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13 Jan 2024
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Description
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there." ~ Rumi
This is where a story begins. The passion for pure nature, the practice of yoga and mindfulness. A fertile space for roots to grow, wings to fly. Love is all you need.
We are Francisca and João and we live at the countryside very close to Lisbon. In a farm that is has been held by family and allows us to have a space to live and love. With a piece of land that we want to transform into an eco camping. A garden to practice permaculture and enough space to accommodate 2 and up to 5 people, allowing people to help us with our project. To make an example for ecological living in peace.
We met each other in the breakfast queue at the end of boom festival in 2014. The ecological vision of the festival is amazing. An example for recycling, re-using, reducing and taking care of nature. Ofcourse the creative elements and garden shapes, based on permaculture are inspiring to us. We have a happy dog 'Mooji' who loves cuddles. He is used to guests. Our cats and chicken will be around too.
We usually need help from 2 people who apply together and are okay to share a T0 home with beds located close together. Average stay is 1 week up to 15 days. It depends on what a certain project will require.
Currently we could use help with cooking, house holding, gardening, outdoor floor construction, painting and a safe space for our toddler.
For sure we can’t guide much, independent experiencing is required.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
One of the benefits is that we have a safe environment to stay. This is a place, on top of the hill, where we can hear free birds sing. It is more natural and calm than other places. That is the advantage of staying at the country side. Close enough to reach beaches. 30 kilometers of soft sand, ocean waves, surfspots, villages and Lisbon.
Next to the accomodation, we offer the meals in the form of groceries, to prepare your own vegetarian food in the guesthouse on working days. Or we ask you to make the vegetarian meals for all of us to share. We offer yoga classes if they are available and WiFi internet.
Sheets, towels, blankets are included. Our working schedule doesn't allow us to eat all meals and share working hours at the same time. If you need less hours of work we balance the exchange. Before people arrive we clarify what is needed. Francisca did a Permaculture Design Course and could briefly share the basics to work with nature.
We are teaching Mindfulness and Yoga in online and at home. It might be interesting. Practicing how to live based on ecological life style with awareness. To communicate and plan activities, sharing each others needs and to work with garden design based on sustainability. We speak English together. You might hear some Portuguese.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
A project based on working in de garden; maintaining and shaping the land, ground and trees/ plants. Building little DIY projects with old pallets for outdoor furniture, re-using, breading the fence with branches and painting work where needed. Inspired on the knowledge of a book; the gardening awakening by Mary Reynolds.
Carrying materials around the garden and land, landscaping, being able to work with the ground for plants and trees. Align with our bio/ ecological vision using biodegradable shower products, being responsable for your own recyclables. Knowledge sharing about natural products, gardening and upcycling is welcome.
Francisca is Dutch and João Portuguese. We both speak English. Next to our goal to work on the land, we have an interest in recieving help to make more outdoor camping facilities: An outdoor kitchen and hot compost shower for the camping ground.
Often you need to plan your own - or group working schedule, based on project priorities. Being proactive, devoted & very independent. Therefor we usually need minimal 2 volunteers at the same time who are comfortable to share a small guesthouse and work together.
Since March 2022 we have a baby. She needs our attention and care, therefor we may need some help around the house too or even with her if possible. This could be a new exchange next to help with gardening. Experience, sensibility and confidence will be needed.
A creative, peaceful, humble, honest, open mind will make it work.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Portuguese: Intermediate
Accommodation
Enjoy a cosy home base. Basic open interior with a 4p. kitchen table, 2 single beds, 1 shower with 1 toilet and an open kitchen (all materials to cook included). The guesthouse we offer is usually our moms “holiday home” so we expect our volunteers to take extra good care of it.
We have a main gate and we are neighbors. The farm it self has a big shed, old chicken houses, another small building. Cars are allowed to park outside the gate. From the land we can see the city lights shine over the river. The terrace in front of the house offers a place to sit outside. We offer laundry for sheets and towels if needed after a week or so. There is hand wash soap in case you wish to wash clothes and you can dry laundry outside on the line. Products for cleaning and showering are mostly biodegradable. We are careful using water.
If needed we will make use of our caravan which is connected to more ecological and simple, sustainable sources. We always balance the exchange. If needed we can offer a tent, sharing shower, toilet and cooking facilities from the houses and with other volunteers.
What else ...
Most is described in "Cultural exchange and learning opportunities"
It is possible to reach Lisbon from here. Crossing the bridge by car or travel with public transport. A ferry boat in Trafaria will bring you to Belém. From there you can travel by train. Or walk 10 minutes, take the metro and train from Pragal. Local restaurants, in 4 km distance, will serve fresh sea food and traditional dishes for friendly prices. There is a bus stop around the corner that will reach the coast places. The beach is 4,7 km distance. About 10 minutes by car or 1 hour walking. To cycle you need strong legs to go back, there is a bike rental at Trafaria's ferry. You need a budget for transports and extra food.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
A small Campervan can go up onto the land field. The gate is only 2.5 meters wide and vans can not be more then 4 meters long. We have a compost toilet now and we can create an outdoor shower in warmer months. Or if it is possible we make a shower schedule with the ones who stay in the T0 home, Casa da Mãe.
Can possibly accept pets
We have a male dog who is free to be outside. We can close the fence of the land to give camping volunteers a space for their dog to walk free. We have to be aware of the combinations we would make first and we are careful with that. Usually our dog goes well along with female dogs. Next to this we have cats and chickens who do not like being chased. Their safety and well-being is our first priority.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (16)
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Thanks to Laura and Diego who came our way to help. We asked a professional to properly install the fence. So what we needed to do was make space; cut the branches, watch, support and learn. Now our dog Mooji can run happy and free… read more
After 2 months of biketravelling, the volunteer's week revitalized myself . We built together a compost dry toilet in order to host more camper's volunteers like me.
This experience expected my expectation. I learned a lot about myself, the non-violence communication.
Francisca and João… read more
Clement was able to work together with Saartje and Fabi during the whole week. From helping to cut the dead evergreen, digging a hole, up to installing… read more
We had our guesthouse casa da mãe available for 4 nights and we had only a few hours of work to ask for. It's the time of the year that pragana seed heads pop out in the grass and they cause infections by crawling up into our dogs nose, ears and toes. So the main thing we… read more
Firstly, Fancisca, João and Mooji are amazing beings, filled with compassion and kindness. We instantly felt welcomed and comfortable in the guest house which comes with everything you could ever need.
Some highlights:
:art: A good balance of hard work and… read more
.:lizard:
It's going to be a challenge to describe how grateful we are with the help we received from Josh and Ciara. Arriving here, knowing that they would work… read more
Francisca and João's place really blew me away and will forever have a special place in my heart. The accommodation was so homely and comfortable, and they were so generous with the food for our meals. I… read more
.:lizard:
It's going to be a challenge to describe how grateful we are with the help we received from Ciara and Josh. Arriving here, knowing that they… read more
This project was based on painting the walls inside the old chicken houses and practice room. Starting with a white layer we where able to finish with real wall art. Deciding to use the… read more
:two_hearts:
Faye helped us with painting work, weeding… read more
:two_hearts:
Chelsie helped us with painting work, weeding the path and to… read more
:tanabata_tree:
Finally the natural fence finished. All little pieces help to… read more
Our communication was good from the start, before we even met. We feel that it also improved over time. Everything that we agreed upon was what we were… read more
Of course we haven't hosted so many travelers yet, but I'm going to describe why we are grateful for what Melanie and Tristian did. And first of all, the communication went well and we felt that we had… read more
She arrived first and I explained her all the things she could choose do, with a tour around the garden. Also gave her a paper with… read more
I had a really great time working in the garden, practising Yoga and learning from Francisca, going to the beach and just enjoying the nature around.
The place is very good located between Lisbon and the beach so you have a possibility to enjoy the… read more
For the future Workawayers:
The house is fantastic, it has a super comfortable big bed and also another smaller one on the second open floor. :) Kitchen had essentials for cooking, and Fransisca provided me with healthy… read more
With the main intention to help us develop this beautiful eco and re-use project. She has spend more hours on the land then we asked from her. Getter is precise on what she does. Several things were done like… read more
Despite the rain fall we had to deal with, this awesome girl managed to do all sorts of outdoor work :tanabata_tree::palm_tree::seedling::dragon::feet:
Things like peeling palm trees, breading the fence, modifying a part of a stone path, gardening,… read more
