Help on our beautiful piece of land near Ervedal da Beira, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  Whoever said Permaculture was lazy gardening lied! 😂
  
  Having created a beautiful Permaculture project in England's Lake District, we relocated to Portugal to bring love, sweat and toil to another piece of land.
  
  We are situated in our own valley, with over 3 hectares of beautiful terraced land, dropping down to the river at the bottom. The aim is to create a wonderful home for our family, friends and guests.
  
  There are various zones and ongoing projects, including no-dig veg gardens, the beginnings of a large forest garden, a chicken run, a sports terrace (volleyball, boule and archery), a bbq area, a big firepit for bonfires (in winter months only) and various other terraces with ongoing projects, such as the creation of a volunteer area with its own kitchen, showers, compost loo etc.
  
  As well as the two of us, our family consists of two wonderful young children, two super friendly dogs, an ageing cuddly cat, and a flock of chickens.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We generally try to work alongside our volunteers, doing whatever needs to be done that day. We try to create a balance in our daily work. There may be times when we ask volunteers to do tasks alone and we expect volunteers to be self-motivated and responsible.
  
  It is often hot and sunny, so there may be times that we need to work early and late, with time off in the heat of the day. Tasks are often physical, so if the thought of working up a sweat doesn’t put a smile on your face, you may want to re-consider applying. That said, we strive to find a balance between work and play. You will also find plenty of time to explore this beautiful part of the world on your own or with our two adorable dogs, who love an adventure!

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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

  The help can be varied. We often need help in the veg garden (planting, weeding, harvesting). There are lots of young trees in the forest garden that need watering and mulching in the summer months. We are usually building something (compost loo, shelters above caravans, etc). Then there is wood collection and processing, strimming, grass cutting, pruning, de-brambling etc. All the good stuff!
  
  We have two young children, which makes life rich but doesn't always make getting things done easy. Any help entertaining the kids is usually welcomed.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Czech: Fluent
  English: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  We would welcome Portuguese speakers to help us learn the language. We would happily teach English (or Czech) as an exchange.
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  Accommodation

  We have two nice, dry caravans. One has a big decked area in front and is under a big roof (with the same planned for the other at some stage).
  
  There are several big bell tents available in the summer months.
  
  There are nice compost loos and a solar shower. We are in the process of creating a volunteer kitchen.

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  What else ...

  Our quinta is situated in a beautiful valley with great walks in most directions and a lovely river for swimming. For those wanting a bigger adventure, the gorgeous Serra da Estrela Natural Park is only 45 minutes drive away.
  
  Ervedal da Beira is our nearby village, a couple of kilometers up the road. It has a range of local shops and a few cafes/bars, serving cold beer and pastries and is walkable (albeit uphill).
  
  Further afield are the towns of Oliveira do Hospital, Tabua and Seia, all about 20-30 minutes drive away. These have most things you might ever need.
  
  The whole area is inundated with river beaches, ranging from huge lakes with a wide range of facilities to quiet hidden gems.
  
  For ocean lovers, there are beautiful deserted sandy beaches on the east coast, about 1h40min away. Great for a weekend trip!

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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

  We have reasonable wi-fi.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have a car park, so no problem parking vans. There is a compost loo nearby.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We have two dogs, a cat and chickens. Well-behaved, nice pets could potentially join us.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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