Help with gardening project and care for the animals at a smallholding at Alenquer, Portugal

Details

• 

  Description

  John & I manage our small (1 hectare) garden and smallholding fulltime. Our garden is landscaped and we need some help with the project. What we have created is ambitious. There was nothing when we moved here nearly four years ago. We garden with love and care and do not use chemicals on the plants.
  
  We live less than a minutes walk to Obidos lagoon and less than 5 minutes drive to the ocean. The location is rural and we have one neighbour yet it takes us only 10 minutes drive to get into our local town and enjoy the facilities there. There are buses to the town from where we live. The weather is amazing here and plants grow and thrive. The winters are kind with only two or three days of light early morning frost in the winter months. In a previous life I studied horticulture. The garden is full of interesting but practical plants for this climate. We have an area of natural landscaping and a paddock where I keep a horse, goats, chickens and we have a koi pond. We also have four cats who we love dearly. The house has forest on one side and open views all around. There are fantastic walks on your doorstep and you can cycle easily to the beach and enjoy the scenery. You can also walk to the local restaurant. When you are at home here you are in the midst of nature but not isolated.

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  House sitting
• 

  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

  ...

  ...

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  What's this?
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are both from the UK. John used to work in the engineering field and I did office work in a legal capacity. I also trained in gardening. I can speak Portuguese but some additional help would be good and I can also speak French although I have not used it for a while. We are active members of a pro-Palestinian group and you are welcome to come to meetings with us and support this cause. John is adept at managing his koi pond and the landscaping projects in the garden. We have no family here but you will meet our neighbours who are young and very kind. There are many activities going on in the local town which is a centre for ceramics, sport and folklore. I love African drumming and percussion instruments.

• 

  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

• 

  Help

  We need help with hardscaping in the garden; mainly the construction of paths, walls, digging, weeding, moving heavy loads of manure, watering (if dry). Pruning but I will always be on hand if you need help. I may ask you to help with jobs indoors like hoovering or sweeping, cleaning windows or help with meals. You can also help with the animals especially if you are used to horses.

• 

  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Intermediate
  Portuguese: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  I would like to speak more Portuguese and more French! In return we can speak English.
• 

  Accommodation

  I will provide all meals. Accommodation can either be indoors and there is also access to a van where you can sleep. If you are sleeping in the van then we have toilet facilities available outside and you can use the shower indoors or there is a shower outside for use in warmer weather. We also have a swimming pool.

• 

  What else ...

  We are a quiet couple! We regularly go into our local town, Caldas da Rainha to shop and visit cafes/restaurants, gym or museums. Caldas has everything you could want. There are excellent bus connections direct to Lisbon and the rest of Portugal. We are ten minutes from Obidos fortified town.

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  Can host digital nomads

  You may not be able to get a good network signal outside of the house.

• 

  Space for parking camper vans

  You can park easily and have access to outside water and toilet.

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

Website Safety

Feedback (1)