Help us restore and create a thriving habitat for wildlife in sunny Salguero do Campo, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  We are Julian and Mardi, friends and owners of a small piece of paradise in central Portugal near Castello Branco.
  
  We are fortunate to own a few hectares of beautiful land and have two main objectives: rewilding and restoring the natural habitat for wildlife, birds and insects on the largest part of the land, and on the other side, we are rehabilitating the soil and using permaculture techniques to produce organic fruit and vegetables. We have a small vineyard with ancient vines that we are learning to tend in the traditional way and our equally ancient olive trees are the VIPs on our land.
  
  We live semi off-grid, in that we utilise solar power and water harvested from rain and our own wells, however, we also use gas for cooking and of course, rely very much on the internet for much of our communication and learning.
  
  We started cataloguing the wild flora last year and so far we have mapped more than 164 species. We aim to plant at least a thousand trees within the next 24 months. In amongst some very old Cork Oaks, we have a number of coppiced Eucalyptus trees who have grown into giants and there are plenty of mature Maritime Pine trees that provide shade and supports a lively eco-system.
  
  As part of our work to restore and create a thriving habitat for wildlife, we want to add plenty mores nests for bats, owls and birds. Already our trees are abundant with wild birds such as Tawny Owl, Blue Tit, European Bee Eater and many other. If you are a bird lover, we would love to work with you to catalogue all the species that grace our land. Our waterways are a haven for amphibians such as a large variety of frogs, fire salamander and lizards and we plan our water use around their needs. The unspoilt swathes of wildflowers, including lavender and rock rose are a playground for bees, many species of butterfly and even rare beauties such as lacewings visit often.
  
  Nothing goes to waste and we try hard to utilise what nature gives us: we are starting to produce essential oils from pine, eucalyptus and lavender that is so bountiful on the land. During harvest time, we will be processing our own olives and grapes, as well as preserving figs, peaches and other fruit that are harvested from neighboring farms where it would otherwise go to waste.
  
  There is a thriving community of eco-minded people in our area and we often jump out to help each other with projects and share produce, information and skills between us.
  
  We like to keep our own footprint as small as possible and live closely to nature, listening, observing and working with natural processes as closely as we can. For this reason we have not built any permanent structures yet, so our own accommodation will be similar to our guests in either a caravan or a bell tent.
  
  Whilst it can feel as if we are a hundred miles away from civilization, we are around 5km away from the village of Salguero do Campo with it's traditional thick-walled Portuguese houses nestled on the hilltop and small cafes and coffee shops where the locals hang out.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Your time with us will be full of learning opportunities both culturally and otherwise. Julian is German and Mardi is South African and have lived in London for many years. Both of us have travelled extensively and are happy to share our experiences and stories with you. There will be regular gatherings of friends around the area where you will share food and conversation with a very international group: Portuguese, English, Belgian, Swiss, Dutch and more. We regularly visit local villages on market days, where, together with us you will be able to savor Portuguese customs and produce. In Portugal there are often fiestas and celebrations which we will share with you.
  
  We will share our knowledge and experience of the land with you: the wildlife, their needs and how we interact with them. You will learn with us about food preservation, water optimization and how to best support and rehabilitate the fragile ecosystem around us.

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  Help

  We have both gained tremendously from our own Workaway experiences, so we want to make sure that your time with us is a learning, enriching experience in exchange for your help. There are a lot of physically demanding tasks such as planting trees, harvesting, gardening, chopping wood and installing bird nests. During harvest time, we will prepare and preserve fruit and olives and make essential oils from natural products on the land. In addition, helping us plan, asses and investigate the best areas to focus our rewilding efforts on, will be most welcome.

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  Languages

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

  This host offers a language exchange
  Any practice with French or Portuguese will be very welcome indeed!
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  Accommodation

  We have comfortable space in a caravan which you will share with at most one other person. We have outdoor showers, compost toilets and an outdoor kitchen that we all share. There are basic comforts which are supported by our solar power, such as a washing machine and fridge.
  We will provide breakfast cereals and fruit for breakfast and a full dinner. For lunch Workaways can make themselves some sandwiches or help themselves to fruit and snacks. Workaways can cook for themselves if they choose.

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  What else ...

  Close to nature we have to listen to her demands: in summer we have to get up very early so that we can do some work before it gets hot. Typically we will be up at around 6am and then work for a few hours until 10am or 11am after which we would move into the shade and keep ourselves busy with less strenuous things. There is a reason the Portuguese have a siesta! From around 12pm until 3pm everything closes and most people are taking a nap or hiding from the heat in the shade with a nice cool drink.
  
  Don't worry if you are a night owl and the thought of early mornings makes you shiver! In the evenings it gets cooler at around 6pm or 7pm. Typically we will go out on the land and get some work done before dark at around 10pm.
  
  You are free to choose which time of day works best for you to help on the land. The rest of the time you can relax in the shade on a hammock, visit the town or hang out at the local swimming beach or pool in the nearest village.
  
  We are approximately 12kms from Castello Branco, a big and vibrant town where you can find all the shopping and restaurants that you could wish for, even a cinema. The old town is breathtaking and you can soak in the ancient castle and local Portuguese cafes and restaurants. On most days, either we or one of our neighbors will be visiting the town, so you will have opportunities to get a lift if you so choose.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  Campervans are welcome, we have plenty of space. There are facilities in the town of Castello Branco to empty chemical toilets if this is what you choose, but you are welcome to use our composting toilets instead.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4 hours a day, 5 days a week

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