In this article, we’ll be looking at what kinds of scrumptious produce you can find on the island – some of it organic - and when and where you can buy and find it. Given its mild Mediterranean climate, there’s a very wide variety of locally grown produce available on Ibiza year-round.
It ranges from fruit and vegetables to honey, olive oil, aromatic herbs, wines and cheeses. All this is great news for residents and holidaymakers keen to eat as healthily as possible while knowing they are contributing directly to the local economy.
Fortunately, wherever you are on the island, there’s now a local producer or supplier nearby. Sourcing delicious, fresh Zero Miles produce for your pantry has never been easier and – in doing so – you’re giving vital support to your local farmer. More good news is that restaurants on Ibiza increasingly offer Zero Miles produce – frequently ecological - on their menus. A great example of the latter is the Farmers’ Market Brunch Experience served up at the Six Senses Ibiza Resort & Spa in Portinatx.
Moreover, thanks to the boom in organic farming, you can now find ecological produce at local farms (Ibizapreservation.org has recently published a very useful map where you can see their location), roadside shops, farmers’ markets, select supermarkets and large-scale agricultural cooperatives.
The island’s foremost organic, free-range farm is Can Muson, just outside Santa Eulalia. It produces a fantastic range of 100% organic fruits and vegetables as well as lots of delicious homemade products such as cheeses, bread and preserves. On top of that, it’s a great place to take the kids to learn about ecological farming, native flora and fauna, and meet the animals thanks to its farm school and many educational workshops.
Another integral part of the organic farming scene on Ibiza is EcoFeixes, a cooperative of 14 small organic farms whose aim is to make local organic produce available and accessible to all. Based in the neighbourhood of Blanca Dona, just outside Ibiza Town, it’s Ibiza’s first organic cooperative, offering eggs, olive oil, aromatic herbs, fruit and vegetables. Organic vegetable boxes with produce from its farms are available weekly with prices starting from €10 per box.
For those of you who love a bit of foraging, you can’t beat picking your own, which makes those forays into Ibiza’s gorgeous countryside even more tempting - all you need to know is what kinds of produce to look out for and when. As you wander along the island’s rural paths, you’ll encounter everything from almonds, apricots, asparagus, figs, grapes and oranges to more exotic fruits such as pomegranates, Japanese loquat (known as nispero), persimmon (referred to here as caqui) and quince (membrillo).
Asparagus and citrus fruits are found during the winter months. Japanese loquat matures in the springtime, figs – of which there are two varieties, green and black – ripen from early to late summer, and almonds in late summer. Meanwhile, the brightly coloured trio of persimmon, pomegranates and quince can be plucked in the autumn.
Being an island, we could hardly overlook the role played by fishing in providing its nutritional needs. After all, whether long-time resident or weekend holidaymaker, who hasn’t experienced the pleasure of eating delicious, freshly caught fish or a tasty paella at some point? And that’s where Peix Nostrum steps into the picture.
Founded in 2008, this local trademark brought together the island’s fishing guilds under one umbrella organisation. The admirable aim of Peix Nostrum is to ensure that the fish caught are genuinely local, fresh, hygienically handled and sustainably fished. Its marine produce is available at shops and supermarkets across Ibiza and many restaurants. All you have to do is look out for the Peix Nostrum stamp when you are shopping for fish or eating out.
What’s more, this dynamic association also recently established the first network of fisherwomen in the Balearic Islands, on top of which they run educational workshops, visits and the annual “Sea Week” event.
As well as organic food producers, Ibiza also has a number of vineyards and distillers. When it comes to wine, Can Rich – near San Antonio – proudly affirms its commitment to ecological winemaking thanks to its unique set of organic farming techniques. The optimal soil in the tiny village of San Mateo, in the north of Ibiza, makes it home to many wine producers: Can Maymo and Ibizkus Ibiza are two of the biggest. You can visit and attend tastings at all three of these major vineyards by appointment.
If you’re looking for something a little stronger, the island’s leading purveyor of liquors – its legendary tipple Hierbas Ibicencas is a favourite with liquor lovers worldwide - Mari Mayans, insists on using only local-sourced (secret) ingredients and traditional artisanal techniques. Similarly, Herbes Can Vidal in San Juan – a family firm dating back almost a century - makes liquors the traditional, handmade way using aromatic herbs and plants from their own orchard.
Lastly, in a sign of the rapidly increasing demand for environmentally-aware companies, eco-friendly businesses now abound on Ibiza – our page dedicated to them gives a great overview.
Equally, if you’re interested in finding out what “green” activities are going on, visit our Events Calendar and simply search for “eco-friendly” events using the filter on the top left of the page.
