Volunteer with us!

Gain hands-on experience of off-grid living on our homestead

Before we came to Central Portugal, we spent almost six months in 2024 volunteering on an off-grid farm in the UK. We absolutely loved the experience — the knowledge we gained, the friendships we made, the fun we had, and the glimpse it gave us of the kind of life we’re now living ourselves.

We’re thrilled to now be able to offer others the same kind of experience here on our own off-grid homestead!

We offer volunteering opportunities for anyone looking to gain hands-on experience of off-grid living and running a homestead.

We have also just announced our 2026 olive harvest party which you can find out about here!

Currently, we can accommodate people travelling in a self-contained unit (such as their own campervan) or staying in a tent.

If you’re looking for a beautiful, peaceful mountain location in Central Portugal where you can spend some time surrounded by nature, while still being within easy reach of local amenities, this could be a great opportunity for you.

There are also so many amazing places to explore in the surrounding area!

You can find out more about the local area at the bottom of our “Stay at our Quinta” page.

What’s included?

Anyone staying with us will have access to our cabin facilities which include a bath, shower and state-of-the-art composting loo (with amazing views!). You’re also very welcome to enjoy any seasonal fruit that’s ripe and available on the Quinta.

We can also help with your off-grid power needs.

In exchange we’re looking for…

Around 2 hours of help per day, up to 5 days a week (approximately 10 hours per week), helping with the day-to-day running of the Quinta.

Tasks may include:

🌿 Land clearing
🍅 Growing, harvesting and preserving fruit and vegetables
🌳 Caring for fruit and olive trees
🌱 Preparing growing beds
🐔 Looking after the animals
🛠️ General maintenance around the farm

If you have carpentry, DIY or building skills, we’d also be incredibly grateful for any help with the various projects we’re working on as we slowly build our homestead.

Who is this for?

Whether you’re hoping to gain hands-on experience of off-grid living, learn more about growing and homesteading, or simply looking for a peaceful base from which to explore this beautiful part of Central Portugal, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note:

We love welcoming families, but during our peak camping season (May to the end of September), we’re currently unable to accommodate families until we have built more facilities. We hope you understand.

There’s no set length of stay for this opportunity, and we’re very happy to work around what suits you. Whether you’re thinking of staying for just a couple of nights, a few weeks, or even longer, we’re open to discussion.

Unfortunately, we’re unable to accommodate large motorhomes or caravans due to the narrow access to our property.

Interested?

Fill out the form below to register your interest and we’ll get back to you.

When you get in touch, it would be helpful if you could include:

When you’re hoping to come to Central Portugal
How you’ll be travelling (e.g. campervan or tent)
Any questions you have that aren’t answered above
Any skills or interests you’d like to contribute, such as gardening, DIY or animal care

But don’t worry if you’re completely new to all of this! We’re still learning as we go ourselves, and we all have to start somewhere. 😊