Alhama de Granada. The farm sits at an altitude of 1000m and is a productive working farm of 5,500 olive trees, and 850 almond trees. 

The farm produces the highest quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Laboratory oil analysis results are available. There is an opportunity to bottle and market your own oil.

Three tracks access the farm, but the main access to the cortijo is via a 1.6Km track which is accessible in all weathers.  The tracks are owned by, and are the responsibility of, the local Municipality of Santa Cruz del Comercio. 

The cortijo is southwest facing and enjoys breath-taking views over the town of Alhama de Granada, towards the Sierras Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama.  The area is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.   

Granada International airport is 30 minutes away.  The city of Granada with all its amenities and entertainments is 40 minutes away. 

THE CORTIJO 

The 520 m2 house was built in 1886 and completely renovated in 2007, and it has all the original Arabic roof tiles. 

THE ACCOMMODATION

On the ground floor: 

A double height entrance hall. 

A large kitchen with Belling Sandringham cooking range, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a wine cooler, and white goods. 

A utility room with white goods and the heating machinery. 

A light and spacious corridor on 3 descending levels. 

A dining room. 

A large 26 m² Reception room with 2 French windows and an open fireplace. 

3 further reception rooms, one of which is currently used as an office, and one as a storeroom.  Another has a wood burner stove. 

A toilet. 

A coat closet. 

The staircase leads to the upper floor, which comprises: 

A library area overlooking the entrance hall. 

A 54 m² Master bedroom with fitted wardrobes, an en suite bathroom, and a covered balcony. 

3 further double bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms and fitted wardrobes, 1 with a Juliet balcony. 

A single bedroom. 

A linen closet. 

The house could be available part furnished if required. 

OFF GRID 

The house is extremely well insulated with double glazing throughout.  Thick walls guarantee that the house is warm in winter and cool in the summer. 

The lower floor has under floor central heating for the most part, and with radiators in two rooms.  The upper floor has radiators throughout.  At present, heating is provided via an olive pit burner.  The main burner is made by Ferroli.  Due to the present high cost of domestic heating oil, we have replaced the Ferroli cartridge with a wood burning pellet device that can use A1 graded wood pellets, biomass pellets, or olive pits (hueso).  This secondary multi-user cartridge is made by Pellasx in Poland and has won numerous international awards.  Currently, we are using hueso because we produce it for ourselves.  The cooperative make a small charge for drying the hueso after the olive oil has been extracted. 

We estimate the cost of winter heating is currently 70 euros a month.  The Pellasx cartridge burner is more than capable of heating the whole house at this cost, even in the coldest weather. 

There is also an open fireplace in the sitting room and a wood burner in the snug.  Every year the olive and almond tree prune produces over 10 tons of firewood logs.  This could be sold locally.

SELF SUFFICIENT

If the price of oil decreases, there is always the option to return to using domestic heating oil.  There is an external 2000 litre fuel oil tank in the generator shed. 

There is an excellent internet connection via wifi throughout the whole house.  2 routers ensure wifi coverage throughout the house and garden.  Working from home couldn’t be easier.  Starlink internet is available locally.  There is also a 1.2 metre satellite dish behind the house.

A 6 kilowatt electric supply is provided by a solar panel system and stored in a high-capacity battery bank.  The electrical system, batteries, 2000 litre fuel tank, industrial compressor, and a 16kva diesel generator are situated in a separate shed.  The generator provides emergency backup for electricity.

Water is obtained from a rainwater collection system or tanker deliveries during very dry periods, and is stored in a 30,000 litre water tank.  Before entering the house, it is fully filtered and subject to UV disinfection, and passes through a water softening system. 

THE LAND 

The farmland comprises 20 hectares of old (100+ years) and new (20+ years) olive trees – 5,500 Picual, Picudo, and Hojiblanca varieties.  The Picual and Picudo are also in demand from olive oil blenders.  They are hard to grow and few farms in this area have them.

3 hectares of almond trees of mixed varieties.   

Furthermore the farm is in receipt of an annual EU subsidy.  Near the house is a 100 m2 tractor shed with its own electric generator, as well as a water collection system, and a water depository of 15,000 litres.  

New Holland tracked tractor, an expandable olive trailer, a 1.4 m3 general purpose trailer.  At harvest time, daily olive delivery to the local Cooperative (Los Tajos) uses a Land Rover Defender 110 with a purpose-built hydraulic tipping trailer with a 3500 kg capacity.  Also, a 1500 litre sprayer, a plough, a rastra (harrow), a stone rake for the tractor, a towed mulching machine for shredding prunings, an almond husking machine, a fertiliser spreader, and all equipment and tools needed for harvesting the olives and almonds.  All included in the sale of the property. 

THE SURROUNDING AREA

In this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty there are many opportunities for leisure activities such as walking, riding, cycling, additionally star-gazing at a local Observatory.  There are several archaeological digs in the area, including a large Roman villa excavation.  The beaches of the Costa Tropical are an hour away, and you could be skiing on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada and sunbathing on the beach on the same day.

There is a sizeable population of expatriates from many different countries, all of whom have integrated with the local community.

The nearest village to the farm is SANTA CRUZ DEL COMERCIO (1.8kms via a track) with a population of less than 600.  Here you will find a small fruit and vegetable market in the Town Hall building, a small supermarket, bars, various workshops, a Medical Centre, a bank with an ATM, a Pharmacy, a Church, a Nursery and a Primary school.  There are two swimming pools at the top of the village.  Fiestas and other events mostly take place in the summer months.  The weekly market is on Wednesdays.

ALHAMA DE GRANADA (10kms)

Alhama de Granada is a pretty, ancient and historic, spa town located approximately 50 kilometres from Granada, and built along the cliffs of a deep gorge.  There are medicinal thermal springs at the Balneario Spa, offering a wide range of therapeutic treatments, including respiratory, rheumatological, and physiotherapy.  In the town you will find numerous bars, restaurants, hostelries, small supermarkets and a variety of shops, chemists, several banks, a post office, churches, Local Government Offices, dentists, vets, a petrol station, a Medical Centre, and a Police Station.  There is a sports centre and a swimming pool.  There is a bodega selling locally produced, award-winning wines, and a local cheese maker.  Regular festivals, fiestas, musical events, art exhibitions, and other events, take place throughout the year.  The weekly market is on Fridays. 

Finally, if you would like to arrange to view the property please contact info@dudley-estates.com or http://www.facebook.com/DudleyEstates