Information du profil
Évaluation d'hôte
80 %
Last replied
20 mai 2022
Feedback
30
E-mail vérifié
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Séjour min. souhaité : Au moins deux semaines
Infos
Description
*️️️️️️️UPDATE*️️️️️️️
*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️At the moment we are looking for a responsible person or couple to join us for the month of December: The first half of the month, you'll learn about all aspects of running this off-grid home; for the second half, you'll be taking care of the place, while we are away for two weeks*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️
Early days on an ecological project to create a working model of accessible sustainability in the mountains of central Portugal. The evolving concept is to experiment with, develop and share techniques of natural building, regenerative agriculture and healthy living. This may include aspects of sustainable/alternative energy production, food production, passive solar energy, food forest development, forest management, vermiculture, water management, humane animal partnership and community integration.
Closest village is a twenty minute walk. Closest town is a twenty minute drive. Site is along a hiking trail that is used fairly regularly by local and international tourists and even a local goat herd. Wild boar, deer, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, various birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and an array of insects populate the surrounding forests and streams. The property is half encircled by a mountain stream that runs all year round. The main stone building is hundreds of years old and would've originally been used to house goats and straw, as well as, possibly, seasonal workers. I was told that there was some kind of nudist colony using the land in the 80's, but eventually angered locals by breaking into (and thereby damaging) the beehives that were kept nearby. The trees that were growing inside the building have been removed, the floor dug down and a proper, fairly traditional, stone floor put in. It now has a new roof and the walls have been rendered with a clay mixture, outside. A rocket mass heater has been installed for heat and most cooking. Butane is also used for cooking for the moment with a plan to phase it out, eventually. The inside of the house has been completely cobbed and limed. The wooden parts of the building (beams, floors, stairs, etc.) have been treated with borax and then either linseed oil or limewash. Besides the main building (which is actually a combination of two), a tool shed has been built, as well as a footbridge over the stream, a large covered area that serves as a wood storage/splitting area and a cabin to house chickens, ducks and possibly rabbits, has been started, all using wood from the land and local area. An extension of the house has just been built, which contains: An indoor dry compost toilet (a complement to the outdoor hut), an indoor shower, a bidet, laundry facilities and more. A basic garden has been put together with the slash cut from around the house and the dirt that was dug out from floor and from a trough around the house. Some fruit trees have been planted. An electric pump for irrigation and household water has been set up and is working well, and a permanent water tank has been built, on higher ground to increase household water pressure. We now have a passive solar hot water heater for the many sunny days.
Ultimately, more land needs to be cleared, more gardens set up, more trees planted, and more irrigation systems set up. There is a photovoltaic system for solar energy and WiFi available. Besides the humans, there are two dogs and two cats living in the house.
We are a couple, Fiona and 'J'm.
'J'm is a semi-retired musician from Canada who lived in the UK for several years. Health is his primary motivation for living in this way, so he's pretty clean living (teetotal, straight edge). His personal philosophies are secular, though he is accepting of others' spirituality. Politically, he is interested in Anarcho-syndicalism, Agrarianism, Democracy. 'J'm is a big fan of film and some series and enjoys listening to podcasts and audio books while doing some menial tasks .
Fiona is a full-time academic lecturer and researcher who grew up and studied in Greece and the UK, as well as further studies in Austria, Italy and New Zealand. Fiona is passionate about cooking, folk dancing, cultural exchange, tourism, hiking, animals and various arts and crafts.
Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre
Projets artistiques
Aide avec des éco-projets
Jardinage
Bricolage et construction
S’occuper des animaux
Aide dans une ferme
Cuisine/repas pour la famille
Aide à la maison
Entretien général
Aide informatique/internet
Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre
Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre
We are happy to share things we have learned about: language, arts, crafts, cooking, music, building, gardening, animals, tourism, etc.
Aide
Looking for: a mature and health conscious person or couple who wants to live in a rural environment to help build, maintain and operate an eco-project. Priority will be given to those who embrace physical activity and routine, communicate well, are emotionally stable, are reliable (can be left in charge), prefer to wake and sleep early (with the sun), are empathetic, adaptable to a variety of weather conditions, and tidy.
Daily chores we share include cooking, cleaning, care and feeding of animals (may involve handling meat), splitting and carrying firewood, etc. Infrastructure building work and maintenance is ongoing as is land clearing and maintenance.
Langues
Langues parlées
Greek: Courant
Anglais: Courant
Allemand: Intermédiaire
Portugais: Intermédiaire
Espagnol: Débutant
Français: DébutantCet hôte propose un échange linguistique
Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il souhaitait faire partager sa propre langue ou en apprendre une nouvelle.
Contactez-le pour en savoir plus.
Hébergement
Fiona's office will be used as a bedroom for your stay.
We can accommodate most dietary restrictions.
Autres infos...
There are some nice swimming spots in the area. Plenty of scenery in the mountains. Many places to walk/hike. Occasional parties and live music in the area.
[[LGBTQIA friendly]]
Informations complémentaires
Accès Internet
Accès Internet limité
Nous avons des animaux
Nous sommes fumeurs
Familles bienvenues
Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads
We have decent WiFi
Espace pour garer des vans
Available spots are just on the other side of the river from the property, so it would be without electricity ;-)
Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux
It's all about the level of control that the owner is able to have over their animal ;-)
Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?
Plus de 2
Feedback (15)
Pre-arrival ‘J’m had been super communicative and helpful with directions and any necessary information for me to know and to reach their place. Once onsite I had the pleasure and privilege to spend almost two weeks on this wonderful piece of… read more
Photos
Feedback
Ce sont des évaluations supplémentaires en option lorsque les membres laissent un feedback. La note moyenne pour chaque option est affichée.
Exactitude du profil:
(5.0)
Échange culturel:
(4.5)
Communication:
(5.0)
Pre-arrival ‘J’m had been super communicative and helpful with directions and any necessary information for me to know and to reach their place. Once onsite I had the pleasure and privilege to spend almost two weeks on this wonderful piece of… read more
Jim and Fiona were very hospitable, I felt really cared for - had… read more
This place is a paradise for living into the wild. Surrounded by eucalyptus and pine trees, a river and hills.
There are two possible trecks from the house!
We participated in the different stages of the construction of a mud wall. Take the clay, sift it, make… read more
Since our first contact, Jim gave us precise instructions on how to get to his place and was at the Esporão bus stop to give us a lift once we arrived. One should really trust his blog description on how to get there, otherwise it may get a bit confusing, since there is more than one… read more
It was a wonderful job cobbing the interior walls. Plus the final lime wash. And the other tasks were nice to do too.
I deeply appreciated Jim's kindness. Enjoyed the conversations, the yummy food, the marvellous guitar playing & singing.
And thanks… read more
I really enjoyed Jim's company and guitar playing (especially "The man who could fall backwards"… read more
Jim is a host who, in my opinion, is fully deserving of his 100% feedback rating. His place - a former goat stable, turned picturesque cobbed house, perched on a hill and surrounded by a small river - is truly amazing. Facilities are basic, as one… read more
( and the volunteer's room is pretty comfy ! :))
