Former Tate Modern director Vicente Todolí has transformed his family farm in Palmera, Spain, into a sanctuary for rare citrus varieties. The Todolí Citrus Fundació, a not-for-profit farm, now hosts over 500 types of citrus, including bizarre specimens like an octopus-shaped lemon and a wart-covered citron the size of a newborn baby. Todolí, a fifth-generation orange farmer, started the project in response to a 2010 development plan that threatened to replace local orange groves with real estate.
Having lost an official battle against the development, Todolí began buying plots of land, eventually acquiring around 4.5 hectares to create an 'impenetrable fortress' of farmland. The inspiration for the citrus collection came from a visit to a garden in Perpignan, France, with former El Bulli chef Ferran Adrià, who challenged Todolí to create a similar project in his native Valencia region.
The farm benefits from a unique microclimate, just 3km from the sea and backed by mountains. Warm, humid air from the Mediterranean drops rain on the mountains, which trickles down to Palmera, enriching the soil with organic matter. Todolí explains that the crisp mornings and warm afternoons create the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness in the fruit, making the area ideal for citrus cultivation.
Visitors can tour the farm from November to April, with tickets costing €15 for adults and €10 for children. The tours offer a chance to taste rare fruits, such as the phototoxic bergamot, which can cause skin burns if exposed to UV light, and finger limes that burst like lime-flavoured caviar. Todolí's mission is not only to preserve these varieties but also to compile a catalogue of farming knowledge for future generations.
