Living, learning and growing with the land in Patrimônio da Penha, Brazil

Details

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  Description

  Sítio Maromba ❉ Where Good Life Becomes Daily Practice
  
  Some places change because people pass through them.
  Others change because people choose to practice life there.
  We are Laura and Maromba, sharing one of those places.
  Our days move between coffee trees, creative work, shared meals and whatever the season quietly asks of us.
  
  Over the years, this place has become much more than a farm. It is where we practice the kind of life we want to live — one rooted in meaningful work, practical skills, good conversations and a close relationship with the land. Every season teaches us something new, and every project grows from real needs rather than fixed plans.
  
  
  The Place ❉
  Our home is nestled in the mountains of southeastern Brazil, on the edge of Caparaó National Park, surrounded by Atlantic Forest, waterfalls, coffee farms and quiet rural villages.
  
  Part of the land is devoted to restoring native forest by growing local tree species that will eventually be replanted across the landscape. Across the property, different spaces support different parts of daily life — from the forest and coffee fields to the greenhouse, workshop and kitchen. New ideas are tested here in the same way they grow in nature: gradually, season by season.
  The nearby village of Patrimônio da Penha is about 3 km away, with small markets, cafés, restaurants and the essentials for daily life.
  
  
  Life Here ❉
  Our week follows a simple rhythm.
  
  From Monday to Thursday we focus on the projects that sustain this place. Depending on the season, that may mean caring for coffee growing within the forest, propagating native trees, working with natural building, maintaining trails and infrastructure, planting, harvesting or developing new ideas.
  Friday is our day of transition. We prepare the conditions for the week ahead, take care of shared spaces, visit the local city and finish the many small tasks that keep everyday life running smoothly.
  Throughout the season we occasionally dedicate Saturdays to shared creative projects, practical skills or small workshops. Their frequency depends on the rhythm of the season and ongoing projects, so rather than following a fixed schedule, they emerge naturally when the right moment comes.
  Sunday is for slowing down. Some people hike, visit waterfalls, read in a hammock or spend the day doing very little.
  
  We believe rest is part of a healthy rhythm too.
  Because this rhythm is at the heart of everyday life here, we usually welcome people for stays of two weeks or longer. It gives everyone time to settle in, build relationships and become part of the natural flow of the place.
  
  
  What You May Experience ❉
  Life here changes with the seasons, so every stay is a little different.
  Depending on the time of year, you might help harvest food, care for coffee, build compost, plant and maintain our hugelkultur beds, prepare natural building materials, work in the greenhouse, collect firewood for cooking, share the kitchen or spend time creating in the workshop.
  
  Some activities return every week, while others appear only when the season calls for them.
  More important than learning individual skills is discovering how each part supports the others. The kitchen shapes the garden. The forest shapes the coffee. The workshop shapes the house. Everything grows through relationships.
  
  
  The People Tending This Place ❉
  Maromba has spent more than twenty years caring for and regenerating this land. He is an artisan, cook and maker whose work moves naturally between wood, natural building, coffee, food and the many practical things that keep a place alive.
  Much of what he knows has come through years of making, experimenting, observing and finding his own ways of doing things.
  Laura comes from a world of design, visual art, music and creative practice. She is interested in how people learn through experience, how ideas become tangible and how different ways of seeing can change the way we approach a place, a material or a task.
  She also gives shape to the learning experiences, creative projects and structures that support everyday life here.
  
  
  Who Usually Feels Good Here ❉
  People who enjoy this place are usually curious, attentive and comfortable with simple living.
  They enjoy learning by doing and naturally begin to notice what needs attention around them. When something is unclear, they ask. When they see an opportunity to contribute, they take thoughtful initiative.
  They appreciate both working together and having time to explore things independently, understanding that meaningful contribution sometimes means leading, sometimes supporting and sometimes simply paying close attention.
  
  You don't need previous experience.
  Presence, respect and curiosity matter much more.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Light maintenance

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Videography

  

  Events & social

  

  Self development

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Culture

  

  Farming

  

  Writing

  

  Performing arts

  

  Gardening

  

  Photography

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Art & design

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Cycling

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Cultural Exchange & Learning ❉
  Cultural exchange here grows naturally through the things we do together.
  People who stay here bring their own knowledge with them too. Someone may know how to cook a dish we've never made, work with a material differently, play an instrument, grow something we haven't grown, or simply see something from a perspective we hadn't considered.
  
  We like making space for these exchanges through practice — cooking together, creating things, working with the land, sharing music and stories, or simply spending time together.
  There is also a lot to discover beyond the property. Waterfalls around Patrimônio da Penha, nearby mountains and trails, and places such as Pico da Bandeira can become part of your time here.
  
  When time and circumstances allow, we may explore something together, or connect you with people from the region who can help you discover it on your days off.
  
  We don't try to fill every free moment. Sometimes the most valuable exchange happens around a table, while making something, or in a conversation that wasn't planned.
  We hope people arrive with something to share, something to learn, and enough curiosity to let the two meet.

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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

  The Kind of Help We Share ❉
  Our work follows the needs of the land and the rhythm of the season, so there isn't one fixed task list.
  
  Depending on what is happening when you arrive, you may help with:
  · caring for coffee plants growing within the forest
  · propagating and planting native trees
  · gardens, food production and compost
  · maintaining trails and infrastructure
  · preparing natural building materials and working on simple building projects
  · harvesting and processing food for our household
  · collecting firewood and caring for everyday systems
  · preparing your own meals and sharing kitchen life
  · creative projects and practical work in the workshop
  
  Some tasks are physical and practical. Others ask for patience, observation, precision or simply noticing what needs attention.
  We usually work together during the morning and afternoon sessions, learning through doing and sharing skills along the way.
  Projects may already be underway when you arrive, while others may appear during your stay because something on the land needs attention.
  Care and willingness to participate matter more than arriving with a particular skill set.
  Any help with cooking or food preparation is for our shared household life and meals, not for paying guests or commercial food service.
  The food we grow, harvest or process as part of these activities is for our household and everyday life here. Workawayers are not involved in sales, commercial production, packing or other direct commercial activities.
  
  Everyday Rhythm ❉
  Our working day begins at 8:00.
  We usually have a morning session until around 11:00, when the strongest heat arrives. The middle of the day gives us time to prepare and share food, rest and take care of the spaces we have been using.
  We return to afternoon activities around 15:00 and usually finish by 17:00.
  Friday has a different rhythm and is usually our day for going into town, taking care of weekly shopping and other practical things. When possible, it is also a convenient moment to travel to or from the area with us.
  Sunday is generally a quieter day.
  
  We value both shared time and independence. There is space here to explore, rest, create and follow your own interests alongside participating in everyday life.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Polish: Fluent
  Portuguese: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Where You'll Stay ❉
  The way people stay here changes with the season, the size of the group and the life unfolding around the land.
  
  Sleeping spaces may include a prepared tent or our creative workshop. The workshop can be shared with other Workawayers when more than one person is staying.
  Rather than assigning spaces far in advance, we decide where everyone will stay once the group has arrived, taking into account the people who are here, the weather and the possibilities of the moment.
  Wherever you sleep, we provide what you need for a good night's rest: a mattress, bedding and blankets. We simply ask you to bring your own towel.
  The workshop is one of the spaces where everyday life can unfold. It has hot water, a small kitchen with basic cooking facilities and an outdoor bathroom with a shower using water from the river.
  
  Food is part of everyday life here, but everyone is welcome to participate according to their own rhythm. We provide the basic ingredients and kitchen supplies needed for Workawayers to prepare their own meals during the week.
  We also enjoy preparing and sharing food together when it happens naturally. Maromba is a cook and loves sharing Brazilian flavours, ingredients and techniques, while the kitchen is also a place where people can bring recipes and food traditions from their own cultures.
  Any shared cooking is part of household life and cultural exchange, not food preparation or service for paying guests.
  
  Life here is simple and close to the elements. You may wake up surrounded by forest, hear people beginning the day outside or find yourself sitting with someone in the workshop after a day of practice.
  The spaces here are part of a living place rather than a fixed accommodation system. We arrange them with the group once everyone has arrived, so that the setup works well for both the people and the place at that particular moment.

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  What else ...

  A Few Things to Know ❉
  Life here is closely connected to the land, the weather and the seasons. Rain, heat, harvests or an unexpected need on the property can sometimes change the plan.
  We appreciate people who can stay curious and flexible when that happens.
  
  Most importantly, we ask for care, respect and attention — to the land, the spaces we share, to each other and to the rhythm of the place.
  Asking questions, communicating openly and noticing what is needed are all part of learning how to live and practice here.
  
  
  Food & Kitchen Life ❉
  Food is part of everyday life here, but everyone is welcome to participate according to their own rhythm.
  We provide the basic ingredients and kitchen supplies needed for Workawayers to prepare their own meals during the week.
  
  We also enjoy preparing and sharing food together when it happens naturally. Maromba is a cook and loves sharing Brazilian flavours, ingredients and techniques, while the kitchen is also a place where people can bring recipes and food traditions from their own cultures.
  Any shared cooking is part of household life and cultural exchange, not food preparation or service for paying guests.
  
  
  Before You Write ❉
  If this rhythm feels like one you would genuinely enjoy, we'd love to hear a little about you.
  Rather than telling us only what you've done, tell us something about who you are.
  
  What kind of place helps you feel most alive?
  
  There is no right answer.
  We're simply curious about the kind of life that feels meaningful to you, and whether our everyday rhythm might be a good match for this chapter of your journey.
  
  If our way of living resonates with you, we'd be happy to hear your story.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  People working remotely are welcome. The workshop can offer a quieter place close to the rhythm of the land, but it does not currently have its own internet connection, so remote workers will need their own reliable connection. Depending on the circumstances and the nature of your stay, other spaces may occasionally be available for working online. We prefer to discuss this individually rather than promise a particular workspace in advance. Internet is generally available around the main property, although being in the mountains means that occasional interruptions can happen.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have space for campers and motorhomes on our property, with access to water, a sink and electricity. Proper bathroom facilities, including a shower and toilet, are currently available in our house and in the workshop. Our camping area is evolving alongside the rest of the place, so facilities may change as the season progresses. If you are travelling with a camper or motorhome, we'll be happy to discuss the current possibilities with you before your arrival.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Tara (17 years)

  

  Kali (10 years)

  

  Satya (9 years)

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