Experience permaculture life in a magical Atlantic garden on the Azores, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  I'm Clara Lala Espe, an ARTivist — an artist and activist working at the intersection of art & sound, co-creation with nature, and social change — born, raised and socialized on the wild, free-spirited grounds of the electronic music mecca Berlin, matured in Amsterdam, and now choosing to live in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
  
  I have found this project and are actively living and working on site since 2025.
  
  I'm part of the Design Science Studio (DSS), a worldwide artist collective working towards a world that works for all of life.
  
  My mission: transforming a 4,500 m², 30+ year-old Atlantic garden into a flourishing permaculture project on the lush north side of São Miguel, Azores — just 20 minutes from Ponta Delgada.
  
  The garden is already an oasis. Along a romantic alley lie 10 individual lots, each divided by plants and with its own unique character — majestic trees, exotic ornamental plants, and wild edible herbs, fruit trees and so much more. At the heart of the land is a central Palm Plaza with a living altar of a gigantic phoenix palm, surrounded by colorful plants and encircled by trees. This is our outdoor living room: where we eat together, make bonfires, listen to the Gong, and where I do my daily sunrise ritual for all of life.
  
  We're located at the edge of the small village Farropo, and I share this land with my 10-year-old daughter Emilia and our charming dog Kozmo. We live in a sweet Tiny House that made the journey with us all the way from Berlin.
  
  We started on-site in 2025, currently focused on extending the garden using permaculture principles — setting up lazy permaculture food fields, creating vermicompost systems, turning lawns into wildflower meadows, and increasing biodiversity on all levels. The long-term vision is a mini spa plus eco-village with radically sustainable architecture surrounded by a food forest — but for now, we're happily working the land, redoing our community kitchen and bathrooms and navigating the building permissions jungle.
  
  My work here happens on many levels: very practical and hands-on — digging, weeding, planting, pruning, mulching — but also deeply spiritual. The land is tended not just with tools and compost, but with intention and devotion. Every sunrise, I perform an ancient Vedic fire ritual called Agnihotra, using the remaining ashes in a farming method called homa farming. And sometimes, I play the symphonic gong in the garden — bringing resonance and joy to every living being here. 🌞🔔
  
  About This Project
  
  This project is a non-profit ecosystem project — there are no paying guests here, only friends and volunteers. I finance this project by hosting immersive sound journeys in the garden or in my tiny house for tourists and the local community; volunteers are always welcome to join these for free.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Help around the house

  Light maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Pets

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Adventure sports

  

  Farming

  

  Culture

  

  Gardening

  

  Photography

  

  Events & social

  

  Self development

  

  Van life

  

  Sustainability

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Music

  

  Plant care

  

  Carpentry

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Art & design

  

  Architecture

  

  Animals

  

  Hiking

  

  Water sports

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Camping

  

  Dancing

  

  Beach
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
  
  Immersing in the garden, co-creating with nature, building and living closed-loop cycles, rewilding ourselves, learning from each other, sharing gifts and talents, learning to listen to the land itself — that's what this place is about. A beautiful, regenerative, and meaningful life. Not as a concept. As a daily practice.
  
  Dive into permaculture, intuitive gardening, Vedic agriculture, and hands-on ARTivism — experimenting in the garden and exploring creative, sustainable ways of living together.
  
  Join my daily fire rituals or ocean swims whenever you feel like it.
  Go barefoot — the garden floor is made from hay and it's too good to miss. 👣
  
  Often, volunteers come along to one of the island's volcanic hot springs — a well-earned treat and a true Azorean experience. 🌋♨️
  
  Sometimes I host sound journeys in the garden with the symphonic gong. Sometimes I organize wild dance parties on the Central Palm Plaza. Sometimes we play cards in our yurt.
  
  There's room to co-create events, bring your own skills and ideas into the mix, and leave a real mark on this place. You'll naturally find yourself woven into the local community and my circle of friends on São Miguel — discovering the island through its people, culture, and nature.
  
  Daily life includes living alongside my 10-year-old daughter Emilia, when she's not off traveling during her school holidays. A glimpse into contemporary, progressive family life, radically close to nature.
  
  Food is taken seriously here. I'm a passionate cook — Asian, Italian, Ayurvedic, local, seasonal, full of wild herbs — and I love swapping kitchen tricks with anyone who shares that passion. Fair deal, though: if I cook, you do the dishes. 🍜
  
  This place is a living laboratory.
  We inspire each other.
  We grow together.
  Your ideas matter.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Your Help Here
  
  Most of the help is connected to the land — weeding invasive plants, pruning, mulching, planting, composting, harvesting, and building new permaculture food systems. Depending on your skills and interests, you might also help build new our community kitchen house, a new vermicompost outhouse, or upgrade our community yurt.
  
  Real, physical projects that you can see and feel at the end of the day.
  I'm living and working on-site as well; this is a genuinely hands-on, shared exchange.
  Every task on this list is optional — you're always free to choose something else if a particular job isn't for you.
  
  I do enjoy focused working time — we can chat during lunch, campfire moments, car rides, or other occasions.
  
  We work about 4 hours together per day — enough to make real progress, move real earth, and still have time to explore the island.
  
  I know how to make shared work feel meaningful and well-organised — I spent over a decade in festival production, coordinating large volunteer teams in art direction and stage design. Hard work, good people, clear goals. That's the vibe we love here. 🎪
  
  If you enjoy getting your hands dirty and seeing the results of your effort, you'll feel right at home.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Portuguese: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  I am happy to practise my Portuguese with you
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  Accommodation

  Wake up every morning in a birdsong sanctuary — simple, cozy, and immersed in nature.
  
  We currently have several volunteer spots available, with a few different sleeping options depending on what suits you:
  
  Two vans, each with a comfortable double bed
  A three-room sleeping tent, with a separate community middle room and cozy bedding throughout
  Several smaller tents, each equipped with mats, sleeping bags, and pillows
  
  Some options come with a double bed, so feel free to bring your partner or your bestie along ✌️
  
  On-site you'll find a simple outdoor volunteer kitchen, plus access to my personal outdoor kitchen, a shared vermicompost toilet, and an outdoor shower (currently cold water, with a hot-water upgrade in progress). You're also welcome to use my extra portable eco-toilet if you prefer — just clean it after yourself 😄
  
  Food here is a mix of shared, provided meals and self-bought self-catering — easy, welcoming, and low-impact. To set expectations straight: this is absolutely a culinary experience, but it's not a full catering service. I cook a lot and we always eat lunch together on working days — but besides that you'll also take care of yourself:
  Volunteers also do some of their own shopping — for breakfast, private snacks, dinners and food for non-working days.
  
  Here's how it usually looks:
  
  Breakfast is self-served — sort your own supplies and favorites
  
  Every working day I cook a shared lunch for all volunteers. Often I use food I grow in the garden or source locally. This midday meal is the heart of our daily rhythm together. Clean-up doesn't count as working hours.
  
  Dinner is a mix — sometimes individual, sometimes we do a fire together and everyone grills what they want.
  
  A few things that matter here:
  
  Be respectful of the land and all its inhabitants. Be respectful of the flow we are living in here. Always wash your own dishes.
  Care for the tools you use — put them back where you found them.
  When you take on a job, see it through from A to Z: leave your worksite clean, clear, and free of tools, gloves, and loose ends.
  Simple rule: leave every space a little more beautiful than you found it.
  Small things — but they make all the difference in shared living.
  
  The more you bring to this community, the more you'll get out of it.
  
  And don't be shy — ask questions. Asking twice is always welcome here.

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  What else ...

  Location & Life on the Ground
  
  The place sits on the quiet north side of São Miguel — surrounded by forest, green hills, and ocean views. Very green, and surprisingly central at the same time.
  
  Two kilometers away, you'll find the towns of Pico da Pedra or Fenais da Luz — shops, cafés, a library. A natural ocean bathing spot (behind Pedras do Mar Hotel) is roughly the same distance. A few buses connect the nearby villages to other parts of the island, but a scooter or car opens the island right up. Ponta Delgada is 20 minutes away for culture, cafés, and events. Hiking trails, hot springs, beaches, and volcanic landscapes are all within easy reach once you've got wheels or are good in hitchhiking.
  
  Life here is simple, meaningful and close to nature. We value respect, openness, and community. Be mindful of the land, your waste, and the shared spaces — that's part of what sustainable living actually means in practice. I do not accept energetic or physical intrusive behavior, and I do not accept any kind of abuse. The atmosphere is relaxed but focused. I appreciate people who show up fully — body, mind, and heart.
  
  Collective intelligence is very much appreciated.
  
  This is a family and friends space. You'll be in regular contact with my 10-year-old daughter Emilia (when she's not traveling), my international circle of friends, and our adorable dog Kozmo and Zuzu, the cat.
  
  A love for music, dancing, good food, animals, and evenings around the bonfire is a definite plus. 🎶🔥🐾
  
  ### A Few Things That Matter Here
  
  I highly value practical, hands-on people. Small things make shared living work:
  
  - **Dishes** — wash them every time you use them, and keep an eye out for any strays that need tidying up.
  - **Garbage** — if you see rubbish lying around, bin it. Please stick to the scheduled trash pick-up days
  - **Rain** — if something's out that shouldn't be getting wet, bring it in.
  - **Supplies** — if toilet paper, soap, or anything else is running low, grab a new one.
  
  **Onboarding document** — in your onboarding process, you will get a document explaining the details. Please read and use it.
  
  If We Don't Match
  
  I take a lot of time and care with onboarding people to create a scenario where all of us are a fit and can thrive. In the rare case that we don't match in real life, both parties have the right to end the volunteer agreement. If I ask you to leave, I will usually give you three days to find a solution for yourself.
  
  About You
  
  - What are you doing in life right now?
  - Have you ever lived in a community before?
  - What is your background — personally, professionally, or both?
  - What are your dreams for this life? 🌱
  
  About Your Visit
  
  - Why do you want to come to the Azores?
  - Are you planning to visit other projects on the island as well?
  - How did you find us, and what specifically drew you to this place?
  
  Working Together
  
  - Do you have any experience with gardening, permaculture, or working on the land?
  - Do you have any skills or interests you'd love to bring into the project — music, building, cooking, art?
  - Is there something specific you'd love to learn or experience during your stay?
  
  Practicalities
  
  - Are you a practical person? Do you see jobs to do (dishes, garbage, forgotten things in the rain, supplies running low) and act on them without being asked?
  - If you notice things that could be improved here — like turning the cold outdoor shower into a hot one — are you the kind of person who enjoys thinking through upgrades and solutions?
  - How long are you thinking of staying? How flexible are your dates?
  - Will you be bringing a travel companion?
  - Do you have any dietary needs or physical limitations we should know about?
  - Will you be renting a car or scooter? (check discovercars.com)
  
  If you made it this far and can agree on anything shared, I am happy to read from you!
  
  Greetings from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean 🌊 🌋🌴

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  No WiFi by design! For digital nomads: while this is a nature-focused space, you’ll still find good options for online work nearby. The Centro Cultural dos Fenais da Luz is just 2 km away and offers a quiet environment with WiFi, perfect for working online, and usually you will be alone there. Opening hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:30. At this place, there is no WiFi, but I am happy to give you a hotspot with my unlimited data occasionally. Our focus here is on outdoor, hands-on projects, so this setup works well for those who enjoy physical, nature-based activities balanced with little and focused time online.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Campers and motorhomes are very welcome. There’s plenty of space to park on the land, surrounded by forest. You’ll have access to the shared community kitchen, outdoor shower, toilet, and common areas garden. It’s a simple setup, but perfect if you enjoy being close to nature.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  All friendly pets are welcome! We love animals, so as long as your pet is sociable and well-behaved, we’re more than happy to join us here.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Zuzu (1 year)

  Siam cat Zuzu came as a street cat but has the most diva 👩‍🎤 behavior from all of us. I guess someone has to play that role

  

  Kozmo (3 years)

  Kozmo is as Azorean as it gets – our little guardian here at All Elements. He loves people and is always eager to play and make new friends and getting as many cuddles as possible.
  
  Zuzu, our Siam cat is the diva of the land. Well, someone has to play this role I guess.

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