Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
17 Mar 2025
Feedback
8
Email verified
Country info
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hey there! 👋 We’re Lars (30) and Ayla (24), a Dutch couple who traded the Netherlands for a new life in Portugal. Since 2022, we’ve been building our off-grid farm in the stunning Gouveia region, surrounded by 🏔️ boulder rocks, 🥾 hiking trails, and a flowing stream 💦. Our furry companions, Athos 🐕 and Fransje 🐈, complete our little family.
After two years of renovations, our off-grid home is nearly finished—but our dream is far from complete! 🌱 With 4.5 hectares of land, we’re now focusing on creating a sustainable farm. We’ve already planted a food forest 🌳 and vegetable garden 🥕. We are having chickens 🐔 and bees 🐝. Soon we will add ducks 🦆 and pigs 🐖 to help us maintain the land, enrich the soil and to help us become more self-sustainable.
Soon we are starting on repointing the outside walls of the house with natural lime mortar. We organise an amazing group of friends, family and volunteers. Ofcourse with the necessary parties, bbq, karaoke and swimming in the river. 🏊
We love meeting new people, sharing stories, and working together on this adventure. We’d love to have you! 😊
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
House & pet sitting
Interests
Vegetarian or vegan
Van life
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Pets
Farming
Culture
Events & social
Charity work
Plant care
Music
History
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Art & design
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Water sports
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Camping
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
🌍 Live the off-grid lifestyle – Be part of an eco-project from the beginning. Maybe one day, you’ll start your own!
🛶 Balance work & free time – Enjoy plenty of free time to explore, relax, and follow your interests independently or together with us and other volunteers.
🌿Lars was an ecological landscaper in the Netherlands and can teach you a lot about the land, soil, trees, and everything you need to know to start a farm.
Ayla works remotely as an office manager. On her free days she helps with the project, and spends her time doing yoga, reading, cooking.
We would love to learn some Portuguese!
Help
Together we will do the following:
🌱 Gardening – Maintaining the food forest & vegetable garden, clearing land, and planting.
🐔 Animal Care & Housing – stables for chickens, pigs, and ducks.
🛖 – Help building a volunteer glamping area, outdoor kitchen, extra compost toilet, and outdoor shower.
🚜 General – Tidying up, and making the farm even more beautiful.
🍽 Communal & Independent Meals – We love sharing big (vegetarian) meals and taking turns cooking, but we also enjoy personal time, so you’ll sometimes cook and eat alone or with fellow volunteers.
💪🏻We ask for a minimum of 4 hours of volunteer work per day, with weekends off. We’re looking for volunteers who take initiative, clean up after themselves, and contribute positively.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Portuguese: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
We want to learn more Portuguese! We are still beginners.
Accommodation
🏕 Stay in a camper, safari tent, or personal tent/campervan – We have room for two volunteers in our cozy camper (with two double beds & a small kitchen). If the camper is full, we offer tents and sleeping supplies. You're also welcome to come with your own campervan.
🚿 Basic but Beautiful Living – Compost toilet, outdoor shower, and a stream for natural bathing in the springtime.
😌 Relax & Unwind – Hammocks, fire nights, siestas, and plenty of spots to enjoy nature.
What else ...
🏔 Serra da Estrela National Park – Visit Portugal’s highest mountain (Torre), and even ski in the right season!
🏖 River Beaches & Coastline – Swim in nearby river beaches or visit Aveiro (1-hour drive) for a beach day.
🔥 Fun & Social Life – Join us for hikes, bonfires, games, and weekends with our friends, who also love meeting new people.
If you’re looking for an adventure, love working with nature, and want to be part of our off-grid dream, we can’t wait to meet you! Send us a message and let’s make it happen. 🚀✨
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (6)
I enjoyed… read more
Jelmer also showed up for various other tasks,… read more
During the midweek we were working on the renovating of the main house with Lars.… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
I enjoyed… read more
Jelmer also showed up for various other tasks,… read more
During the midweek we were working on the renovating of the main house with Lars.… read more
With Lars I was working at the the house restoring the walls which was super exiting! Ayla is a super carrying Person and cook's delicious meals🥦.
All in all it feld like working and spending time with friends💃
Im excided to follow the process!
Wish you all the best 😘
We would have loved to have them over for a longer time and as we told them, they are welcome any time!
Hilde and Aron were… read more
The time we did spent with Ayla, friends and Athos was great as we could already see how kind they were.
The area is beautiful, their land is too and has great potential. Right now, it is still very basic as… read more
