Regenerating degraded land in the beautiful Alentejo, Portugal

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are a family of six building an off-grid homestead for some years now and trying to apply permaculture principles. We focus on regenerative land management with tree planting/protection and intensive rotational grazing running sheeps, goats and chickens in order to build soil. Right now we have nine sheep, 21 goats, 100+ chickens and a dog. Workawayers help with daily chores on the land and with the animals (milking, feeding, collecting eggs, rotating animals, weeding, making biochar, cutting, planting), do building projects (chicken tractors, sheds, furniture - mostly with wood), tutor/do languages with our homeschooled children (11/9/7), look after our 2 year old or help in the kitchen (cooking, baking or making joghurt, cheese and ice cream). We have three dammed lakes on our property - one of them is for swimming and normally has water until the end of summer. The kids have several trampolins, which they love to share :). We enjoy playing card and board games on rainy days. We don't have a house yet, but we live in a caravan and some nicely refurbished containers. Hence accomodation is in a spacious tent or in your own vehicle if you travel with a campervan or caravan. We have running water, electricity (may be limited in the winter and during nighttime), internet, hot showers and compost toilets. If you want to see a busy family homestead in the vastness of the Alentejo and enjoy being around animals and children, you will like our place. Families with children are very welcome - preferably with your own vehicle, so that we are able to go places together ;)

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Teaching
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We have travelled quite a bit, speak several languages and are interested in history, geography and regenerative agriculture. We'll always find something interesting to talk about ;-) At our place you can learn how to make cheese, ice cream and joghurt as well as biochar. You can learn how to bake sour dough bread, how to slaughter chickens, make beef jerkey, tallow and ghee. Furthermore you can improve and share your building skills and see how we apply permaculture principles to regenerate degraded land mainly by working with animals and establishing a silvopasture system.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    No special skills necessary, we also learned everything from scratch ;-b

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    German: Fluent
    English: Fluent
    French: Fluent
    Portuguese: Fluent
    Spanish: Beginner
    Dutch: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    We love to have people on the land for our children to improve their English.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Fully equipped tent with mattress (for one or two people) or your own campervan/caravan (especially if two or more people)
    Meals are with the family (if single or couple living with the family) or on your own (when coming by campervan/caravan with a family for example). We can't cater vegans at all - eggs and other animal based products are a staple at our farm. We eat a lot of milk, joghurt and cheese, as we produce it ourselves. We do eat some fruit - mostly seasonal and our own, rarely something exotic. We are not eating a lot of grain, starches or vegetables, so even if you're "only" vegetarian, it won't be easy for you here, if you're not self-catered ;-)

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    The beaches of the Westcoast are within 50 minutes and the Algarve is about 1h. We go there about once a week. It is very quiet an peaceful where we live. You can enjoy nature, watch the stars at night or go for a walk or cycling. There are some montainbike tracks passing our property. The nearest town, Ourique, is 7km away and has all the infrastructure needed (cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, shops, library, post office,...). We go there about three times a week. It is connected to the portuguese bus network (Rede Expressos) and we can pick you up there. The next train station is Funcheira, which has connections to Lisbon and Faro. This is also where the the closest airports are.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Unlimited space available. You can stay close to the farm or 300m away at the lakes, where we have a solar shower and a compost toilet.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    Dogs, cats - if not hunting chickens ;-) Please let us know if you plan to bring an animal.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    About 4h day / 5 days a week, less if self catered/self contained (families with a van, for example)

Host ref number: 754899255898

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