What is Dona Horta?
Dona Horta delivers exceptional quality fruit and vegetable baskets directly from producers. It’s a service that works closely with farmers to prepare different baskets each week, featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables. The idea is simple but brilliant: fresh, tasty, and seasonal produce, delivered straight to your doorstep. Each basket is thoughtfully filled with fruits, vegetables, and herbs of the season, designed to provide ingredients for soups, salads, and good meals. It’s all about freshness, flavor, and supporting local agriculture.
Main Benefits of Dona Horta Baskets
Here’s a quick snapshot of what makes Dona Horta stand out:
- Two basket sizes available: Medium (€8) with 6 to 8 varieties for 1-2 people, and Large (€10) with 8 to 10 varieties for 3-4 people.
- Option to add extra products like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and herbs to your order.
- Only seasonal fruits and vegetables included, with weekly changes to keep things fresh and exciting.
- Harvesting and preparation happen up to 24 hours before delivery to ensure maximum freshness and nutrient retention.
- 100% national produce—no imported goods, no middlemen, just direct-from-farmer quality.
- Delivery areas include Alcobaça, Batalha, Leiria, and Marinha Grande, with specific delivery days for each location.
- Minimum order value of €22 (excluding delivery fee), with a delivery fee of €3.75 (VAT included).
How the Baskets Are Composed
The composition of Dona Horta baskets is all about seasonality and variety. Each week, the basket changes to reflect what’s fresh and ripe at the moment. This means customers get a diverse selection of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are perfect for making wholesome meals. The baskets are designed to inspire cooking—whether it’s a hearty soup, a fresh salad, or a delicious dinner. Plus, the option to add extra quantities or specific products means you can customize your basket to fit your needs.
Freshness and Quality Assurance
One of the standout features of Dona Horta is the commitment to freshness. Harvesting and preparation are done up to 24 hours before delivery, ensuring that the products maintain their flavor, freshness, and essential nutrients. This quick turnaround from farm to table means that customers enjoy produce that tastes like it just came out of the garden. And because Dona Horta works directly with farmers, there’s full transparency about how the plants are cultivated—no hidden chemicals, no unnecessary treatments, just natural goodness.
Sustainability and Traditional Practices
Dona Horta values sustainable production practices and traditional varieties, which means the vegetables carry the aromas and flavors of the past. This approach not only supports biodiversity but also helps preserve farming traditions that might otherwise be lost. By avoiding imported products and intermediaries, Dona Horta ensures that the entire process is as eco-friendly and transparent as possible. It’s a win for the environment, the farmers, and the customers who get to enjoy authentic, flavorful produce.
Project Impact and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger – by providing access to fresh, nutritious food.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – through sustainable farming and reducing food miles.
- SDG 13: Climate Action – by supporting local agriculture and minimizing carbon footprint.
- SDG 15: Life on Land – by promoting biodiversity and traditional farming practices.
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – by working directly with producers and supporting local economies.
Delivery and Ordering Details
Deliveries are made on specific days in different locations: Alcobaça on Fridays, Batalha on Wednesdays, Leiria on Tuesdays, and Marinha Grande on Thursdays. Home deliveries require a minimum order value of €22, plus a delivery fee of €3.75. If someone lives outside these areas, Dona Horta encourages coordinating with family, neighbors, or colleagues to gather a minimum number of baskets for a new delivery location. To start receiving the baskets, customers simply fill out a registration form. And if there are any questions, the FAQ page is there to help with all the details about the service.
