Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
7 Mar 2024
Reply rate
88.9 %
Usually responds within 8 days
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Details
Description
Hi! In the mountains of central Portugal, I live with my dog in a remote, south-facing, beautiful off-grid Quinta with several original rebuilt slate houses and barns.
I am in my early 60 and left 10 years ago a busy former world behind to live a sustainable life. Out of the city, back to nature, enjoying the land, fresh air and the wild life around. Deer, foxes, wild boar, birds and my bees are just a few of the animals who share their land with me. As there are no streetlights anywere around there are great starlit night skies!
One of my passions is taking care of the land, Mother Earth. I value and respect the peaceful tranquillity of the land and like to share this space with like minded people, who like to help out, and have a joyful and perhaps even a healing time!
Maybe it is important for you to know that the old cultivated land, the forrest of Oak/divers trees on the Quinta and the houses are untouched by the big fires in October 2017. For the last years cleaning the forrest and reforesting has been done and is still one of the main projects that is still going on. Planting new trees (re-afforestation) is happening mainly in wintertime when there is enough rain for the young trees to grow. I am replanting also from my own little tree nursery.
I am very lucky to live opposite a nature reserve with mostly native trees, which is very special in this country.
In springtime on the Quinta there are many wild flowers. Everywhere young Pines, Oaks, Chestnut, Cork Oaks, other native trees and bushes, like flowering heather, are coming back, Nature is very resilient :-).
I am part of a beautiful community, and there are activities organized, helping eachother out, connecting people.
Keywords; My lovely dog, Nature, Earth, Animals, Sustainability, Gardening, Reforesting, Trees, Eco system, Nature, Respect, Team work, Music, Meditation, Humor, Laughter, Buddhism, Connecting people, Open for new things/ideas, Singing, Dance, Philosophy, Reading, Photography, Positive thinking, Cooking, Healing Tao, Thich Nhat Hanh, Art, Community, Martial Arts, hiking.
Keywords property: Remote farm in nature, old agricultural terraces, mountains, silence, off-grid, sustainable, eco-farm, vegetable gardens, composting, grey water system, gardening, native forrest, forestry, beehives, little river, wildlife, birds, Healing land.
Just to let you know, I am not on facebook or any other social media. Hope you appreciate and respect this kind of privacy I have chosen consciously. I have WiFi (but sometimes limited because of my location).
Cooking and meal preparation will be shared amongst those confident in cooking :-).
Some DIY, painting and construction around the house has to be done in the season(s) depending necessity. Important to know, in the summer it can be very hot, it is important to be able to stand the heat.
NOTE:
- I would also welcome Couples who would like to help out, who can help independently and do maybe some housesitting, have a feeling of responsibility, have knowledge of working in vegatables gardens and life on the
countryside.
- Looking for experienced and responsible house sitters; to look after my dog, the vegatable gardens/land (Preferably own a 4x4 car with experience driving on sandy roads/tracks).
- My hosting place is not suitable for families or a pet of your own.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I offer a place to experience the alternative way of life. Learn about many ways of Off-Grid living. The beautiful land and Quinta feels very quiet and peaceful, it may give you more than you could think off. Meet other people who live in the same circumstances, other off-grid family's and artists. Be your true self (ore find it :-)), it is all possible here at the Quinta!
Help
I would like to have help with:
* Farm/house sitting (experienced people only)
* Carpentry
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Revitalising the land
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Preparation and maintenance of vegetable gardens
*️️️️️️️️️️ Reforesting / forest management
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Preparing firewood. (Chopping and splitting wood)
* Handy with machines would be helpful
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ General Maintenance help on buildings, like wood treatment, small repairs, cleaning etc..
*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ Maintenance of cultivated lands.
*️ Cooking : your input in cooking is very welcome!
* When necessary driving a 4x4 car
* …… And dog-whispering :-)
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
German: Intermediate
Portuguese: Intermediate
Accommodation
I have a beautiful little guesthouse with one double bed (140x200cm), shower, kitchen, compost toilet, wood burner, with a little terras.
In exchange of your help, I provide accomodation and vegetarian food. Or, if you like, you could also now and then could make your own food in the guesthouse.
What else ...
The nearest village is a 25 minutes walk through nature (10 minutes by car). It has a little hotel with café/restaurant/mini supermarket. The café/restaurant has free Wi-Fi. Once a day a bus is going to the nearest town(s).
I am part of a nice and inspiring alternative community in the nearby valleys with artists, craftsmen, therapists, musicians, farmers, writers etc. Twice e a month there is a eco market, and in 2 larger towns not so far away, a weekly big market is organised.
Events (music, art, dance, movie, workdays, workshops, etc.) are organised by the community.
There are walking tracks close to my Quinta and in the National Nature Forrest and beautiful villages nearby. Close to my village is a big waterfall, nice for walks or meditation. The mountains around offer lots of possibilities for picknicks, walks, and swimm.
From the nearby village it is another 20 minutes walk to the next village that has a nice Esplenada with a café and a river pool, or you could take the local bus to the nearest town, which leaves early morning and returns in the end of the afternoon.
A small city, 1h.15 drive away, is very beautiful to visit, has nice restaurants, bars, national music events and theatre.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (6)
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She has… read more
Thank you Paul and Harriët for all the sharing. It was an incredible time with you on your gorgeous piece of land.
It was more than we could hope for. The private house was perfect, cooking and eating with you were always high quality times and we miss badly the fresh vegetables from your garden..
We learned a lot, on all… read more
