Shangri-La is a bio-dynamic and permaculture-oriented farm in Portugal with a long-term vision of becoming an intentional community. The host is looking for an experienced gardener who can plan and manage vegetable production independently, while other volunteers can also join for general farm and garden support. Daily life includes physical outdoor work, animal care routines, compost and fruit tree care, and food processing such as fermentation and baking. Please note that WiFi is not available and the place aims to be free from wireless/EMF exposure. Non-smokers only, with no drugs, alcohol, or pets.
Volunteer at the Shangri-La project – A future intentional community in Portugal needs volunteers
Please note: This volunteer project listing may be outdated. Availability, dates, tasks, and requirements might have changed. Contact the host to confirm the current status before planning your trip.
Hello out there! I am looking for an experienced gardener with a few years background, to take over the responsibility of the garden and vegetable production. You have to be able to work independently, plan a garden and succession of plants, understand watering and machines, how to grow up plants and seedlings, compost care, and fruit tree care. Of course, especially in the beginning, I will be there to show you and introduce you. I need to take time off from the garden to focus on other projects here at the Shangri-la project, like buildings and planning, building a chimney and a rocket stove massive heater. The position is for somebody who can stay here a few months, maybe longer.
In parallel, volunteers without the above-described experience are also welcome. Two positions are possible at the same time:
- The “normal/usual” volunteer position
- An experienced gardener volunteer, as described above
More about the project
I think this description I found is very good:
“Ecovillages are quarantine professionals and provide fulfilling environments and lifestyle solutions in times of the Covid crisis. Having as an objective to live in autonomous ways, closed-loop systems and to be responsible for their basic needs like water, food and shelter, the ecovillages have also been creating social and economic systems that permit individuals to have most of their other needs covered by the community.”
And also…
“We are at a profound crossroads, the forces that have been unleashed by our greed, our misunderstanding of what nature is and our endless economic idea that it can grow without any checks and balances has come to its end.”
Tero Mustonen.
So… what do we do here?
Shangri-La is a bio-dynamic/permaculture farm and garden started 1/3/16. We focus on self-sufficiency and sustainability, produce most of what we eat, and grow a rich diversified variety of plants and fruit trees. See website for more details.
It is a working farm and garden with everyday physical work.
- Taking care of the animals’ daily routine
- Garden and vegetable work, fruit tree care, compost
- I have a big focus on creating and improving the fertility of the soil in different ways.
Also a passion to ferment food of all kinds: drinks, vegetables, bread, milk, cereals, miso, doenjang.
An intentional community in Portugal
Shangri-la is and wants to be an intentional community and ecovillage for living a healthy lifestyle, free from EMF and microwave radiation. We offer a holistic healthy environment and life free from unhealthy pollution from electromagnetic/EMF and wireless radiation (wifi/mobiles). We don’t have and do not allow WIFI, so the connection is much better here.
There is a long-term possibility to join as a resident
It is also a place that offers BnB (rooms for rent) for short stays, or special agreements for long-term, and a place where you can rent a space to camp or establish your mobile home, teepee, yurt, for a short or long term stay, maybe even grow your own garden and live self-sufficient. And/or a place for a long-term stay as a community member, but this is a long project and will also involve your side to invest in an economic share in order to be here.
After having attended a residential fermentation workshop by and with Sandor Katz, I am happy to pass on my experiences. Also, from “Bean to Bar!” now and then, I transform raw cacao beans into delicious chocolate bars: roasting, grinding/refining, conching, tempering, moulding.
A big part of life here is about cultivating, taking care of and transforming, fermenting, and drying the food we produce. There are chickens and a cachena cow and calf. We regularly bake our bread with our own sourdough starter with freshly ground cereals from our own mill, different fermented drinks and vegetable fermentations, and experiments are always current.
Other benefits
- Daily green smoothies from the garden.
- Raw food is in the foreground, but not only.
- Acoustic musical instruments are most welcome!
A few conditions
Non-smokers only, no drugs, no alcohol, no pets. Thanks.
Visa
Cannot offer a visa or travel costs. Similar requests might be ignored.
Contact details 🔍📧
Website: http://www.stefannovellinoportugal.cybersite.nu/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/quintaorganicashangrila
Ethical volunteering reminder
Voluntouring.org promotes opportunities rooted in cultural exchange and mutual learning. Before applying, ask yourself: is this a fair exchange, or could it replace paid labour? Choose consciously, ask questions, and make sure the experience is respectful, safe, and aligned with your values. Always check visa requirements, hosts cannot provide legal work permits.