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20 May 2022
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Description
*️️️️️️️UPDATE*️️️️️️️
*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️At the moment we are looking for a responsible person or couple to join us for the month of December: The first half of the month, you'll learn about all aspects of running this off-grid home; for the second half, you'll be taking care of the place, while we are away for two weeks*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️
Early days on an ecological project to create a working model of accessible sustainability in the mountains of central Portugal. The evolving concept is to experiment with, develop and share techniques of natural building, regenerative agriculture and healthy living. This may include aspects of sustainable/alternative energy production, food production, passive solar energy, food forest development, forest management, vermiculture, water management, humane animal partnership and community integration.
Closest village is a twenty minute walk. Closest town is a twenty minute drive. Site is along a hiking trail that is used fairly regularly by local and international tourists and even a local goat herd. Wild boar, deer, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, various birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and an array of insects populate the surrounding forests and streams. The property is half encircled by a mountain stream that runs all year round. The main stone building is hundreds of years old and would've originally been used to house goats and straw, as well as, possibly, seasonal workers. I was told that there was some kind of nudist colony using the land in the 80's, but eventually angered locals by breaking into (and thereby damaging) the beehives that were kept nearby. The trees that were growing inside the building have been removed, the floor dug down and a proper, fairly traditional, stone floor put in. It now has a new roof and the walls have been rendered with a clay mixture, outside. A rocket mass heater has been installed for heat and most cooking. Butane is also used for cooking for the moment with a plan to phase it out, eventually. The inside of the house has been completely cobbed and limed. The wooden parts of the building (beams, floors, stairs, etc.) have been treated with borax and then either linseed oil or limewash. Besides the main building (which is actually a combination of two), a tool shed has been built, as well as a footbridge over the stream, a large covered area that serves as a wood storage/splitting area and a cabin to house chickens, ducks and possibly rabbits, has been started, all using wood from the land and local area. An extension of the house has just been built, which contains: An indoor dry compost toilet (a complement to the outdoor hut), an indoor shower, a bidet, laundry facilities and more. A basic garden has been put together with the slash cut from around the house and the dirt that was dug out from floor and from a trough around the house. Some fruit trees have been planted. An electric pump for irrigation and household water has been set up and is working well, and a permanent water tank has been built, on higher ground to increase household water pressure. We now have a passive solar hot water heater for the many sunny days.
Ultimately, more land needs to be cleared, more gardens set up, more trees planted, and more irrigation systems set up. There is a photovoltaic system for solar energy and WiFi available. Besides the humans, there are two dogs and two cats living in the house.
We are a couple, Fiona and 'J'm.
'J'm is a semi-retired musician from Canada who lived in the UK for several years. Health is his primary motivation for living in this way, so he's pretty clean living (teetotal, straight edge). His personal philosophies are secular, though he is accepting of others' spirituality. Politically, he is interested in Anarcho-syndicalism, Agrarianism, Democracy. 'J'm is a big fan of film and some series and enjoys listening to podcasts and audio books while doing some menial tasks .
Fiona is a full-time academic lecturer and researcher who grew up and studied in Greece and the UK, as well as further studies in Austria, Italy and New Zealand. Fiona is passionate about cooking, folk dancing, cultural exchange, tourism, hiking, animals and various arts and crafts.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are happy to share things we have learned about: language, arts, crafts, cooking, music, building, gardening, animals, tourism, etc.
Help
Looking for: a mature and health conscious person or couple who wants to live in a rural environment to help build, maintain and operate an eco-project. Priority will be given to those who embrace physical activity and routine, communicate well, are emotionally stable, are reliable (can be left in charge), prefer to wake and sleep early (with the sun), are empathetic, adaptable to a variety of weather conditions, and tidy.
Daily chores we share include cooking, cleaning, care and feeding of animals (may involve handling meat), splitting and carrying firewood, etc. Infrastructure building work and maintenance is ongoing as is land clearing and maintenance.
Languages
Languages spoken
Greek: Fluent
English: Fluent
German: Intermediate
Portuguese: Intermediate
Spanish: Beginner
French: BeginnerThis 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.
Accommodation
Fiona's office will be used as a bedroom for your stay.
We can accommodate most dietary restrictions.
What else ...
There are some nice swimming spots in the area. Plenty of scenery in the mountains. Many places to walk/hike. Occasional parties and live music in the area.
[[LGBTQIA friendly]]
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have decent WiFi
Space for parking camper vans
Available spots are just on the other side of the river from the property, so it would be without electricity ;-)
Can possibly accept pets
It's all about the level of control that the owner is able to have over their animal ;-)
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (15)
Pre-arrival ‘J’m had been super communicative and helpful with directions and any necessary information for me to know and to reach their place. Once onsite I had the pleasure and privilege to spend almost two weeks on this wonderful piece of… read more
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Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.5)
Communication:
(5.0)
Pre-arrival ‘J’m had been super communicative and helpful with directions and any necessary information for me to know and to reach their place. Once onsite I had the pleasure and privilege to spend almost two weeks on this wonderful piece of… read more
Jim and Fiona were very hospitable, I felt really cared for - had… read more
This place is a paradise for living into the wild. Surrounded by eucalyptus and pine trees, a river and hills.
There are two possible trecks from the house!
We participated in the different stages of the construction of a mud wall. Take the clay, sift it, make… read more
Since our first contact, Jim gave us precise instructions on how to get to his place and was at the Esporão bus stop to give us a lift once we arrived. One should really trust his blog description on how to get there, otherwise it may get a bit confusing, since there is more than one… read more
It was a wonderful job cobbing the interior walls. Plus the final lime wash. And the other tasks were nice to do too.
I deeply appreciated Jim's kindness. Enjoyed the conversations, the yummy food, the marvellous guitar playing & singing.
And thanks… read more
I really enjoyed Jim's company and guitar playing (especially "The man who could fall backwards"… read more
Jim is a host who, in my opinion, is fully deserving of his 100% feedback rating. His place - a former goat stable, turned picturesque cobbed house, perched on a hill and surrounded by a small river - is truly amazing. Facilities are basic, as one… read more
( and the volunteer's room is pretty comfy ! :))
