Meet the Team
Get to know the dedicated hands, paws, and hearts behind the work that goes into running our Farm.
João Mendonça
Head Farmer, 3rd Generation Steward
Since his earliest memories, he knew farming was his path, learning valuable lessons from the challenges it brought. Inspired by the wisdom of his grandparents, he applied their teachings on reading animal behavior and the weather.
He fondly remembers milking cows by hand in the pasture and getting there on horseback. Today, he's proud of transitioning the farm to a regenerative model, seeing the land thrive with more earthworms, better rain absorption, and the return of wildlife.
He never imagined he would be doing his life’s work alongside his wife, who fully aligns with and loves their mission for the farm. Together, their goal is to create a peaceful place for visitors, promoting sustainable farming while continuing to care for the land his family has tended for generations.
Gena Pinheiro
Raw Milk Educator & Experience Designer
The Azores were in Gena’s long-term vision early on—a place to return to, to root into, and to live and work in alignment with her values. What she hadn’t foreseen was that this dream would take shape on a dairy farm.
Born in California to Azorean parents, Gena holds a background in Development Studies from UC Berkeley and is a certified holistic health coach and women’s circle facilitator. Her passion for sustainability, food systems, and well-being guides much of what happens on the farm.
She’s the force behind the farm’s regenerative transition, certified raw milk program, and immersive guest experiences—from cow milking and cheese making to gut health workshops and women’s circles. Bridging land and wellness, Gena weaves education, ancestral practices, and heartfelt hospitality into every part of the farm.
When she’s not guiding tours or moving cows from pasture to pasture, you’ll likely find her dreaming up new ways to connect people with real food, real farming, and themselves.
Érico Cabral
Farmhand
Érico, a young man from São Miguel, comes from a family of farmers and has a natural passion for working the land. He grew up surrounded by animals, excelling in the care of cows, especially in milking and operating the tractor.
He dreams of one day opening his own livestock farm, but for now, he is dedicated to Âmago Wellness Farm, where he admires the vision of João and Gena, who welcomed him and taught him about sustainable agriculture.
Beyond his work, he has a special bond with the dog Lola and the cow Primavera—the cow best known for her enthusiastic licking, especially adored by farm tour guests.
Lolita (Lola)
Loyal Cattle Dog
Lolita is João’s four-legged farmhand and faithful shadow, deeply attuned to the rhythms of the farm. Born here in 2015, she’s a Fila de São Miguel—a working breed native to the island—and the proud pup of João’s parents’ dogs.
As a puppy, João often found her with damp ears each morning. The mystery was solved when he discovered her curled up in the manger, where the calves had been trying to nurse from her—proof she was part of the herd from the very start.
João trained her himself, and she now handles the herd with practiced ease, needing little more than his voice—or the sound of the truck horn—to know what to do. She’s loyal to him above all, though our farmhand, Érico, has earned a soft spot in her heart too.
