Join a French family and help with our permaculture projects in Olhão, South Portugal

Details

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  Description

  We are a French family of four living in South Portugal for 10 years now.
  
  At the Quinta, we are trying to implement a life logic agriculture project with as much biodiversity as possible. Our 2.6 ha (6 and 1/4 acre) plot is composed of citrus, carob, olive, fig, almond and other fruit trees, half acre vegetables, three dogs and two cats roaming free and fish in the tank. We are focusing on the farm inhabitants food autonomy, the surplus would be offered.
  
  My wife Cécile and I, Laurent, have had a organic farm project since we met 24 years ago. We have begun to realize it here in Algarve for 8 years now. We invite you to discover what we are trying to implement. The main idea behind it is to ape organic life by growing as many different a plant as possible, to plant trees in the dry lands to shelter the soil from the harsh summer sun. We've rejuvenated our orange plantation with grapefruits, limes and tangerines. We are also renovating the hundred-year-old house.
  
  We are practicing a mix of permaculture, organic, biodynamic farming working these principles around with the harsh Algarve climate. We work by hand as much as possible but still we use two small tractors to shred wood branches and scar the soil twice a year to keep it moist longer. We also mow with the tractor but with a little help we’d like to use scythes to do it as we did the first summer we were here.
  
   We need help in the field as well as in the house. Laurent has built a 50-sqm shed, our 100-year old house needs restauration and improvements, we'd like to build wood porches for our two caravans, one dry toilet shack, a solar dryer structure…
  
  Help is needed for daily activities too like cooking, animal feeding, pruning trees, yielding fruits and veggies, watering, etc.
  
   Hence the farm offers a wide variety of tasks for the younger to the older, from the stronger to the wiser : François had heart problems, he cooked for us and crushed almond shells every day. Marie-Claire was raised in the city, she is a hair dresser, she did prune the trees. Mamadu is strong and willing, he mounted double glassed windows, dug holes for tree planting. Anne was a music teacher with a special milk and gluten free diet, she cooked for us to be certain it would fit her diet and taught music to the children. We are sure that you will find a way to help us with your own skill and will.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We speak Portuguese, French and English. Apart from farming experience, my wife is a creative potter, she teaches a new moulding technique called Touroulage. I used to be a professional skipper and a yachtmaster instructorand naval engineer. I’m knowledgeable in old building restauration and passiv haus conception so you may ask any question on these topics.

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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

  We plan to build wooden shades for caravans, finish tiling the farm roof, make a new terrace in front of the house. I have also a special side project : I’m building an outrigger canoe which I wish to finish before the end of the year.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Portuguese: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  There are two 2/3-people caravans to host you. We share our bathroom, veranda and kitchen. We do not smoke, we do not do drugs hence we would prefer to host non-smoking guests.
  A day's work begins with the sunrise in the summer, we work until 1pm in the afternoon with a break for breakfast around 9-10 am, and work another hour at dusk to water the plants and feed the animals. We rest in the afternoon or go to the beach to cool down when it is too hot. Afternoons and Sundays are off. We provide lodging all the time of your stay but provide food during working days but not on saturday night and Sunday lunch as we need to rest to.

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  What else ...

  There is a good and cheap train service along the South coast of Algarve from Vila Real de São António to Lagos. There are ferries to the Islands of Ria Formosa to go to the ocean and back country trails to explore.

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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

  We have hosted wwoofers with small campervans as our driveway is a narrow dirt track.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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