Arunachala Farm

The ARUNACHALA farm is located in Itamonte, Minas Gerais, between three interconnected valleys and is a large property, with 54 alqueires or 132.2 hectares, which has provided employment to local residents over the last few decades, allowing for subsistence plantations. We currently opt for organic farming, with berries, vegetable gardens, honey, bamboo, and coffee. We have many trees with good timber such as jacaranda, cedar, candeias, araucarias, and various pines, and we are planting olive and lavender trees to produce olive oil, perfumes, and essential oils. The farm is located in the buffer zone of MONA (Monument to Nature), a recently created municipal area that prioritizes the 3 A's – Art + Architecture = Sustainable Environment.

In the region, we also have the important Itatiaia (federal reserve) and Papagaio (state reserve) parks. This sanctuary is an arm of our Verdever Association, with fertile and productive land and 1.5 km of clear and limpid waterfalls. The reserve is registered as a Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN), with 25 hectares of forests. Overall, it is a sacred and almost untouched place, with preservation of native species and development of Sustainable Arts and Architecture. Here, the main house was built with stones and wood from the region, reused glass and lots of creativity!

This Sanctuary is part of the UNICOS project – National International Union of Organically Sustainable Cities.