Join me on my off-grid homestead in Sabugal, Portugal

Infos

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  Description

  About me:
  Hello! My name is Carlos, I'm 46 and I'm portuguese. I grew up in a city close to Lisbon, went to college in Lisbon to study computer sciences and I started to work as a programmer. 6 years later I started to feel meaningless and took a leave of absence. I did volunteer work in organic farms in Sweden and France and went to Thailand to teach English in a public school in a small village. I came back to give a second chance to my job but after 3 years I decided to quit for good. Already with some land in the countryside of Portugal I started a journey in Portugal for one year to know about eco-farming and permaculture. It was hard to settle down in my primitive place so I went back to Thailand to the same school wishing to help those children in their English and football skills for one year.
  
  After that, I came to establish and develop the land. I planted some trees, made some vegetable patches, produced cider, wine, olive oil, jams, I dried figs, tomatos and apples, etc.. The year after I did it all better with the help of nice volunteers and then with covid everything slowed down a bit. The feeling of loneliness was something I couldn't ignore anymore. I've lived in the farm for more than 4 years, on my own. My family and friends are all in Lisbon region. The connections I made here are light and with volunteers are ephemeral. I might have reached the same conclusion as in Into the Wild: “Happiness [is] only real when shared.” So my plan for now is to spend more time near my hometown sharing agroforestry and woodwork tasks with my brother and coming here to keep sharing this non-profit project with volunteers or non volunteers. I'm a quiet person but I really enjoy to use my human qualities in a group.
  
  
  About the project:
  Having land to manage or just to protect was an early desire of mine. Self-sufficiency, healthier lifestyle, nearness of more natural and real environment are a few things that can be accomplished this way. I love trees and the main goal of this project is to increase life, diversity, soil fertility, weather resilience and to learn and teach how to exchange with nature in a beneficial way for both.
  
  2015: First tree planted.
  2016: First attempt to settle down.
  2018: Became a home. Permaculture ideas implemented.
  2019: First volunteers received. A fire burnt half of the land. Porch.
  2020: Ferrocement tank.
  2021: Chickens. Loft.
  2022: Bees. Sheep.
  2023: Rocky pathway. No watering field. Syntropic patches.
  2024: First Eco-building steps with clay plaster and limewash.
  
  For me, permaculture is the best answer for the problems humanity will face in this planet. There's still a lot to improve. And it's a great learning to go through all the processes. There are no economic pressures here. The produce of the farm is for self consumption only. Increasing diversity and keeping people happy are the most important things. I'm open for your ideas and creative skills. This is a great place to find peace and slow down.
  
  *I'm answering only to the people that takes time to read all the profile and shows interest in any of the
  seasonal projects.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Ferme

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Musique

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Jardinage

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Randonnée

  

  Sports nautiques

  

  Plage
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  This is a remote region in Portugal. The food is more authentic than in the urban centers and people keep some traditions expressed in events and fairs. I also buy products to the locals that can still make a good fresh goat cheese or grow their own fruit and vegetables. I can tell you about Portuguese culture, my travels, permaculture and other philosophical ideas. I'm curious to know about yours too.

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  Aide

  For me, permaculture is the best answer for the problems humanity will face in this planet. There's still a lot to improve. And it's a great learning to go through all the processes. There are no economic pressures here. The produce of the farm is for self consumption only. Increasing diversity and keeping people happy are the most important things. I'm open for your ideas and creative skills. This is a great place to find peace and slow down.
  
  There are six times per year to form a great team for annual tasks or improvements. The projects are previously prepared and the time of stay will be determined by the tasks themself.
  
  # February (2 weeks): To bottle wine. To prune trees. To graft trees. To sow potatoes and summer vegetables. Set the beehives for spring and summer.
  
  # May (11th-25th): Fires prevention clean. Tree mulching. Check watering systems for leaks. Weeding. Elderflower syrup. Vegetable garden care.
  
  # July/August (2 months): To water trees. Fruit harvest and processing: blackberries (jam, liquor, syrup); figs (jam or dehydrate); apples (dehydrate or juice); pears (dehydrate, jam or juice). Other creative projects.
  
  # September (1 week): Grapes harvest for wine and juice. Collect tree seeds to sow. Corn harvest.
  
  # October (2 weeks): Plant trees. Sow trees. Extend Syntropic lines. Fall mulching. Olives harvest to eat.
  
  # November/December (2 weeks): Olives harvest for oil.
  
  During the year other common tasks can happen in more than one period: Collect wood, check the bees, harvest honey, make deodorant or tooth paste, controlling brambles, turning compost and update the nursery pots.
  
  The dates will be updated closer to each project. If you already have some experience in the projects you want to join, great, but what I only expect from volunteers is interest in the tasks, willing to learn and being ok with the simple conditions.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Espagnol: Courant
  Portugais: Courant
  Français: Débutant
  Thai: Débutant

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  Hébergement

  My small shed has two matresses in the loft. I also have a tent outside where usually couples prefer to stay during the warm season.
  
  The electricity comes from solar panels (it might be limited in winter time) and the water from springs. We usually cook more with gas during summer and wood in winter. There's a compost toilet and a solar handmade heater. In the winter we heat the water with a wood stove and a warm bucket shower might happen sometimes. We prepare the meals together and enjoy to share dishes from whenever we are. It would also be nice if volunteers could bring more natural hygiene products since we don't have a normal sewage system. Once a week we go to a indoors swimming pool, so a swimming suit can be handy too.

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  Autres infos...

  The transports here are not good but I have a car. During the summer we go almost every day to some river beach or a beautiful lake in the afternoons where we swim or fish. Historical villages with stone houses and organic markets are also places I would like to take you. There are plenty of hiking routes around.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  The land isn't very flat but possible for small caravans. For bigger ones is better to park in the village (5 min away).

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  Cet hôte a dit qu’il acceptait les personnes voyageant avec un animal.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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