing Quest for Access to Seeds... and Knowledge

In two years of experimentation, José and Pedro have already encountered significant challenges that are specific to diversification.

First of all, access to seeds: not only ancient cereal varieties, but also companion crops.

In southern Portugal, cereals must be sown in winter, as spring varieties would struggle with heat and drought. This requires finding companion crops that can grow in winter, withstand regular cutting in spring, and remain green in summer with limited water. Species compatibility is also key to prevent competition with the wheat. Additionally, the recurring problem of limited market diversity has led José to significantly narrow his criteria for his next experiment, as he chose to buy companion crop seeds from official seed companies.

Beyond the challenge of accessing raw materials, what stands out most in his story is the central struggle of accessing knowledge. José is an atypical case, as he entered this field with a primary drive to learn, understand, and continuously improve his vision and practices. But at what cost?

“If you truly want to take it to the next level, it requires a massive investment of time, money, and personal sacrifice. Knowledge may be free in one sense, but as you gain knowledge, you're not making money.”

Excerpt from the project presentation file 'Regenerative Heritage Grains—From Soil to Bread'

Overcoming New Challenges—“One Step at a Time”

Finding a Land. José and Pedro’s main goal now is to secure a piece of land that they would officially lease long-term. Regenerating soil requires significant in-situ investment, which makes it crucial to quickly establish a project in a stable location.

Additionally, securing their access to land is key to introducing the agroforestry dimension to their project. "If you plant trees, the benefits for the land will take 5 to 10 years, and the return on investment—considering that planting trees is also a way to diversify income—will take 20 to 30 years. So you need to ensure the long-term establishment of your project.”

José and Pedro would like to prioritise land in their home region, where they have local connections and easy access to support. They seek flat land, ideal for cereal cultivation, and would prefer to start with treeless land to establish a productive system, and plant trees themselves in a way that accommodates machinery.

Securing Subsidies. José and Pedro are planning to apply soon for young farmer subsidies, which would be more valuable if they could highlight the diversification practices they’re implementing.

However, herein lies another challenge: using uncertified heritage grains means there is zero traceability. From an administrative standpoint, the seeds they got for their trials and have been saving, are essentially invisible—without certification, they cannot be officially declared to organic agriculture authorities. This also created obstacles when trying to collaborate with an organic farmer to plant their seeds.

Advocating More Structural Support for Diversified Farming Models

Difficulties in accessing appropriate technologies, comprehensive expertise, seed diversity, suitable land, and all-important subsidies… A diversified agricultural model based on inter-species cooperation brings challenges every step of the way.

This path inevitably comes with frustration and moments of discouragement. It demands resilience and determination on a personal level, but also structural privileges—such as a network of supportive relatives, a solid economic foundation, a capacity to relocate for mobility or to earn an income from diverse sources, etc.

To become more inclusive, these models must ultimately gain broader recognition, especially in terms of legislation, training and financial aids.

“It feels like there are two clear paths: either you're a new farmer following conventional methods with resources to help you get started, or you're an experienced farmer venturing into sustainable innovation. But here we are, new farmers trying to innovate. So, we’re stuck with the worst of both worlds—or maybe the best, depending on how you look at it.”

While José and Pedro’'s story serves as an inspiring example of the potential for action, transition, and innovation in agriculture, it also makes a strong case for understanding the specific needs of diversified farming practices that promote plant diversity and soil health.

José da Camara Ruas winnowing heritage grains before milling them. Photo: João Quartilho