Established permaculture farm in Europe
Permaculture Design Certificate Portugal
Learn permaculture by living it! Join the 2-week immersive Permaculture Design Course (PDC) on our off-grid permaculture farm in Central Portugal and be empowered to create sustainable, regenerative systems in your own life and community.
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For last-minute offers, course schedules, and more information on the course, please register your interest here.
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
Over 2 weeks, you will learn how to grow food, manage land, and create sustainable systems, while living in community, connecting with nature, and experiencing off-grid living.
The course covers the standard 72-hour permaculture design syllabus.
On completion of the course, you will receive a PDC certificate from the Permaculture Association UK.
Includes:
- Daily theory and hands-on practical classes
- Real experience on a working permaculture farm
- Farm-to-table meals
- Yoga or movement sessions
- Off-grid communal living
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
Who is this Permaculture Design Course for?
You want to start or improve your own land, garden, or homesteading project
You want to know what permaculture is all about
Are seeking practical, real-world land-based and homesteading skills
Feel drawn to a more self-sufficient, nature-based lifestyle
Are looking for clarity about your next step or direction in life
Prefer learning by doing, not just sitting in a classroom
This is not a retreat or eco-holiday. It’s a real experience of living and working within an off-grid permaculture system.
Some participants come with years of experience, others with none. What matters most is curiosity, openness, and willingness to participate.
Permaculture Design Course Dates
All our PDCs are followed by a one week specialist course. Either Advanced Permaculture Design, food forest course or a natural building course. Join the PDC, Food Forest or Natural Building course alone or stay for both.
Discounts available for part volunteering and Portuguese residence or for those with low income. See further down the page for full pricing info.
To book please select your dates on the booking form at the bottom of the page.
Reserve your place with a €100 deposit
September 2026 PDC : Autumn
- 30th Aug – 12th Sept 2026 : 2 week PDC (€950)
- 14th – 20th Sept 2026- Permaculture in Practice Course (€500)
- 22nd-28th Sept 2026 : – Natural Building Course (€500)
- Join all three for €1750 (€200 discount)
November 2026 PDC : Winter PDC
- 1st-14th November 2026 – 2 week PDC (€950)
- 15th-22nd November 2026 – Food Forest Course (€500)
- Join both for € 1350 (€100 Discount)
September 2027 : Autumn PDC
- 13rh 26th September 2027 – 2 week PDC (€850 + VAT)
- 28th Sept – 4th Oct 2027 – Practical Permaculture Course (€450 + VAT)
- Join both for € 1150 + VAT (€100 Discount)
April 2027 : SpringPDC
- 12th-25th April 2027 – 2 week PDC (€850 + VAT)
- 27th April – 2nd May 2027 – Practical Permaculture Course (€450 + VAT)
- Join both for € 1150 + VAT (€100 Discount)12
Video from our Summer 2023 PDC
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
Your Permaculture Design Course hosts and Teachers
Laurence Manchee
PDC Lead Teacher
Co-founder of Keela Permaculture Farm. Laurence is certified by the Permaculture Association to teach certified PDCs. An author in Permaculture Magazine and teacher of Agroforestry, Permaculture Design and Natural Building Courses. Laurence will be the lead teacher on all courses. Laurence has lived a permaculture life at Keela since 2016. He is a farmer, shepherd, gardener, builder and homesteader.
Soap Making
Eric from Germany has been a professional soap maker for since 2012 and has a shop in our local town where he both makes and sells many products including hand made soap, lip balm, moisturiser, shampoo and many other products. Visit his website
Jonathan Ives
Forester
Jonathan has lived in Portugal for nearly 5 years. He has worked in the forest industry at all levels for 30 years. Jonathan is especially interested in sustainable forest management and rewilding projects.
Assisting the teachers
We will have a new teaching apprentice on the farm who is learning how to become a permaculture teacher. Usually these are graduates of Keela´s Permaculture courses. Apprentices will assist the teachers with their classes and help manage the farm while Laurence is busy teaching.
Keela Volunteers
Helping run the farm and course
We will have a team of volunteers who want to experience living on a permaculture farm for a longer period. They help the chefs with cooking, help with harvesting food, cleaning and garden work.
Prices & travel information
2026 PDC costs
- Full PDC Course (including food): €950
- Extra nights (including food): €50 per night
- + Accommodation
2027 PDC costs
- Full PDC Course (including food): €850 + VAT = 1045.50
- Extra nights (including food): €50 per night
- + Accommodation
Discounts availible
- €150 for Portuguese residents
- €75 per week for volunteering during the course
- €150 if joining the following specialist course
- Only one discount can be applied
Accomodation
- Accommodation (more info and photos)
- Your tent or Caravan (free)
- Private Caravan €150
- Tent with bedding €100
- Local farm house room €40 per night (Car required and dogs accepted)
Traveling to Keela Permaculture Farm
- Fly to either Lisbon or Porto Airport.
- Take a coach or Train to Fundao Station
- Arrive by group taxi from Fundao station to the farm
What to expect?
- Check out the photos from the September 2023 Permaculture Design Course – click here
- Watch various videos about Keela Permaculture Farm on our youtube channel. Including a Natural Building Course, a tour of the farm, volunteering on the farm and many others
- This permaculture design course will teach you about permaculture philosophy, ecological foundations, design methodologies, and real-world applications.
- You will get your hands dirty during practical classes on 8 of the following practicals (dependent on the season) vegetable gardens, composting systems, worm farming, propagation of plants, natural building, fermenting, soap making, food forests, silvopasture, appropriate technology systems, and managed woodlands on an established 18-hectare site. These are around 3-hour practical sessions to allow you to use all the tools, give you a taste of what it is like to live sustainably and steward land.
- This will be a communal living experience, and you will be expected to
- Cook one shared meal with support from the chef. This will be with another guest and will most likely be one dinner per week and one per weekend. Food is central to what we do on the farm – you will experience the full cycle from growing, harvesting, and cooking with what we have or from the local area.
- Washing your own dishes, tidying shared spaces, and returning tools and equipment after use.
- Opportunities to host an evening activity such as games, music, workshops, talks, movement sessions, or film nights.
- Shared spaces for eating, relaxing, and connecting with others.
- Learning how to live closely with others — supporting each other while also respecting personal space.
- This course will suit you if you are thinking of applying permaculture in your own life by setting up or joining your own land-based project.
- It also works well for people seeking ideas, skills and inspiration to embark on a more fulfilling path in life and make positive contributions to the state of the world.
- The course is certified by the Permaculture Association (Britain), it offers a foundation to further your permaculture journey via the Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design or other advanced training.
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