Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Feedback
10
Email verified
Badges (1)
Details
Description
We're currently accepting volunteers for 2023.
If you enjoy nature, creativity and connecting with nature, we would love to welcome you to join our family.
We love to share our land and our lives with people who are curious about low-impact off-grid living, love being outdoors, and are ready for adventure.
Skills in gardening, farming and cooking are useful. But more important is a willingness to try new things, make mistakes and learn from them, contribute to day to day living, connect with others and bring a positive attitude!
Under the watchful eye of the Serra da Estrela we are working with the land to create a future for our family and the planet. We're lucky to be part of a local community that thrives, learns and grows together. Our vision is to:
🌱 Cultivate biodiversity and regenerate soil,
🌱 Grow a sustainable garden to feed our family, based on permaculture principles
🌱 Learn from local traditions,
🌱 Build community,
🌱 Make art and music together,
🌱 Eat delicious food,
🌱 Laugh, fail, and have fun while we do it!
We live a simple and creative life. We strive to contribute and connect with our local village, stay humble, have fun and imagine different ways of relating to the land and each other.
JOIN US AND YOU WILL BE WORKING ON...
GARDEN
We are cultivating a garden based on permaculture principles with fruit trees, veggies, berries and wildflowers. Mulching, planting, watering, tending and harvesting form the rhythm of our lives.
We have plans to grow and extend our garden and welcome in particular anyone with growing, designing or landscaping skills.
REFORESTATION
The landscape surrounding the farm has been impacted by two big wildfires in the past decade, and is currently regenerating naturally through the succession process.
We are excited to see a mixed oak forest emerging, supported by madronje, olive and chestnut. Contributing to the forest and re-imagining our part in its ecosystem is a long term priority for us. We focus on listening to and working with the land, and are practicing sustainable grazing practices with our goats and sheep to evolve a fire resistant forest-based ecosystem.
LIVESTOCK
Our chickens, goats sheep and pigs are an integral part of the farm, each playing their unique part in the ecosystem - eating insects, pruning trees and scrub, turning over the ground, and of course providing manure for our garden.
Nurturing them and helping us design efficient ways to make the most of their natural talents is an important part of our farm. So we often need help building fences, herding and moving animals, and planning how best we can use their instincts for the benefit of them, the land, and us.
CONNECTION
We are lucky to be part of a thriving creative community, who love to gather to make music, eat good food, and celebrate the seasons. In the summer we take regular trips out to river beaches and to gather with friends. We love to build relationships and learn from different cultures and traditions.
LAND
Our farm is situated in the beautiful Alva valley, walking distance to a small village and with spectacular views of the mountains and forests. We honour the cycles of nature and the rhythms of the seasons and welcome you to do the same.
We are looking for interesting and interested people. We believe everyone has something to share and through joining together we all grow.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We live in an incredibly beautiful area on the edge of a national park and live as much as possible in tune with the natural cycles and traditional way of life that exists here.
Local people, permaculture principles, our vibrant immigrant community, contemporary technology and the land around us are our teachers.
We see our work as care takers of the land being a part of a global shift to a slower, simpler, more sustainable way of living that respects and nurtures the earth instead of exploiting it. Small-scale farming, local economy, slow living.
Come here to experience an unplugged, seasonal existence, root yourself in nature, and be part of the new movement of creative young farmers helping restore and protect this unique region.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
- Seasonal gardening duties: Planting, mulching, harvesting, and watering.
- Help designing the land according to permaculture principles, creating swales and other water conservation systems, and supporting sustainable reforesting and soil building.
- Animal care - feeding, goat herding, maintaining fences and helping us maximise the contribution of our feathered and four legged family.
- Cooking and preserving - we love food and cooking and our family meals are an important time for us to connect, share and laugh together every day.
We try to consider the ecological impact of all our jobs, and ideas are always welcome. As creatives ourselves, we want to encourage our workawayers to feel free to be creative and leave their mark where appropriate.
This year our focus is on building the garden and integrating it with the rest of the land, including our wild grassland and forested areas, to establish flows and energy loops that will support our future.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Portuguese: 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
We have tent accommodation, with compost toilet and shower close by. Mountain views and shade from the big fig tree!
If you would prefer to bring your own tent you are welcome to find a spot you like to camp on.
We eat a seasonal, mostly vegetarian diet plus our home-reared meat. We support a local organic veg box scheme as well as the regional market and of course our own food from the garden and eggs from our happy chickens. We're happy to cook vegan meals and adapt to your specific needs!
What else ...
We can do pick ups/drop offs at the local Rede Expressos stop - buses from all major cities.
The local area has gorgeous wild swimming spots, river beaches and walking in the hills. We encourage you to explore and connect to the very special natural setting, watch the stars, discover the hidden waterfalls and make friends with the trees.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (8)
They picked us up from the bus stop in the evening rain, welcomed us with a delicious meal and instantly we felt at home. The… read more
This family is so lovely, warmhearded, openminded and welcoming.
And with a lot of skills, they build their own paradise to live in and share it with others!
The area around is just beautiful - mountains and clouds!
I worked in the nice garden, had nice conversations, spent a lot of time… read more
I honestly can’t fault my time working on their farm. I was welcomed into their family with open arms. They were flexible with arrival/departure times and collected/dropped me off at the bus stop in Torrozelo without hesitation.
I slept in a comfortable tent with a mattress, pillow and… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
They picked us up from the bus stop in the evening rain, welcomed us with a delicious meal and instantly we felt at home. The… read more
This family is so lovely, warmhearded, openminded and welcoming.
And with a lot of skills, they build their own paradise to live in and share it with others!
The area around is just beautiful - mountains and clouds!
I worked in the nice garden, had nice conversations, spent a lot of time… read more
I honestly can’t fault my time working on their farm. I was welcomed into their family with open arms. They were flexible with arrival/departure times and collected/dropped me off at the bus stop in Torrozelo without hesitation.
I slept in a comfortable tent with a mattress, pillow and… read more
We had the pleasure to spend two beautiful weeks at Quinta Ser Nada. Sadly, we had to leave now and it`s hard to put all the amazing experiences and personal encounters in words. But we want to give it a try!
The day we arrived we were warmly welcomed by the whole family Madeleine, Nick, Elias and Orlando and also by the… read more
In the middle of the night, you picked Anne and I up from the bus stop. We did not know how Torrozelo looked like since it was dark, but when we woke up and zipped open the bell tent the view was magical! The mountains were covered in mysterious clouds and I was so happy to see how beautiful it was in real life! This view… read more
Hard working, enthusiastic and fun to spend time with, they fitted in well with our family and offered help in all aspects of our farm. Both of them were great with our son Elias and both of them are interesting and interested people who we would love have back at some point.
