Portugal
Favourited 641 times
This project located one hour north from Lisbon, in Ribatejo, near Santarém, Almeirim and Alpiarça.
This project started in 2008 with the wish of selling organic products to the local community. Later I realised how difficult would be for me a single mother with little investment power to thrive as a farmer. Being a Permaculture designer since 2006 , I dedicate then my time to developed the project and teach permaculture.
My soul, was always looking for a community and It moved away from this project in the attempt to join other communities.
I'm now back for two years in the land but I decided to be one my one for a wile. I'm now opening for the months of Summer in the hope to address all the work that being pending wile I was working on the school.
I'm also looking for someone to manage volunteers. Someone that can commit for at least 2 months and have leading capacities. The working time is the same as volunteers, plus preparing the tasks and meeting with me. Besides accommodation, food, internet, laundry and other commodities this person will receive some pocket money, access to a bike and a electric motorcycle. I will only decide if you're the one for the job after two weeks experience as a volunteer.
There's many tasks to do:
-Cleaning and organising
-Gardening
-Agroforestry
-Fencing
-Building
-Taking care of Animals: 2 cats, 1 dog and several chickens
Gardening, Cleaning and Organising it's expected to do, the other are optional, depending on resources and your wish and ability to do them.
Principles of the project:
Live in harmony with nature
Sharing knowledge and experience
Work locally
Living a healthy stile of live: eating organic, vegetarian, preferably from the land. Avoiding all kind of drugs even simple one like sugar and coffee.
Live in harmony with the self and others.
My goal is one day going for lunch means going for a walk in my garden and agroforest. No cooking no cleaning afterwords just the pure joy of picking and heating. If I could share this pleasure with a small community I would be in heaven.
If you smoke or have any unhealthy habit you still free to join me as long your mindful and don't impose your habit to others. Be responsible for it and make sure your habit doesn't bring any extra work for others.
What is expected from a volunteer?
A person committed with the principles of the project that uses her/is time to help it thrive. Someone eager to learn how a life in harmony with nature looks like. Glad to share her/is skills with us. Open to go along with any work needed to be accomplished so together we can grow in the same direction.
What a volunteer can expect from your host?
I commit to welcome you, provide camping site, food and two moments on a week that we reserve for sharing knowledge and/or create experiences that allow us to dive deeper into our research subjects .We shall all support each other and participate in an active way to find the best solutions for all. There's Internet but limited, laundry machine and hot shower.
Conditions on site
Accommodation
Its available a belt tent with 2 or 3 beds and also a double bed in a car. You should bring your sleeping bag. If for any case you don't have or can’t bring it please contact us so we together can find a solution.
Food
We provide 3 vegetarian meals, 100% organic.
PLEASE let us know if you have any special diet requires. Thank you.
Sanitary
We have a dry toilet and we have a hot shower.
PLEASE only use biodegradable products! All used water goes back directly into nature.
Transport
The closest train stations, where I can pick you up, are Santarém, 20 km from the farm (20min by car, 3 h walk). () and the closest bus( rede-expressos.pt) is in Almeirim, 14km from the farm ( 15min by car, 2 h walk).
Work
Volunteers have to commit to at least 1 week stay, 24 hours of work a week plus communitarian tasks like cleaning , organizing, cooking,.., in exchange for a place to camp and organic shared meals.
Daily structure
Thinking on your beautiful gift that is your help we try our best to organize things for your stay. We have a common start at 7.15am with some bodywork, yoga and meditation. At 8am we have breakfast and then work until noon. We will have closing and sharing circles and common meals. In the afternoon we work for 1,5 h two-three times a week and we will offer two moments of sharing knowledge on the other days.
For us to improve even more this structure it would be important to know the details about your arrival and departure.
If it's not FUN it's not sustainable!
Let's have loads of fun, turn this into a great opportunity for learning, growth and create a beautiful bond that will serve as support energy even when you're somewhere else.
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
More than the exchange of knowledge and time for work is a unique human experience for both. No mather if the outcome is positive or negative either host and volunteers will be given the opportunity to learn and share new ideas what is a fertile ground for learning and growth. Beside the unique human experience of participating on the creation of a sustainable and ecological living plave. You will have to face many challenges : communication, adapting to different costumes, living a life connect with nature and more spiritual comforts than physical. The food is fantastic but probably not what you're use to. Take a change and step out of your comfort zone.
I'm hosting people who belive in Permaculture and are interested to have a more sustainable style of life. To make a change on this area, being in front colision with the capitalist system is not easy. All the help is welcome. So I would like to host people comitted to change their life styles and to help me to change mine ;)
Languages spoken
Catalan: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Portuguese: Fluent
French: Beginner
Italian: Beginner
This 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.
At the moment the only accommodation possible for volunteers is camping and parking a caravan. I also have a small car that can acommodate up to two people and a Belt tent with 2 to 3 beds.
Meals are made and enjoyed together. All meals are organic.
We have hot shower, laundry machine and 1 or 2 bicycles available. A tank of spring water were you can refresh yourself.
I have a compost toilet.
The area is full of beautiful places to visit like the river beach, Santarém the capital of Romantic architecture, the horse reserve, Golegã the city of horses. Alpiarça José Relvas museum, and many others. We can provide one or two bicycles and sometimes a ride to town.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
We have plenty of space for caravans and campervans .
Yes, as long as they get along with my cats. Otherwise is not possible.
More than two
5 hours a day 5 days a week
