Farm exchange in central Portugal – I am a Dutch 60+ woman living the good life a a 5000 m2 farm near Fundão. I am trying to be self-reliant with my no-dig vegetable plot, organic grown fruit and olives. At the moment I have 2 cats and 2 guard dogs. 5 goats, 3 young ones and 2 female adults. 20 chickens and a rooster. Twice a year I raise chicks for meat. Any excess of vegetables and preserves like jams and chutneys I sell on the Saturday farmers market in Alpedrinha. I also raise vegetable plug plants to sell on the market. I like to teach how to preserve your food on various ways by canning, dehydrating, freezing, pickling, freeze-drying and fermenting.

[updated June 2024!] – I really could use some volunteers as I broke my shoulder last week and recovery could take 3-6 months apparently. At the moment I can manage with the help of a neighbour (he milks my goat) animals and the vegetable plot but it’s difficult.

What type of host are you? 🏡

• Private/Individual/family

Location – Where is your volunteer project located?🌏

• East Central Portugal, near Fundão

What are you looking for help with?

• Animal keeping 🐓🐴
• Building 🛠
• Cleaning 🧹
• Farming/Gardening 🌿🐄

What’s the mission of your community? 🎯

As I am on my own I like some help with weeding, pruning, haymaking, harvesting fruit and olives, assistance on market days, caring for the animals. In return i like to teach gardening techniques and farming. As I speak several languages I can also help with Portuguese.

Volunteers with disabilities ♿

I am happy to work with people with disabilities, but the layout of the farm is not suitable for wheelchair users.

How many volunteers could you host? 🎎

• More than two

When would you need volunteers? 📅

• All year round but in November is the olive harvest

How many hours of help per day? ⏱

4-5 hours of help per day

How many days of help per week? 🌒

5 days of help per week – 2 days off 

I might need some help on Saturdays to do the market.

Note about the volunteer work and other expectations 📝

Volunteers need some experience in gardening and if they have worked with machinery like brush cutters it’s is a plus. As I like some help on market days there is then less work on weekdays.

Are accommodation and food included? 🏠🍜

Yes, I offer food and accommodation

What type of accommodation can you provide? 🏕

• Private Room 🔑
• Private room for a couple 🎎
• Others (please, specify in general info) 💁‍♀️

Diet – nutrition information 🥗🥤

I am a coeliac so I need to eat gluten free. I do eat meat but I can cook vegetarian meals. If you prefer vegan, you could cook yourself but I will supply the ingredients you need.

Fees transparency 🆓🔍

No charge unless you don’t make the hours

VISA – could you provide Visa support/info/invitation letters? 🛂

No! we cannot help with Visa/invitation letters – similar requests will be ignored. ❌

Volunteers’ benefits 🏆🏅

Volunteers will learn how to garden, preserve food, how to care for animals. As it is mainly morning hours work I am happy to bring volunteers to the village or train station to do some sightseeing. On Sunday I am happy to show them around the local area like Gardunha mountains, Monsanto etc. On Monday morning I tend to go to the Fundão market.

What to do in your free time 🚴🚣🦒

There are lots of walks through the cherry and peach plantations and I have two bicycles that an be used. In summer I have a small swimming pool at the farm and in the village is a swimming pool. A bit further away is a river beach. In Fundão and Castelo Branco are museums.

Language 🗣🇬🇧

• Dutch, English, German, Portuguese

Geography 🌳

Eastern Central Portugal, 20 km to Fundão, 3 km to Póvoa de Atalaia, 5 km to Orca. Hot summers, mild wet winters. February is the coldest month with night frost -5 degrees Celsius

How to get to your site ✈ 🗺

Flight to Porto or Lissabon, from there train or bus to Fundão or Castelo Novo (train) from where I can collect two people. There is twice a day a bus to Póvoa de Atalaia from Fundão.

Is there internet access? 🌐

Yes!

CONTACT DETAILS 🔍📧

For privacy reasons we have hidden the contact of this host – if interested in this farm exchange in central Portugal please contact

voluntouring.freelist@gmail.com 🖅

As the object/title of the e-mail, please write: “Eveline B. Central Portugal farm exchange” 👌

See more volunteering opportunities in Portugal