Help at a rural place in Portugal

Description

#### Sorry but we are not taking anyone for the moment, due to family illness###

We are Rik & Pat and came out to Portugal almost 4 years ago now, to live a better, healthier more peaceful life, we try to live carefully on the land, we grow all our own veggies, wine, and olives. We like to live as simply as possible, no tv, nor internet at home, but we do also have a good social life with real community spirit. We socialise the Portuguese way, over a good home cooked meal, with good friends and a happy atmosphere.

Area

Figueiro Dos Vinhos

Type of work

Language practise,
Help in the house,
Help with Eco project,
General Maintenance,
Cooking / shopping,
Building,
Gardening

Work

We are Patricia & Rik, both English speaking living in Portugal for 4 years now, with a working holding, growing all our veggies, olives and grapes. Plus a newly planted orchard,with hopes to plant a nut tree area soon, we need help to get our land under control, strimming, clearing, log splitting, weeding and planting , pruning, most general tasks about the place.We also have some building projects that we need help with . We are especially looking for a carpenter or joiner who could make us some window frames and shutters. As our lovely old house is still in need of much love and attention, so someone who is good with wood , would be a great bonus. Also someone to help with the preserving of our surplus veg and maybe help with olive picking and grape hervesting later in the year.
we provide 3 good meals a day, all organic homegrown, homecooked produce, mainly vegetarian but we do eat a little white meat sometimes. I'd love someone to swap recipes and share the cooking with, so we can all benefit from different types of food. I am working on a new medicinal herb garden at the moment and help with that and anyone with knowledge of remedies would be interesting.
### Urgently Looking for helpers(due to cancelation) for August/ Sept onwards for help with our winter log supply,picking produce, chutney making, land work, plus help for olive picking in late Oct through November we also hope to start work on clearing the land where we hope to plant the nut trees. ###

Languages spoken

English and basic Portuguese

Accommodation

Accomodation is a very nice 2 berth caravan, with shower and loo ect, also at times you could be accomodated in our holiday cottage if there are no guests, we provide 3 good meals a day, all organic homegrown, homecooked produce, mainly vegetarian but we do eat a little white meat sometimes. I'd love someone to swap recipes and share the cooking with, so we can all benefit from different types of food. I am working on a new medicinal herb garden at the moment and help with that and anyone with knowledge of remedies would be interesting. You must love dogs, we have two. This is not a place for those who want nightlife, the nearest town is 5klm and while very lovely, its also very quiet, this is a gorgeous location, on the edge of a forest, superb for walking, hiking, relaxing with a book or just exploring... There are fluvial beaches nearby, plus many cultural and tourist places to visit .We are almost exactly Central Portugal, Porto or Lisbon is 2 hours away, we reccomend you fly to Lisbon and then train to Pombal where we will collect you.

What else ...

The local town has all the amenities you would ask from a small rural market town, a indoor swimming pool, a cinema, free internet space, library, a excellent local market and lots of good places to eat and drink very cheaply...

Feedback left about host

(Excellent)

Natalie [Jul 03, 2010]:

-> Help at a rural place in Portugal

**PARADISE**

I really really recommend this place! Pat, Rik and gorgeous blondie Bonnie the dog are wonderful hosts - you'll have a unforgettable experience in the peaceful, green Portuguese interior!

Their home and property are at the head of a stunningly beautiful valley, (the sun sets over the valley and the stars come up... dreamy!)

The work is varied, exciting and rewarding - the food is FANTASTIC, using organic food straight from their land.

I felt like Pat and Rik's world was mine as well for a while - with all the priorities the right way around! Living the simple life - I learnt so much from Pat and Rik and the locals around about life in rural Portugal.

Thanks so much - obrigada - see you again some day- for the olive harvest perhaps!!

Ana P

(Excellent)

Natasha [Jun 04, 2010]:

-> Help at a rural place in Portugal

We had such a good time with Pat and Rik. They live in a rural and quite traditional area which is really beautiful. They were great hosts, looked after us really well, took us out with them and showed us their part of Portugal. The work was varied and never boring and Pat's cooking was amazing too! It's quite a quiet area so if you're looking for nightlife and parties this isn't the place, but if you're looking for a taste of real Portugal it'll suit you. Thanks so much PAt and Rik, we'll be back one day hopefully! Tash and Pip

Feedback left by host

(Excellent)

host profile [Jun 25, 2010]:

-> Natalie

Ana has been with us two weeks, and we wish she could stay forever! She is a lovely outgoing happy girl who has worked hard and joined in our life with enthusiasm. Her work in getting my overgrown veggie plot under control has been astounding, and I cannot praise her highly enough. She works on her own inititive, with care and a good understanding of what she is doing, cheerful, hardworking and fun. Excellent! Thanks Ana, come back whenever you like...
Pat & Rik

(Excellent)

host profile [May 31, 2010]:

-> Natasha

Natasha & her friend Phillipa have been with us ten days and have been lovely, hardworking, fun and happy girls. They did everything we asked of them and more, from weeding the veggies to washing dishes, collecting herbs, and trimming vines.
I'd reccomend them as workawayers anytime. Thanks girls and all the best for the future..
Pat n Rik

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