Clementina Barajas is originally from Boyacá, but her story of transformation and resilience unfolds in Guasca, Cundinamarca, where she and her family have built Granja San Luis — a true sanctuary of biodiversity and regenerative agriculture.

The farm now produces more than 150 varieties of vegetables, fruits, aromatic, medicinal, and seasoning plants. It also raises chickens, turkeys, ducks, hens, and has cows, rabbits, trout, and even more than 20 beehives that help pollinate the nearby forests. It’s a living, ever-balanced ecosystem.

The story began when her husband bought the farm, which was nothing more than barren land, stripped of vegetation due to logging for firewood. There was no topsoil, only straw and dead earth. Their transformation began from a profound need: her husband’s father was diagnosed with cancer — something Clementina linked to poor nutrition and the heavy use of chemicals in conventional potato, wheat, and barley crops.

This experience made them rethink everything. They decided to train, study, and seek agroecological methods to bring life back to the soil. They began working with ashes, forest mulch, and mountain litter, rediscovering forgotten traditional techniques. They learned that organic farming is more than avoiding chemicals — it’s about regenerating soil biodiversity with the help of worms, beetles, and microorganisms.

Granja San Luis became an agroecological farm producing fresh food weekly because, as Clementina says, “people eat every day.” The farm not only feeds her family but also neighbors and many others seeking healthier food. In fact, some customers arrived looking to improve their health after being diagnosed with diseases like cancer. The Gerson Therapy, based on a strictly organic diet, led them to Clementina Orgánicos, where they found the products they needed to heal. Alan Frumanski, one such customer, recovered thanks to these foods and a change in lifestyle.

The farm is also a learning center. Agroecology engineers from various universities come to do their internships, and Clementina has become a life and land teacher, showing how to regenerate soil and produce sustainably.

Moreover, Clementina advocates for the role of women in agriculture. In Colombia, only 3 out of 10 landowners are women, and less than 1% of farms over 200 hectares are led by them. Clementina believes it’s crucial to train women, especially single mothers, to lead agricultural projects and challenge the perception that women only raise children and cook. “Women can be producers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in their communities,” she asserts with conviction.

Today, Granja San Luis is more than just a farm: it’s a family and community enterprise where everyone contributes. It’s a living model of regenerative production that proves it’s possible to grow healthy food, care for the earth, and ensure food security for many families.

Clementina and her family’s dream doesn’t stop in Guasca. They are convinced that growing your own food, organically and responsibly, is the path to a healthier life and a more vibrant planet. The earth and the woman mother, as she says, share a powerful connection that can transform entire communities.

Clementina Barajas is much more than a farmer: she’s a leader, a teacher, and an inspiration to those who believe that another way of farming and living is possible.