Profile information
Host rating
65 %
Last replied
29 Mar 2023
Feedback
3
ID verified
Email verified
Country info
Badges (4)
Details
Description
Our Quinta is an old schist-stone farmhouse in the foothills of the Gardunha mountains, central Portugal — abandoned for 30 years before we started renovating in 2021. We also restored the former winemaking ruin into "the tiny wine house." That’s where we live now. The property includes 0.5 ha of terraced land with ancient olive trees, cork oaks, figs and fruit trees. In 2022 we added a 1-acre horta with 4 ancient stone water wells, where we launched our permaculture food forest project.
The farm sits on a hilltop overlooking a village of 38 inhabitants. A municipal river beach is 5 minutes by car; the main town 35 minutes. Several secluded river beaches are within walking distance of our farm.
We are Jeroen (54) and Paul (55), a Dutch male couple together 25 years, living between Amsterdam and Portugal. Jeroen worked before as an artist, video editor and massage/bodywork therapist, before founding a natural healing centre in Amsterdam in 2011 that is still going strong with currently over 10 therapists working there. Paul worked as a documentary photographer, a mechanical special effects maker and currently works at the VU Amsterdam in movement studies dept. We live with our dogs MaryLou & HeyHey.
Our farm's name comes from the Tzolkin calendar: we were both born on a Blue Hand day, a symbol for everything understood, made and healed through the hands.
In 2026 we begin artisanal essential oil and hydrosol production using a copper alambic. Jeroen plans to host a nature coaching retreat and an olive harvest retreat in autumn 2026.
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
House & pet sitting
Interests
Videography
Events & social
LGBTQ
Sustainability
Pets
Self development
Farming
Plant care
Music
History
DIY & crafts
Books
Art & design
Photography
Gardening
Cooking & food
Architecture
Drawing & painting
Carpentry
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Camping
Mountain
Dancing
Beach
Water sports
Outdoor activities
Hiking
Cycling
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
- Permaculture combined with traditional Portuguese (and Moorish) small-scale agriculture
- Life in a centuries-old traditional European village culture
- Harvesting plant material and making essential oils
-Olive oil production as a living tradition
-Working with natural stone / clay and lime but also cement/concrete mixing
Help
We ask for 4 hours of help per day, Monday–Friday, 09:00–13:00. Breakfast at 08:00–08:30, daily work meeting at 08:30–08:45. Lunch is the main meal at 13:00; siesta 13:30–15:00. We cook and do dishes in turns.
During the hot months we shift to early morning hours (07:00–09:00) and the late afternoon shade (17:00-19:00) to avoid the heat, with a cooling swim at a nearby river beach or mountain lake
**Minimum stay:** 10 working days (within 2 weeks). **Maximum:** 8 weeks.
We offer car transfer from Castelo Branco or Fundão station (±40 min) — let us know your arrival in advance as we prefer one trip to town per week.
**Possible tasks in 2026:** making garden paths, chainsaw/axe work, firewood stacking, producing biochar, - bringing sand, clay, pebbles and cement downhill with the wheelbarrow, making essential oil/hydrosol, pouring a cement floor in the traditional bread oven space , re-installing outdoor kitchen outdoor hot shower for 2026 volunteers season, painting wood, soil improvement, weeding, mulching, planting, watering, harvesting, pruning (vegetables, grapes, olives), cooking, dishes, building herbal steam sauna /camper platform during autumn.
**Paid work in 2026** (experienced carpenter/furniture maker with detailed visual portfolio of finished projects): making wooden kitchen and veranda balustrade for the tiny wine house.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
German: Beginner
Portuguese: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
We are practicing portugese, can exchange in dutch, english and french
Accommodation
- **Camper:** spot on the hilltop with drinking water tap and great views over the valley and green hills.
- **Tent:** terraces in the olive grove (March–September)- Bring your own warm sleeping bag
- In 2026 we'll set up a large 10×5m army tent as communal space — allowing up to 6–10 guests (previously max. 2) Here we will install this years outdoor kitchen. (since bread oven is under construction)
- Sleeping inside the farmhouse is currently not possible(may change after summer 2026)
- Cold running water, electricity.
- Cold outdoor shower in summer; hot shower in tiny wine house bathroom in winter
- Starlink wifi around farmhouse + 4G/5G at camper spot
- Billions of stars at night; very hot in July–August; mild and sunny in march-may and sept-oct, with occasional very heavy rain
**House rules:** non-smoking preferred (smoke only at your camper, away from buildings, garden and dogs). Phones/tablets off during meals, work meetings and working hours. Natural medicinal herbs welcome; hard drugs not tolerated. A glass of wine with bread, olive oil and goat cheese in the evening is very much part of our lifestyle here.
What else ...
We're open to shared yoga, meditation, bodywork, music, singing and dancing. Board games welcome.
We go to town roughly once a week (supermarket, farmers market, building supplies, restaurants). Daily swims at river beaches on hot days. Hiking in the hills and the Gardunha mountain range is on the doorstep.
---
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Tarmac road + 200m dirt track (no 4×4 needed). Hilltop spot with panoramic views over valley and green hills, drinking water tap, outdoor shower, compost toilet access. solar panel with big battery available for charging phone/tablet/laptop.
Can possibly accept pets
a dog that enjoys to play with other dogs. cats only if they are used to be carefull when village dogs are around
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
MaryLou (3 years)
HeyHey
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (1)
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
