THE HOUSES
Moving away from the city and unrest in the world, Quinta da Ribeira da Heather is at your disposal since February 2008, located north of the island of Pico, county of San Roque, instead of Prainha de Cima, venue for many tourists to spend vacation.
Inserted into the countryside, surrounded by a small population dedicated to the agro-livestock, you can observe and experience the manual milking of cows, savour the fresh milk and cheese for breakfast, to a typical dish, or bathe in March Swimming pool, fishing, diving, walking on foot or by bicycle, go to the restaurant, the Osmond came to visit the World Heritage and neighbouring islands of Faial and Sao Jorge.
The unit comes to the rescue of 3 manor houses in plain site with private parking and plenty of space where you can enjoy relaxing environment in the Azorean landscape, read a book, or simply get sun admiring the see, the flight of the Açor (Bateau) and listen to birds.
HISTORY
The Quinta da Ribeira da Urze results from the rehabilitation of two houses and one atafona.
The Casa da Ribeira and Casa da Avó were built in the years of 1860 and belonged to two different families, the Terras and the Pereiras. Ana Maria Joaquina Terra had a daughter named Maria Joaquina Leal who married Sefarim José Leal, great-grandparents of Salomé Leal.
At Casa da Ribeira and Casa da Avó, the upper deck was located living and bedrooms. The kitchen with wood-fired oven was used for cooking many bread and cake of maize, basic food in the diet of people goes for the fields at dawn and returned at the end of the day to address the crops and animals. The defendants from the ground was used to save the agricultural as the plow, the caliveira, the enchadas, baskets and even the products that resulted in harvests that were the livelihoods of households and food such as maize, wheat, potatoes, onions, garlic, beans. In the Casa da Ribeira José Pires Pereira was also wine.
The Casa da Atafona result of the recovery of the former atafona of Casa da Avó, used to store the animals and grinding the corn with the millstone of stone, moved by the strength of cows. In the upper deck kept themselves to the wheat straw, bark and leaves of maize for animal feed. Among the straw conserved apples and between the grains of corn kept up the cheese and eggs.
Beside the Atafona, remained the former curral the goat which was near the river behind the atafona. No where is located the barbecue located to the curral of pork. The hens were part of domestic animals, which is the chicken coop next to the orange in the garden behind the Atafona.
The bridge of access to Quinta da Ribeira da Urze was built in 1910 to serve the Father Ignatius who lived to Grandmother's house, since so far the move was made across the Ribeira da Urze.
Leave since 1950 due to emigration to the United States of family Manuel Pires de Oliveira, came the opportunity to purchase the space to the daughter Maria Fernanda Almeida. The operation of reclassification began in 2004, preserving some currais and traces of the original houses, and created the conditions essential to the comfort and well being of guest.
This project ended in 2008 led to the Quinta da Ribeira da Urze, designation that results from its location and name of the river bridge that crosses centuries regional heritage.
(Completed on Feb 11 2008 by Maria Fernanda Almeida and sent to Salomé)