About us

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Joanna and Martin

In adulthood, we both took different paths. Martin learned at Siemens and now spent his time in the office programming software. Joanna spent a lot of time with her studies, started some and eventually graduated in media science.

During this time we met in Cologne, where we lived for some time. Disillusioned with the IT industry and city life, we soon longed to get back to the life of our childhood, to spend more time in nature and to get our hands dirty again.

And so, in 2016, we took a long trip to Uruguay, where we spent an extended period of time in a permaculture project. This inspired us to start our own project, which we did in Poland in 2017. Unfortunately, however, we quickly realized that Poland was not the right place for us.

For this reason, in 2018 we looked for a piece of property on the island of La Palma, where we have been running our own permaculture project ever since. Here we live together with our dog Stella, seven cats, a rooster and a changing number of volunteers and interns.

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Our Finca

Serenity embodies our commitment to cultivating and cooking food directly from our garden. Our garden spans multiple areas and is constantly growing, enriched with a variety of plants and trees. Following the principles of permaculture, we aim to close the loops and optimize the sustainability of the finca in harmony with the surrounding environment.

Our primary activities include:

1. Restoration and renovation of the old finca structure and its infrastructure.
2. Development and management of an extensive permaculture garden and food forest.
3. Operation of a vegan food truck to spread our passion for healthy food.

Volunteers are essential to the success of our activities, and we offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities, including construction, gardening, social media and website maintenance, as well as various tasks related to the kitchen, and much more.

If you are interested in joining us in this ecological adventure or would like more information, please feel free to contact us. We are always seeking passionate individuals who share our vision and want to contribute to our project in La Palma.

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Values & Vision

• Serenity stands for heavenly, vegan food. We try to use mostly produce from our own garden to be sure of the quality and origin of our food, but also to optimize our environmental footprint.
• Serenity is about learning and growing. Join us and learn how we build things with the resources of our environment. You’ll also learn how to run a permaculture garden that produces food in harmony with nature.
• Serenity is an experimental field. We believe in a just world beyond this capitalist reality. That’s why we are willing to be paid for our products and services in ways other than money, for example by you working for us or offering an appropriate barter item.
• Serenity is grounding and connectedness. On Serenity, we live a simple life in harmony with all living beings and in cooperation with nature. Participating in our project brings you back in touch with the earth, nature and yourself.
• Serenity is an open space. It is our home. Here we live, work, experiment, learn, heal and evolve without the influence of discrimination. We respect people of all backgrounds, religions, genders, sexual orientations and are responsive to individual needs. We create a space where everyone feels free to express and celebrate needs.

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Permaculture

Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labour; of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system.

Bill Mollison

We run our garden according to the principles of permaculture. The term permaculture (short for “permanent (agri)culture”) was coined in the 1970s by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. Since then, permaculture has become increasingly popular with projects in every country in the world.

These three fundamental principles highlight that permaculture extends beyond the realm of agriculture. As a holistic system, permaculture principles and principles should be seamlessly integrated into all aspects of life, including social dynamics and various facets of daily living.

Permaculture strives to establish and maintain a comprehensive, interconnected, and multifunctional ecosystem that mirrors the intricate workings of nature. It places a strong emphasis on the efficient utilization of existing resources while simultaneously minimizing consumption and energy expenditure wherever feasible.

Permaculture, as a concept, represents an intricate and multifaceted process composed of various interlocking components and pathways. Concrete manifestations of permaculture principles can be observed in initiatives such as the development of our thriving food forest, the implementation of diverse composting systems like our efficient worm farm and compost toilets, and the harnessing of solar energy. Our utilization of solar energy extends beyond electricity generation and encompasses applications for heating water and preparing food, further underscoring our commitment to sustainability and eco-conscious living.

Please note that we are not a permaculture school, nor do we offer classes. Nevertheless, we are a good place to get an insight into permaculture processes and tools. If you are interested in permaculture, you can intern with us or volunteer for a few weeks. You are also welcome to adopt a tree and participate in the development of our garden in this way.

You can find more information about permaculture at David Holmgren or at the Permaculture Research Institute.

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