Help on our organic family farm in the mountains near Marmelete, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  Hi
  We are a family with 2 kids ( aged 7, 10) living in South Portugal, up at the mountains of beautiful Serra the Monchique, near a small town called Marmelete. In 2019 we were finally able to fulfill our dream of owning our own piece of land, a 1,8 hectares plot with a centennial oak tree forest, amazing agricultural terraces and a large area covered by an abandoned and overgrown eucalyptus exploration.
  We managed to rebuild the existing stone ruin, and started to recover the plot following decades of abandon; unpenetrable brambles were brought down and gave place to an emerging fruit orchard and a vegetable garden; we also started bringing down the eucalyptus to create a fire safety perimeter, revealing lots of small oaks, unleashing the potential of reviving the indigenous forest that once covered all of these hills..
  Our project, our passion, but also a lot of work! We need help to take our initiative ahead, from basic farm management to building small support infraestructures ( wood shed, compost box, tools storage etc...), and of course, the reforestation project, bringing down an eucalyptus monoculture and replacing it with a mosaic of biodiversity based on a wide variety of local trees and plants.
  We are looking for a couple who shares this sense of mission and love for farm work\ countryside life, not afraid of sometimes demanding physical labor, but essentially people that are able to integrate in a quiet family project and environment, not designed to create profit, simply to be as it is, a small hidden paradise on this corner of earth.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are DIY farmers for almost 15 years now, did a lot of experiments, many mistakes, our experience is here for sharing with those who join us. Professional experience in land regeneration, reforestation projects and water sustainable design is also part of the exchange, with transformation happening right in front of our yes. Yet, the greatest learning experience, as we see it, lies in the place itself, in the daily contact with nature, the silence, the strength of natural elements, the undisclosed wisdom of a centennial mountain forest.

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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 are looking for help in daily management of a family scale, non profit, organic agricultural farm, which includes running the veggie garden and the fruit orchard, land maintenance tasks such as strimming, weeding, fertilizing, mulching etc.., basic landscape operations using local available materials (stones and wood), building of support farming infraestructures (carpentry skills required..), and several operations included in the reforestation process of the eucalyptus parcel: transporting wood, organizing green mass for proper decomposing, creating water retention lines, pruning of native trees, chopping down reviving eucalyptus, seeding and planting new trees..

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  Languages spoken

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

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  Accommodation

  We offer accommodation in a lovely renewed caravan placed in the heart of the oak forest, totally equipped with fridge, cooker and everything you need to be self sufficient. There's an outside decking space, roof covered, which includes a sofa, a table and a small toilet with hot water and a shower cabin. Workawayers will be responsible for their own food. In return for accommodation we expect three working hours per day, five days per week, with the possibility of adjusting these hours according to one's desires or the project's specific needs. There will be a trial period of one week to assess integration and mutual empathy, and then compromise will go with the flow.

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  What else ...

  Helpers will enjoy a lot of time for themselves, ideal for exploring the area. Our plot lies 500 mts away from the Monchique hiking trail - Via Algarviana - so there is a lot of nature to discover within walking distance. For those who own their own vehicle, both the south and the west Coast are just 30 minutes away. Public transport is rare when you want to reach the nearby cities (Portimão, Lagos), but hitchhiking is possible, and we are also here to help. Basic needs can be attended in the nearby village of Marmelete.

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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

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  3 hours per day, five days per week

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