Help with gardening and DIY tasks on an off grid farm in the mountains of Serra de Estrela, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  Hello, we are Celine, John and Lhamo the kitten, guardians at an an off-grid small holding in the mountains of Serra de Estrela in Portugal.
  
  Living the dream.. How did we come to be in this peaceful valley in the middle of the mountains?
  We have been long term practitioners of Dzogchen and Mahamudrha meditation since 2007, and have spent many years volunteering at retreat centers in India, Sweden and Bristol, touring India with John’s band Massive Vibe. In the Summer we usually work and perform at conscious festivals in the UK (Glastonbury, Buddhafield, All About Love, Medicine Festival, Lovejam). Celine makes children’s books and developed a kids show introducing children to the nature of mind. John plays solo or with others as Massive Vibe or Mahasiddha Music.
  
  During the pandemic this touring seasonal life came to a halt and we felt stuck in our little apartment in Bristol, UK. We dreamt of a nature retreat to be able to practice our talents and calling in the world through music, ritual art, eco living and meditation. We felt called to Portugal as it has magical landscapes, warm hearted people, was much less expensive than the UK, the climate is warm (most sunny days in Europe per year!) and it is possible to put up temporary structures on land and make a rural retreat.
  
  We found this place on our first visit in 2023, following a magical trail that led us here. We absolutely love the valley, the peace, the spaciousness, the tranquility and privacy, and always envision welcoming many more beings to enjoy this land! It was all farmed and cleared, back about 60 years ago and we feel the local’s saudade (nostalgia) at how sad it is that so many portuguese country side places have been abandoned. We are working to restore the valley to its natural beauty, clearing brambles from fruit trees and opening up the terraces for structures to be placed there. We’ve been here since 2023 and have done what we can to work on the land with help from
  family and friends and now are excited to welcome our first volunteers from Workaway.
  
  We are now in our 40s, have not had kids, (even though we looked after many and now hold coming of age retreats for teens) and we are now so ready to welcome young and older souls into our life to share the magic of this alternative lifestyle, filled with the expression of ones unique strengths, gifts and talents. The land at the Quinta really supports each of us to be oneself and explore what our unique flame wants to contribute in the world be it through art, meditation, music, a simple peaceful life close to the land, healing and bringing benefit to all in a myriads of ways.
  
  Our vision is to develop this space so it can host groups to come to practice and reset in nature. A place to gather for our existing community and to welcome new people. A place to come together around the Dzogchen teachings we’re part of, enjoying wholesome food, art, music and ceremonies in our valley and around the stream.
  
  We are not a business. We are simply working on developing our quinta and plan to have it as an artists residency in the future (as an exchange) and to host Dzogchen teachings but this will not be for payment.
  
  We are working to regenerate the land.
  Using permaculture principles, working with natural materials and we are also looking to work with the local council to manage the surrounding pine and mimosa forests.
  
  The valley is filled with the sound of the river, bird song and the breeze in the trees. It is most often sunny in the day in the autumn with many fruit trees nearly ready for you to pick their fruit: oranges, tangerines, strawberry trees (medronhio), kiwis. The evenings are colder and we warm up around a fire, the wood burner in the house, or in the bell tent. If you choose to stay in the caravan it has a gas heater too.
  
  At this phase of the project, we are working on clearing the land, renovating the house, rebuilding the pond, patio making with slate found around the land, chopping wood, clearing areas of land undiscovered and would love help with these projects.
  
  John is from the UK, and is a musician, all round odd job man and nature of mind teacher. He speaks english and is learning Portuguese. He leads the building projects, loves to meditate throughout the day, get busy on the land, dance and play music.
  
  Celine is French and English. She speaks french, english, german and is learning Portuguese. She is a Dzogchen and yoga teacher, and makes children’s books. She loves to make shrines and talk to plants! She would love to offer introduction to the nature of mind, yoga and meditation as an activity to volunteers.
  
  Lhamo is our kitten who is also a guardian at Quinta. She stays in the house and has her own cave at the back of the house (very unique sleeping space!) She loves to play, observe and follow you whilst you’re working on the land and to cuddle up when she’s ready.
  
  We have a caravan, a van and a bell tent for people to stay and will cater for you/with you.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Farming

  

  Van life

  

  Self development

  

  Pets

  

  Events & social

  

  Plant care

  

  Languages

  

  Writing

  

  Photography

  

  Performing arts

  

  Music

  

  Gardening

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Art & design

  

  Animals

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking

  

  Dancing

  

  Beach
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  A typical week day would be:
  
  Before 9am : Morning routines mantra, meditation, yoga whatever you like to do! We have a silent break till 9am and will probably be meditating, journalling, doing some mantras or movement around the land or in the house. There are breakfast items to cook breakfast in your caravan or bell tent.
  
  9am : Meet at the house for hot cacao or coffee and plan the day
  
  9.30-11:30am: Morning tasks
  
  11.30am: Brunch (Celine usually prepares it)
  
  12.30-3ish: Afternoon tasks
  
  6pm: Dinner. We take turns cooking and cleaning up. We can enjoy making a fire in the house or on the land in the evening, dancing, playing music, watching something, chatting or you can always do your own things in the evenings. Some week evenings we have zoom calls for an hour or two or go to Portuguese class, and other evenings we would love to gather and read a Dzogchen text introducing to the nature of mind.
  
  Weekends: free time! We will still offer food for that day and we can go explore local waterfalls together, markets, events or lend you our car to explore alone or with other volunteers.
  
  Please let us know any dietary requirements you have. We are used to catering at retreat centres and can cater for any diet. We both eat meat but also great vegetarian cooks.
  
  John is a musician and loves to play mantra in the mornings, and music in the evenings. You’re so welcome to join. We have several guitars, shamanic drum, cajon, calimba and a keyboard. You can also play in your own space if you want to practice on your own. John has a recording studio so you could also work on recording music with him.
  
  We have big speakers and love to start the day with a dance sometimes or in the evening too. You’re welcome to dj.
  
  We would love to hold some sharing circles, so everyone in the team is heard and can share what they uniquely see. There will be the opportunity to take part in the Dzogchen teachings we’ve been practicing since 2007, introducing you to the nature of mind and to the simple meditation practice: moments of awareness, repeated many times until continuous’. It is very magic!
  
  Celine teaches Dzogchen publicly online once a week and we usually join her zoom call as a group on Monday mornings.
  
  There’s lots of local activities, in the surrounding area like markets, ecstatic dance events, all sorts of workshops. We usually go to markets and some events on weekends and you could borrow the car to go to events you like.
  
  There’s gorgeous local waterfalls, mountain hikes and river beaches which we’d love to explore with you.

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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

  We’ve got ongoing projects which we’d love help with. You’d be working alongside John on either of these projects:
  - laying a patio for the outdoor shower area with slate from the land
  - rebuilding the pond
  - laying insulation on the outside of the house
  - rendering the walls inside the house
  - clearing the land from brambles using a strimmer
  - building a sauna
  - chopping wood to store for woodfire
  
  We’d all be taking care of household duties like.
  Cheffing or assisting for meal prep, washing up, general cleaning and tidying so we keep our environment agreeable and homely for us all.
  
  You’d be working with Celine on
  - picking and preparing the olives
  - weeding and planting a herb garden
  - pruning
  - disintangling brambles from trees and revealing hidden areas like overgrown footsteps on the land
  
  You can also lead on the projects that you feel moved to see come about!
  
  For example depending on your skills and interests (and what the land inspires you to do) maybe you like to
  - make an arch for the kiwi plants,
  - create a piece of land art,
  - develop and research hydro electricity system from our stream!
  - plant a veg garden and teach us how to maintain it
  - apply some permaculture skill you’ve always wanted to try
  - build a sauna
  - turn the pond into a natural swimming pool
  - make a yoga platform..
  
  We have tools and funds and can support your ideas!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  German: Intermediate
  Portuguese: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  We are both learning portuguese. John speaks english and Celine speaks english, french, a bit of german and some russian too.
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  Accommodation

  - Comfortable caravan with large double fixed bed, kitchen, desk area for two and built in gas heater for warmth.
  
  - Bell tent with double bed, single bed, simple kitchen set up and wood burner for warmth.
  
  - Van with double bed, single hob, sink and wood burner for warmth.
  
  The drinking water at the Quinta comes from a cave into the mountain that was carved out until a fresh water source was found. The water was tested for drinking and is delicious. You need to get water from the cave every few days for drinking. We store it in glass containers and in 5L bottles.
  
  The loo is a compost loo. It works in a way that you cover your business with straw. For those who never used a compost loo before it surprisingly doesn’t smell! Wees are wild on the land (there’s a private spot for ladies).
  
  The shower is hot and it is outdoors! There is a shower curtain. One of our current projects is to build a greenhouse for the shower and the standing bath. It is magic to have a hot bath under the stars, a must have experience.
  
  We are in the mountains so it is nature and you’ll need walking and waterproof foot wear, rain clothes and warm clothes. Do pack summer clothes and your swimming costume as the autumn afternoons can go up to 20-25 degrees. And you have to plunge into the river at our local waterfall at Loriga.
  
  It is the middle of nature here so there are insects but nothing dangerous. A few spiders, frogs, grasshopers, butterflies, owls can be heard at night, wild pigs and some wild cats were spotted in the forest. But they keep away from human’s accommodation :-)
  
  We will offer three meals a day and on non work days (weekends) there will be ingredients in the volunteers caravan to self cater breakfast and we will cater for the other meals.

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  What else ...

  We have both a car and a campervan, which volunteers are welcome to borrow to go in trips to enjoy the stunning area, with waterfalls and mountains and river beaches.
  
  We like to dance, and sing, walk and take things easy and relaxed :)

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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

  The place has exceptional internet phone signal but volunteers will need a sim, which can be bought easily at the local shops.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have a place to park for campers, and can offer water and electric too, if needed.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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