Profile information
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Host rating
100 %
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Last replied
10 Nov 2026
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Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
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Feedback
38
Total number of feedback received and left
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Description
🌱 Join our planting season !
With the first autumn rains expected in October, we’re preparing for a winter of planting! We’ve just completed major earthworks to create dense, diverse planting systems inspired by permaculture and syntropic agroforestry. Rainwater stored in our lakes and retention ponds will irrigate the plants, powered entirely by solar energy on our off-grid farm.
We’re looking for 2–3 volunteers who enjoy planting, getting their hands in the soil and learning about permaculture and syntropic growing together. Come help us bring this new chapter to life!
We are a family of three and our land is out in the country side of the Alentejo. Some years ago we have moved from Germany to Portugal and are currently working on a 10 ha eco project where we invite you to think, play and participate. We have set up some of the essential infrastructure like an Solar Off-Grid System for electricity, a water system for freshwater from one of our wells, a central shower and toilet house, and a simple kitchen.
Our property is very remote and perfect for enjoying nature. We have some natural lakes where we regularly enjoy a skinny dip. Also we are using the lake water to turn our garden into a permaculture biotope.
Doreen has studied “Environment and Forestry” and is focusing within the project on the land development and gardening by following the ideas of permaculture, regenerative agriculture and syntropic farming. Her aim is to stop desertification and to make our land green and fertile by applying a smart water management. Also she is experimenting with different valuable and unique plants and processes.
Falko has a wide spread engineering background and worked for many years as a Project Manager for large scale solar power plants across the world. Falko looks into different construction projects such as refurbishing our old Alentejo adobe farmhouse. A new roof is in place and we have done the plastering of the inner walls by using the clay from our land.
Fabian is 16 years old and loves sports. After attending a Portuguese local school for 5 years, which helped him becoming fluent in the Portuguese language, he now is learning project based and homeschooled with an American school. Fabian loves the nature and animals here and he enjoys jumping on our trampoline and riding his bike on a self made mountain bike dirt track on our land which he is constantly expanding.
The three of us have traveled a lot with our camper van all over Europe and have spent extended time in India and Japan. We have an honest interest in different cultures and love to meet people from different nations.
For some years now we have two families living with us on our land. Both families have three kids each in a range between 4 and 18 years old.
We are also open to other families or couples who want to join our project for a longer period or want to become co-creator.
You will come as a WorkAwayer and most likely leave as a friend. -
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Light gardening
Creative DIY projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Light maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
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Interests
Sustainability
Technology
Van life
Self development
Pets
Charity work
Plant care
Languages
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Cooking & food
Art & design
Animals
Adventure sports
Dancing
Hiking
Nature
Water sports
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Fitness
Cycling -
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
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Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We enjoy community life and have been travelers ourselves for many years. We are open to new cultures and languages and enjoy exchanging travel adventures as well as sharing knowledge we’ve gained during the last years building up our little homestead.
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Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
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Help
GARDENING
From a former Olive tree plantation we are increasing the diversity by planting more fruit and supporting tree species. Also we have created some new vegetable beds which deliver fresh veggies all around the year. The jobs in the garden are:
- maintaining vegetable beds
- weeding
- grass trimming
- pruning
- making compost
- harvesting olives in autumn
- planting trees
Since we have some chickens we would like some help with cleaning and feeding them on a daily basis.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND DIY
We have a beautiful old farmhouse made from clay which we have refurbished and do need volunteers mainly for painting (lime paint) and plastering with clay.
Also we want to invite volunteers who are comfortable to work with tools and wood for some DIY projects. We need help with refurbishing our basic tree house and with building some other small wooden structures on the land.
We love cooking and eating healthy meals. It’s always great to have people cooking with us and enjoying a healthy, mostly vegetarian diet. The meat we occasionally prepare is from our home slaughtered chickens. -
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Portuguese: Beginner -
Accommodation
Our volunteers will either stay in a caravan or a guest room - depending on availability. We have a central shower/toilet house for you to use. We like good, healthy and mostly vegetable based food (partly out of our own garden) and although we are not vegetarian, meat only plays a minor role in our diet. We are a family and would love to welcome you as a part-time member that means we like to cook and eat and spend some fun time together.
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What else ...
We live close (10 min by car) to the small town of Ourique which offers supermarkets, cinema, post office, library and lots of little shops, cafes and restaurants. From here it will take you approximately 50 min either to the coastline of the Algarve or west coast. The area around our property is good for walking, cycling and horseback riding. A riding stable is in the neighborhood.
We enjoy being here very much especially because it is a very peaceful place. Would be nice to welcome people who like to live close to nature and enjoy the tranquility and authenticity of rural Alentejo.
Ourique is connected to the Portuguese bus network (Rede Expressos) and we can pick you up at the local bus station. The nearest train station is Funcheira which has connections to Lisbon and Faro. This is also where the closest airports are. -
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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Can host digital nomads
Digital nomads are welcome to stay, help and use our facilities. We have a very reliable high speed internet connection via StarLink.
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Space for parking camper vans
Travelers who come in their own camper or caravan are welcome to stay on our land where we can offer outdoor facilities (kitchen, shower, toilet). We are very interested in welcoming families with children of all age but preferably between 12 and 16 years old (because of our son Fabian).
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Can possibly accept pets
Pets we only can accept when they are easily controlled by the owner, and don’t hunt our chickens.
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How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
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My animals / pets
Ilvy
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (16)
Are a nice expat family and welcomed me open on their land and project. I learned about watermanagement in an area that’s increasingly endangered by desertification. I learned some basic principles of low and hightech landscaping and preservation like chop and drop, halfmoonswells and a standard of living which u wouldn’t … read more
During our time on the property in the middle of nature, we planted trees, did some gardening work and cooked together with them.
We were able to learn a lot from Doreen and Falko and were integrated very nicely into their way of life.
their openness and … read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.9)
Are a nice expat family and welcomed me open on their land and project. I learned about watermanagement in an area that’s increasingly endangered by desertification. I learned some basic principles of low and hightech landscaping and preservation like chop and drop, halfmoonswells and a standard of living which u wouldn’t … read more
During our time on the property in the middle of nature, we planted trees, did some gardening work and cooked together with them.
We were able to learn a lot from Doreen and Falko and were integrated very nicely into their way of life.
their openness and … read more
We wish you all the best for your further … read more
The spirit and vibe exhales care for nature and for people. I was warmly introduced to and got very inspired by the five principles along which they work their land, i.e. (i) off-grid solar energy, (ii) … read more
Thank you so much for all you … read more
To start with I mainly worked with Falko and another workawayer building an extension to the car port and laying decking for an outside seating and … read more
Towards the end of his time as a workawayer Sean took care of our … read more
Lena is a great Mom and spends most of her time with Maila, helping her with growing up and experiencing things on her own, she also helped with gardening and jobs … read more
Félix was very friendly and easy to get along with, he was a real asset to the project for five weeks right from day … read more
Whilst he was with us Roberto took a keen interest in all things permaculture and spent a lot of time in the … read more
Their farm is in a very nice place, in the Alentejo region, the most rural and authentic part of Portugal. The farm itself is very nice and has all the confort (I was in a big bedroom with bathroom and a wood stove).
Flako, Doreen … read more
Jake came during his trip through Europe also to our place in Portugal for a couple of weeks. He is a very lovely companion who willingly works on any project and always gives a hundred percent. It was super nice to have him here and we consider ourselves very lucky … read more
Falko and Doreen welcomed me with the utmost care and consideration for my stay and first-time adventure experiences in … read more
Jeff is a great guy who is marvelous to work with. It was fun to have conversations with him as well as just to sit and enjoy the sweet entity of nature.
Thank you very much Jeff for all your help, … read more
This eco-center is ideal for anyone wishing to contribute to a meaningful project. Their work is helping Nature reclaim the Earth.
Some of the best parts of the experience were:
- … read more
We had a wonderful time at their paradise. It was an ideal place to break free of the very hectic world. It is a very remote laying clay house; you have to drive 2km over an unpaved road. At night there is only one spot with some lights and for the rest it is darkness all around and you can see a lot of stars. … read more
