Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
12 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 28 days
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Details
Description
Come and join us here in these stunning surroundings, learn, share, grow, relax, enjoy ☀️
We are a busy, buzzy family of 2 adult (48 and 46) , 3 children (17, 13 and 7), 1 dog, 2 cats, 3 sheep, and 12 chickens. (Our 17 year old has just moved to UK). We left the UK 6 1/2 years ago in our motorhome and after travelling for 1 year we found a beautiful spot in Central Portugal where we wanted to begin to create something new for ourselves. We moved onto the land here in August and enjoyed a scorching hot summer and an abundance of grapes, figs, peaches, walnuts, cherries, apples, pears and more. Then in October there was a huge fire in Central Portugal and our Quinta burned. We have remained here and watched it regrow over the last 6 years. We have come a long way in these 6 years. We have journeyed from van life to yurt life and now we are living in a fully functioning off grid house!
The land has also come a long way and now the olives, figs and peaches, pears, plums, walnuts, chestnuts, kiwis, passion fruits and apricots all bear fruits again! The bird song has increased year on year and the crickets, frogs and owls all create a symphony of song that sounds like we are in the jungle!
We have planted over 4,000 new trees in partnership with our beautiful friends and we have eaten very well from our veggie garden, filling the larder with courgette chutney!. We have listened as the sound of life gradually returns to the valley and now we have enjoyed sights like snakes eating frogs and beautiful swarms of white butterflies enjoying the wild flowers. It was hard to believe that life would come back like this after the fire, but nature prevails.
We have a lot of work to do here on the land, it's big land and we have big plans and as a busy working family, our time on the land is now limited. The boys go to public school. Tamzin teaches in an education project and teaches Yoga and Dance classes off Quinta. Justin works as a Carpenter off site as well as on, so our schedule is varied and changeable but always full.
The garden is a continuous project which needs lots of love, strimming, composting, weeding, preparing, planting and harvesting.
We have 3 sheep now and we need to do some fencing so that we can move them and ultimately we want to build a bigger animal shelter to house the new additions.
We have two small buildings that we want to finish, making floors, stone walls and putting in doors and windows. We have a pool but we need to finish the second pool so the water can circulate.
Last year we completed a natural building project in which we built a roundhouse for holiday rental, retreats and workshops and just had our first successful rental season. There is often work to do in maintaining this. also.
We would really love to get people here to help us and to share life with us.
As a family, we love to cook, eat, listen to and play music (not very well), dance and play games. We love to share food and stories with friends old and new and we savour our memories made while being workawayers ourselves. We would love to hear from people young and old, who love to work and play and who want to learn together and would like to share some time together here. We look forward to welcoming you to this beautiful little part of the world and to sharing ideas and space together.
Our land is between the villages of Pomares and Corgas. Pomares has one of the cleanest river beaches in this area with a cafe/bar, small village shop, tiny hardware store, post office, Saturday butchers, visiting veg van and daily bread van. There are many river beaches in this area and beautiful mountains. The towns of Oliveira do Hospital, Arganil and Tabua are all around 30 mins drive away and have weekly markets. The city of Coimbra is around 1 hour 15 mins drive. Porto airport is about 2 1/2 hours drive and Lisbon about 3 hours. The most straight forward way of travelling here is by car but there are other options. This area is quiet and remote, peaceful and gradually filling with nature again. It is a place to come and slow down. Nothing happens with any speed. The local community here are Portuguese, we are among very few estrangeiros in this village, however there is an International mix of people wider afield. There are regular estrangeiro markets in the villages of Coja and Benfeita and we are part of a nice size community of home educating families within the area.
We look forward to hearing from you.
With love, the family
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
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are an English speaking family who still feel new to living in Portugal. We are learning to speak Portuguese and we are learning about running a Quinta and live off grid. Every day there is so much to learn. Those who come to join us here will learn with us, from us or will teach us. Justin is experienced in Carpentry and Joinery and Tamzin practices and teaches dance and yoga. We try to live our lives in an open hearted way and welcome travellers from all cultures and walks of life to share the culture from which we came and that which we are now immersing ourselves in.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We need help from people who have building, carpentry skills, solar, plumbing, gardening and knowledge of permaculture, tree chopping, dry stone walling, Portuguese speaking, cooking for home as well as generally motivated, enthusiastic, interested lovely people who like children, dogs, and exercise.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Portuguese: Intermediate
Spanish: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
Accomodation will be in either a Caravan. Motorhome or tent.
What else ...
We would love to welcome people here to join us who are interested in helping out, getting stuck in to the work and family life but we also want them to enjoy their own time and space and make the most of the experience of being in this area. We have a family car and would be very happy to take people out with us when we are going places anyway. There are also local buses which you can catch to go as far as Lisbon or as near as the other mountain villages. There are beautiful walks and river beaches to enjoy. We have dipping pools and hammocks and plenty of space for contemplation. Tamzin is also so happy to share movement practices with anyone interested in that.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have loads of space for campervans. We have a 6 metre Hymer which manages the access no problem. We have a place where you can fill with water. We are an organic farm with vermicompost toilet so have no place for emptying chemical toilet.
Can possibly accept pets
Pets that don't chase other animals
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours where possible (max 25 hours/week)
Feedback (15)
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(5.0)
After a hot working day, we went swimming in the refreshing rivers.
Cooking, dancing, being in the garden, meeting people,… read more
We ate incredibly, laughed so much, and got… read more
If you're thinking of getting in touch, stop what you're doing right now and drop them a message.
You couldn't ask for a more wonderful family in a more wonderful setting. We spent two weeks in this delightful corner of Portugal and every aspect of the workaway was perfect. I… read more
Thank you Victoria xxx
I met this wonderful family over the last 3 weeks and I've spent some quality moments there. They are so inspiring and welcoming on their Quinta that you feel very comfortable to spend time with them (even for excursions to the superb rivers ect..!!)
They have make their… read more
We got so much done with their help and they were always doing extra things like washing up and putting in extra… read more
We stayed in the motorhome and Justin and Tamzin made always sure that we're happy and have everything we need.
In the first week we shared the work and community area with two other workawayers which was nice as well :) The main… read more
I stayed in the horsebox, there is a nice cozy bed and you have your… read more
They are such lovely people to be around !
It was nice to see the land change with the seasons and do different tasks. We've been pruning the olives and the vines, we've helped the to set the yurt (which unfortunately didn't bare the wind), we took care of the garden, planted… read more
I have beautiful memories of this past month together. I never felt alone, both because the charge of children overwhelms you, and… read more
