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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
31 Aug 2025
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93.7 %
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Details
Description
- Who we are a non-commercial, not-for-profit initiative. We are building a FabLab within a once abandoned farm, creating a place where thinkers, artists, makers, and farmers can come together to learn, share, and create. This is not a business but a community project, built and run entirely by volunteers.
- What’s happening right now: Renovating a traditional "taipa" ruin. Building a vermicompost system, renovating a classic Land Rover, and creating an outdoor kitchen among many other projects. Planning the next treehouse (or maybe a hobbit house!). There’s always something new — from low-tech farming projects to high-tech experiments in the lab.
- The setting: Our farm covers 22 hectares in the western Algarve, southern Portugal. The land has been slowly rebuilt since 2016 with roads, reservoirs for rainwater harvesting, solar power, and workshops for digital fabrication. We are mostly off-grid, though we still rely on bottled gas for cooking. We’re tucked away in the countryside, but just a short drive from Barão de São João, a friendly village with artists, surfers, and plenty of local culture. Stunning beaches and picturesque towns are close by.
- The spirit: Our philosophy is simple: to farm with the help of technology, and to develop technology with the help of the farm. The FabFarm is a place for all kinds of people: farmers, artists, hackers, surfers, inventors, and anyone curious about combining creativity with sustainability.
- Who you’ll meet: We are a family of five (two girls and a boy), living alongside dogs, cats, and a small flock of happy chickens. Volunteers become part of this environment, sharing both work and community life.
- What you can do: Construction and eco-building, gardening and land care, digital fabrication and electronics, energy and water systems, and creative projects (design, art, prototyping). You can contribute with your existing skills or try something completely new.
- Practical details: Arrivals are preferably on Mondays during daytime. No arrivals on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Upon arrival you’ll get a tour of the farm and be asked to sign a form with emergency contacts and basic rules (we can send it in advance if you’d like). We do not provide food, so volunteers are responsible for their own meals. Algarve winters are mild (almost never below 8°C), but can be rainy and unpredictable — bring boots, gloves, and a raincoat.
Types of help and learning opportunities
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
Interests
Technology
Sustainability
Self development
Plant care
Carpentry
Water sports
Sailing / Boating
Nature
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Learn about digital fabrication while helping to build an environment that benefits the surrounding community. We will explore both traditional and innovative construction techniques. Imagine combining adobe with 3D printing or creating your own surfboard.
Help
How you can help
We always have a wide range of tasks, so there’s something for different skills and interests: woodworking, mechanical work, programming, 3D design, architectural design, setting up pumps and machines, renovating the ruin using traditional methods, agriculture and planting (both experimental and traditional crops), website support, building accommodations for helpers and guests, and piling firewood.
Current focus
Right now we are concentrating on the house and general infrastructure: making solar panels for water heating, completing the lab setup, building a toilet and shower, improving lab machines, planting vegetables and fruit trees, and feeding the farm animals. We also use self-built CNCs, 3D printers, and laser cutters to support many of these projects, and we aim to document and share our processes online.
Important notes
Please only apply if you are confident about staying with us for the agreed time. Short or interrupted stays can be disruptive, as we invest a lot of energy into welcoming and integrating each volunteer. If you are mainly in the Algarve looking for a job and need a place to stay, please do not apply unless you can commit to a minimum of 2 weeks.
Life here is rewarding but rustic. Our installations are simple, in constant evolution, and we started everything from scratch — so it may not be suitable for everyone.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Portuguese: Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin): Beginner
Accommodation
We provide comfortable accommodation in a caravan and 6-meter bell tents. Workawayers with their own camper vans are also welcome. Facilities include a compost toilet, an earthworm compost flushing toilet, a sink, and hot showers. For families with children, we kindly ask that you bring a camper van, since our tents and caravan are shared with other adults.
What else ...
Things to keep in mind when volunteering with us
- Expectations: Beautiful views, a quiet and peaceful setting, physical work, dirty hands, and the chance to use your skills in meaningful projects.
- Food: We occasionally host BBQs or pizza nights, but volunteers supply their own food for daily meals. Cooking and washing dishes are shared in rotation.
- Leisure: The Algarve offers surfing, sunny weather most of the year, charming villages, and plenty of biking and hiking trails.
- Work commitment: 3 hours a day, 5 days a week (9:00–12:00). Tasks usually include farm infrastructure, renovation, agriculture, and tech-based projects. Daily chores like cleaning, cooking, firewood gathering, and personal projects or workshops are not counted as work hours — they are part of communal living. Please clean your space before leaving and return any borrowed items.
- Vegetable garden: You’re welcome to harvest what you need, but variety is limited, so plan to buy extra vegetables.
- Waste: We compost food scraps — please place leftovers in the compost bathtub.
- Smoking: Not allowed inside. Be cautious outdoors, especially in summer, as wildfires are a serious risk.
- Drugs: Please don’t bring drugs onto the farm.
- Accommodation: Volunteers stay in a caravan or large tent. The caravan is modern and fits up to 4 people (double bed + bunk beds). Spaces are shared and mixed, so please keep them clean and organized.
- Facilities: We provide a worm compost flushing toilet, a compost toilet, a sink, and hot showers. Bring your own towel, sunscreen, and biodegradable soap/shampoo.
- Transport: We recommend arriving by car or scooter. Barão de São João is 2 km away (5 min drive / 30 min walk). A bus stop nearby connects to Lagos (train, supermarkets, services). From Faro Airport you can take a bus or train to Lagos, where we can pick you up.
- Pets: We live with 3 cats and 4 dogs, including a large, playful one. If you are uncomfortable around animals, allergic, or afraid of big dogs, this placement may not be suitable.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Our schedule is light — just 3 hours a day — which makes it especially suitable for digital nomads. Volunteers have plenty of time to focus on remote work or explore the Algarve. Please note, however, that our internet runs on a 4G mobile router and may not be reliable at all times. If you depend on a stable connection for your income, we recommend getting a local 4G SIM card or internet plan to ensure uninterrupted access.
Space for parking camper vans
Guests are welcome to bring their camper vans, as we have plenty of space available. Please note that we do not provide electrical hookups, since we are fully off-grid and rely exclusively on solar energy.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
5 chickens
4 cats
3 dogs
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (36)
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Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.8)
A great host in a great location, I highly recommend.
His family is very kind (as well as the dogs and the cats) and I felt that I learned a lot of things in his company.
If you are interested in low tech alternatives and discovering homemade machines, then this is the place for you.
The surroundings are very… read more
Thank you for everything!
If you are staying for a while I'd definitely recommend buying/hiring a bike to get into the local village and Lagos.
I would highly recommend this Workaway if you a a practical and outdoor person… read more
Moreover you'll have the opportunity to help in the fablab, the laboratory hosted in refurbished containers with lots of tools and machines to tackle a big variety of… read more
We stayed in a caravan, just… read more
Thanks Clementine and have great travels.
They are nice hosts (Lucio and Nathalia), I know I haven't been easy to manage and that sometimes I could have been disrespectful but it wasn't on purpose.
And even with that, they made my experience one of the most unforgettable things I've done. And for that thank you!
If… read more
In terms of work, Lucio has so much experience and knowledge, so although we worked in fields that are familiar to us, we still learned new things every day.
The vibes at the farm… read more
I feel like there is something to do for all levels of skills. And much to learn.
Being able to manage yourself is a plus, but I feel like there many workawayers there as well which could guide you along.
Luccio is extremely… read more
Lucio… read more
Lucio has many different projects where you can bring in the skills you have or the ones you want to improve. We created a map (geoinformationsystem) of his farm, did gardening work and some woodwork for a dinner table. We improved our skills with woodworking… read more
I spend 2 months there and in hindsight I dont regret a single moment. There were tough times for sure, living with other Workawayers, cooking and managing the… read more
The farm is a nice place where you can help Lucio doing interesting and various projects and improving your DIY skills (… read more
I really enjoyed the valley around the farm, the scenery is very beautiful! The surroundings are very nice for hiking as well.
Lucio’s project appears to be such a promising Ark for the future! The entire place is made… read more
lucio always has an open ear for volunteer's suggentions and concerns and involves everyone in his planning… read more
During my stay of about three weeks, I was able to work on a fun project at the farm. I gained a lot of practical experience and even got to upgrade my van.
I had a wonderful time together with the other… read more
I was able to help design and build on various projects at different stages, including the treehouse, outdoor kitchen, churrasqueira and outdoor bathroom. The FabFarm was the… read more
The Farm is an amazing project. It is in the beginning stages, and there are so many things to do. You have the farm, a place to reconnect with nature, to learn what is quality of life such as… read more
He is a hard worker and will work until he completes the task he is set to do daily.
He knows how to fix things and needs little or no instruction. When setting up the electric fence for the pigs he broke one expensive multimeter by trying measuring… read more
My stay on the farm was great. The family is absolutely lovely and do everything they can to look after you. A decent amount of work is expected but the hours/methods of doing it are very flexible.
The farm is about a 15… read more
have safe travels Scott.
Lucio has a a really unique project going on. I highly encourage you to get involved if you want to learn new skills and be part of something that will… read more
With so many projects that need doing, there are jobs to interest anyone and I thoroughly enjoyed the work. There are many skills to be learned here!
I spent my off time exploring Lagos and… read more
Wether you are interested in technical stuff like for example 3D printing or typical farm jobs like taking care of the plants and animals - there will always be something to do (and to learn).
The land is very beautiful and the whole family is totally… read more
