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Host rating
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Last replied
13 May 2024
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Description
Quinta Floresta is a project in the North of Portugal in the Vale do Bestanca, Douro Verde Region. Our land is in a mountainous valley with regrown natural forests, wild creeks and waterfalls. We are a young couple with a lot of love to nature trying to live free and happy in Harmony with the Season
Help us to transform our hectar of terraced land into a food forest And Creative Art Space.We are experimenting with different organic gardening techniques to improve soil quality and create a green oasis. On the Land are Growing allready some old vines, olives and fruit trees (figs, tangerine, cherries etc), some forest and a lot of open space that wants to be taken care of. We already planted some new fruit and nut trees and bushes but will each year add more.
Next to our land there is a small creek running all year round in a shady forest that invites to chill in a hammock on hot summer days.
We started a year ago to clean and transform this abandoned farmland
We love to grow our own organic veggies, herbs and fruit. When we are not working on the land, in the garden, renovating a house or creating new living spaces, we like to make music (J. is a drummer and DJ), art, acrobatics or yoga.
The philosophy behind what we do is based in Permaculture principles, even though we take interesting concepts from all different kinds of land management practices and experimenting what suits best our climate and geography. We are trying natural building using wood and recycled materials from the land but some times we are also making compromises.
S. is an environmental engineer and we try to combine intuitive knowledge with science. We are open to learn about new concepts and ideas. We like to have people around to drink a glass of home made grape juice (or wine), laugh, talk and discuss, share stories and experiences.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You can learn how its possible to life sustainable in the Mountain Region. Restoring old granite houses and walls,learn how tomplant vegetables,make music together on the campires,learn about composting toilets and low tech solutions, making vine, juice,herbal tea And Olives.
Help
The tasks depend on the season. Cleaning the land/pulling brambles, building new garden beds, planting, designing/building shelters,making wood chips, recovering the old water channels,restoring the ancient stone walls. Cutting firewood, harvesting fruits, making jams and so on. Depending on the building projects we also need help, (natural) building, wood tasks and stone tasks.
Whatever your skills are, let us know! We always have a variety of tasks and are sure you find something you like. Either because you want to learn something new or because you can teach us what you know.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Portuguese: Intermediate
Accommodation
As we are restoring our house and live in a Tiny house at the moment, we can a caravan for accommodation. There is lot of Space to Camp on flat Sunny teraces or in the Shady forest.It is also possible to Park up in your Campervan.
There will always be plenty of fresh food available. We make two vegetarian meals a day. Whoever feels like cooking can prepare the meal.Breakfast is usually Herbal Tea from the Garden,Fruits,Muesli,or Bread.
What else ...
It is a 30 minutes walk to the small town where you can find all type of small shops,Restaurants,Cafes and a Library and a supermarket. There are hiking trails and old caminhos around in the mountains or down to the river along the valley. On a nice day in summer you can swim in the natural pools in the valley or go kayaking at our friends place. There is a train station not far away if you want to go to Porto or the Alto Douro Port region. We can also pick you up there.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Internet is stable but not the fastest, as we have only a mobile router. Usually videoconferencing works well, but when we have clouds it gets slower. Let us know about your schedule and amount of work you plan to do per week, so we can see if it fits.
Space for parking camper vans
The space to park your car is our topmost terrace where you will have a nice view and some privacy.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
