Portugal
Bisher 231 mal gespeichert
URGENTLY LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER/S WITH BUILDING KNOW HOW TO CONSTRUCT A METAL FRAME & CONCRETE BLOCK COVERED OUTDOOR SHELTER.
The whole world has been in a bit of a state and because of quarantine and lockdowns we did not have any volunteers in 2020 and much of 2021 and we miss you! So, I am hoping that now that restrictions are easing up, travel is opening up and people are used to social distancing and being careful, that it will be possible and safe enough to host volunteers again.
There is so much work to be done and we are way behind schedule in land jobs so we will be very happy to host some volunteers if you would like to come and help us out.
We are an Off grid Quinta in Central Portugal between Tabua and Oliveira do Hospital. The Quinta is 2 acres and shared between myself and my adult daughter and her family. We live like neighbours, each responsible for our own share of the land and as we have different requirements, she has her own workaway page - 519647724974
We have both been workaway volunteers and now we are workaway hosts. We believe our experiences will help to make us good workaway hosts as we know what we liked and disliked from our own experiences. We aim to be fair and to make this an enjoyable experience for everyone.
We are English and came here to get away from the hamster wheel of work, spend, work. We wanted to see if it was possible to live another way ... and there is. We don't have 'jobs' or a regular income but our only bill is for the internet. Our power is solar, our water from our well and hot water is solar heated. Our sanitation goes to a vermicomposting system (worms eat our waste) and my house runs on 12 volt power and has an eco rocket stove for heating which burns the wood which we have felled on our land. We try to grow as much of our food as we can, organically, and follow permaculture and no dig principles. All organic waste goes back into the land. Rainwater is caught and stored and we are in the process of making a natural pond which will increase our water storage and also provide a natural swimming hole for the summer.
Just to make crystal clear a few things that previous volunteers have not fully understood:-
1. Being totally off grid means that charging of devices and especially powerbanks, is limited.
2. Showers will be 1 or 2 per week. Summer means water shortage and Spring/Autumn mean power shortage.
3. There is wifi internet near my house for checking emails, social platforms. It is not suitable for downloading anything or for digital nomads to upload anything.
Workaway is an exchange. I put a lot of effort into providing a location, food, culture opportunities, walks in the mountains and am happy to educate you about everything to do with sustainable living, being off grid, permaculture and this conscious way of life. I try very hard to make your stay a pleasant and rewarding one. I really enjoy volunteers who want to learn new skills and a new way of life and many previous volunteers have been absolutely wonderful and they have left extremely happy with new skills and new experiences and remained friends. If you are just looking for free accommodation, free food and expect to give very little in exchange, working without any enthusiasm at a pace that makes paint drying look fast, please do not apply
Hilfe bei Ökoprojekten
Gartenarbeiten
Heimwerker- und Bauarbeiten
Our Quinta is totally off grid and we live as sustainably and ecologically minded as we can, so that can be an interesting and learning experience. Our land was basically just disused land when we came here in 2016 so everything on it was built or put there by us. Our power is all from solar, our water is from a spring fed stone well, our sanitation goes to a vermicomposting system. We try to grow as much of our own food as we can, organically and are taking on board permaculture and no dig principles. A stay with us will be a glimpse into a different way of life from the 9-5, 5 day week working life of work, spend, consume, work again. We live on the edge of a small rural village in Central Portugal so that is also culturally interesting and we are 45 minutes from the mountain range serra da estrela (Star mountains) which are the highest point in mainland Portugal and has the only ski resort on Portugal. I usually take volunteers up there for a day hike during your stay.
I am open to all ages but I ask for 2 people because a lot of jobs are much easier with 2 pairs of hands and also a lot more fun for you if you are working with a partner or friend. The work here is all outside, working on the land. It can be general tidying, weeding, pruning, planting out the vegetable plot, taking cuttings and making new plants, landscaping and making a drought resistant garden, looking after fruit and olive trees, looking after our newly planted woodland of 7 types of indigenous trees, general land maintenance, wood chopping and of course good old digging! There always seems to be some of that! Some of the time you will work with my daughter who has her own vegetable gardens to maintain but may also have some different work, maybe eco construction. Owing to bad experiences I will only take people who have volunteering experience, preferably with gardening, gardening machinery like strimmers or working on the land. I am also currently constructing an outdoor shelter to provide a covered outdoor kitchen and sitting area next to the caravan bedroom and for this I would like people with some building experience.
Gesprochene Sprachen
Englisch: Fließend
Portugiesisch: Gute Kenntnisse
Dieser Gastgeber bietet Sprachaustausch an
I am a native English speaker and happy to help you improve your English if you have at least Intermediate level already. I am Intermediate level Portuguese and would love to improve with the help of a native European Portuguese speaker.
Accommodation. We have a caravan which we refurbished and it is now a lovely bedroom and will sleep 1 or 2 cosily. There is a wooden structure next to the caravan which is the vermi composting bathroom, with a proper flushing toilet in it and an area to wash and clean teeth. There is also a kitchen area with 2 ring gas hob and a cupboard which is fully stocked with food. In the summer this is outside but whilst there is a chance of rain in Spring, we have moved it into the bathroom building to keep it dry (not ideal I know ☹ …) Our current project is to build an outside covered area, adjoining the caravan, with a roof to give good shade, covering a comfy sitting area and the kitchen. It will be truly lovely once finished. The current sitting area is next to the caravan, underneath the trees, with chairs and a coffee table, ideal for reading a good book, with a cup of tea in the shade of the oak trees.
I live in a proper house which I designed myself, so there is a shower, solar heated so dependent on sun for the heat of the water and for power to pump the water. There is also a gas boiler heated outdoor shower on my daughter’s land. DAILY SHOWERS WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE… in the summer we have to be economical with water usage and in the winter there is not always enough solar to power the water pumps ... but usually 1 or 2 showers per week will be possible.
Food. I will supply food for you to make all of your breakfasts and lunches and most of your evening meals, although we will eat together on your first evening, and some other times depending on the length of your stay, just to have a nice social interaction. We are flexible Vegan/Vegetarian and that is the type of food I will provide.
You will have 2 free days per week and I will provide food for the 5 working days as usually people like to go out and explore the area and eat out on free days. You can of course eke out the food if you want it to last the 7 days. Snacks and extras if required, you will need to provide yourself and I am happy for you to come shopping with me.
Sorry but I do not want smokers :(
We have a large mountain dog but he is super friendly and a big softie and 4 cats. I don't socialise in the evenings which is why I think volunteers in pairs is better. I do have wifi internet but this is not suitable for downloading films or streaming netflix or for digital nomads. Also charging devices and power banks is limited. However, I do have a hard drive with a huge library of films on if you have a device with a usb port and a memory stick and a kindle with 100's of books on, that you are welcome to use.
We are in a beautiful area of Central Portugal, with a view of the Serra do Açor (Mountain range of the Goshawk) and the Serra da Estrela (Star mountains). It has just been awarded classification by Unesco as a Global Geopark - Geopark Estrela. It covers an area of 2216km2. There is a video which I can send to you via message as the site does not allow web site links on here. There are dozens of river beaches within a short distance and many beautiful walks and drives. The nearest river beach is in Avô which is a 1.8km/15 minute walk from here. There are some lovely villages in the mountains and the Xisto trail is definitely something worth walking. We are an hour drive from the Serra de Estrela mountains and Torre the highest point in mainland Portugal which has snow on it and skiing in late winter/early Spring. I belong to a hiking group and we usually go on a day hike, every 2 weeks, to one of the 3 mountain ranges that we are in the middle of. You are welcome to join me.
I will try to make your stay as interesting and enjoyable as possible and would really appreciate your help.
Items that would be helpful for you to bring with you would be a good light as there is no lighting outside on the land - and I mean a light ... not a phone, as using this as a torch makes charging issues. There is solar lighting inside the caravan. Clothes that you do not mind getting dirty as all the work is outside work. In summer a wide brimmed hat as protection from the sun which can be intense here and from September to May, a good raincoat. Waterproof trousers can also be very handy during these months to avoid wet knees whilst working outside.
Internet Zugang
Eingeschränkter Internet Zugang
Wir besitzen Tiere
Wir sind Raucher
Familien möglich
zwei
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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Korrekte Angaben im Profil:
(4.9)
Kultureller Austausch:
(4.9)
Kommunikation:
(5.0)
