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18 Sep 2025
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Description
Seeking kind, grounded souls to grow something beautiful with us 🌱
Usual Availability: Spring through to Autumn 🍂
SEEKING A PERSON/PEOPLE FROM MID-OCTOBER (or sooner if you’re in your own campervan/caravan)
Tasks may include supporting Mendel in cob building, carpentry, rocket stove building, garden care, Olive harvesting in October... and supporting Sarah with organizing spaces, cooking, childcare if it flows, and maybe some gentle interior painting 💫 ((Our absolute ideal guests would be a couple who could support us in all of this!))
We are a small, busy, heart-led family tending and building a dream of a regenerative Quinta in the forested hills of Figueiró dos Vinhos, Central Portugal. Since moving here in 2023, our long-term vision has been gently deepening—rooted in Waldorf education, Permaculture, Biodynamics, and the Dances of Universal Peace.
Our way of living honours the land, the sacred, and the unfolding of childhood with tenderness and intention. We’re growing a space of beauty, healing, and connection—with the earth, with each other, and with spirit.
We welcome individuals or couples (sometimes families with their own campervan/caravan) who feel the call to live in rhythm—with the land, with family life, and with clear, present-hearted communication.
We especially welcome those who bring care, reverence, and initiative into their work, who are grounded in themselves, and who enjoy being part of something intentional and evolving.
Outer work reflects inner work 🧡
What We’re Looking For
We live a simple, structured, and full rhythm—where presence, steadiness, and communication are essential. We appreciate people who:
• Feel aligned with conscious family life and shared responsibility
• Are comfortable with early mornings and physical outdoor work
• Can adapt to a structured but flexible weekly rhythm, with clear daily expectations
• Enjoy quiet evenings and slow, rural living (no cafés or shops in walking distance)
• Can communicate truthfully, kindly and clearly, especially in shared space
• Are happy to use only natural products (our greywater nourishes the trees)
• Know how to rest and recharge in quiet, screen-light, nature-rich environments
• Are willing to offer their practical skills, creativity, presence, or soulful gifts—whether that’s cooking, land work, natural building or time with our Son
• Take initiative and responsibility, once timing and tasks are clear
• Are open to a minimum stay of at least 2 weeks, preferably arriving on the weekend to begin a full working week Monday.
It often takes a few days to settle in and find your rhythm in any new place. But when that rhythm clicks, the work becomes much more efficient, easeful, and nourishing—for everyone. For this reason, we ask for a minimum of 10 full working days (Monday–Friday).
A Little About Us
We’re Sarah, Mendel, and our 3.5-year-old son Mani—originally from the UK. Since arriving in Portugal in 2023, we’ve been tending both inner and outer landscapes: planting gardens, shaping play spaces, and dreaming a Waldorf initiative into being. Permaculture & Waldorf Principles guide our daily rhythms, and Mendel holds a monthly Dances of Universal Peace circle here.
The Rhythm of Life Here
• Early mornings, shared meals, structured work hours
• Days are purposeful and full; evenings are peaceful, often quiet by 9pm
• Mani is part of daily life—joyful, loud, and spirited! He’s at kindergarten 3 days/week
• We do our best to balance physical tasks with beautifying, creative, and meaningful work
A typical summer morning probably looks like:
→ Start at 7:00, work until 9:00
→ Breakfast break (30 mins)
→ Work again from 9:30 to 12:30
→ One person usually begins preparing lunch around 12:15 (with leftovers from dinner to make easy)
Spring & Autumn we start later.
We value reliability and a sense of flow, following the structure—knowing that when everyone is clear, things run more smoothly for all. We don’t micro-manage, but we do need people who respect the plan and take initiative within it.
Accommodation
• Private attic room in the house
• Bell tent (dry season only)
• Camper/caravan space with hook-up, water & private outdoor bathroom
Meals
We eat as organic as possible, seasonal, gluten- and dairy-free meals, and rotate cooking/cleaning between us all. Three meals a day are included in the exchange.
Who We Are
Mendel is a land steward and remote worker in fermented foods. Sarah is a Waldorf education student and co-creator of a gentle learning space. Mani brings movement, laughter, fire and the light.
If you’re longing for rhythm, meaningful contribution, and a place to root into nature—not just pass through—we would love to hear from you.
Let’s grow something whole, wise, and beautiful—together.
With warmth and gratitude,
Sarah, Mendel & Mani
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Sustainability
Van life
Self development
Events & social
Farming
Plant care
Gardening
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Books
Astronomy
Art & design
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Nature
Beach
Camping
Dancing
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
⭕️ Permaculture, biodynamic & hugelkultur knowledge & practice
⭕️ Using natural building techniques
⭕️ Living in a stunning quiet location, exploring the local area and community
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
What We’re Working On
• Natural building (woodcrete, cob, diy, building a rocket stove)
• Expanding food and herb gardens using Permaculture and regenerative methods
• Beautifying and organizing play/rest spaces
⭕️ Permaculture / Biodynamic / Hugelkultur gardening, natural building, land maintenance
⭕️ Co-cooking
⭕️ Childcare if it flows, but it’s not essential
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Hebrew: Intermediate
Portuguese: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
We both speak fluent English as our native language, and our son’s main language is also English, with some Hebrew and Portuguese. Mendel speaks conversational Hebrew and sometimes uses it with our son. We’re slowly learning Portuguese and hope to integrate it more into our daily lives. Mani loves to sing in Portuguese!
Accommodation
⭕️ Spacious attic in our house with private bathroom just outside the house
⭕️ Bell tent on the land
⭕️ Your own camper-van or tent
What else ...
Our home is tucked away in a peaceful village, surrounded by wild woodlands and just a short drive (or a hilly walk) from breathtaking river beaches. While the village doesn’t have shops or cafes within walking distance, we’re out and about frequently during the week and happy to align our trips with anything you might need. It’s a wonderful place to disconnect, relax, and enjoy the beauty of nature.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We don’t have WiFi but we both have unlimited data on our phones with good reception to use as a hotspot. We do turn our phones off at night though so the hotspot would be unavailable from around 8pm. We are open to accepting families who have their own accommodation. The exchange doesn't have to involve childcare, but our life revolves around our Son and our family rhythm.
Space for parking camper vans
There is a full seperate bathroom attached to the main house which will be entirely yours if you’re in a campervan or our bell tent, accessible from outside our house.
Can possibly accept pets
Willing to discuss - we do have cats and soon we'll likely have dogs.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chickens & Geese
Not a necessity but if you’d like you can help us with the daily care of the chickens and geese. Feeding, cleaning out… but it’s not essential.
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (6)
Sarah and Mendel are really special, kind, sensitive and gentle people. They were tuned to our needs and did everything they could to make us feel at home <3 the communication with them was so honest and open, and felt natural and at ease.
Also they really… read more
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Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Sarah and Mendel are really special, kind, sensitive and gentle people. They were tuned to our needs and did everything they could to make us feel at home <3 the communication with them was so honest and open, and felt natural and at ease.
Also they really… read more
Their land in Portugal is a slice of heaven—I slept and ate very well. The tasks… read more
Mani, their son, is so cute and sensible. We really enjoyed it a lot, and I miss our time together.
Learning with their lifestyle, watching Mendel building the van (what an audacious project) and… read more
Antonio was attentive and loving, joyful & caring, which really enabled a close connection between them.
Practically in our home he is super clean and tidy, took up minimal space, mindful and quiet.
I very much valued Antonio’s time… read more
I really felt like part of the family right away and enjoyed our conversations and… read more
They made me feel very welcome from the first minute. They showed intrest in me and took me to new places around Stroud. I was able to learn a lot about van conversion, childcare and plenty of other stuff.
In the end I even stayed longer than… read more
