Volunteer at Keela Permaculture Farm in Portugal

We count on people to help keep the place growing, happy and alive.

Volunteers planting trees — Volunteers making a compost pile.

Volunteers wanted now during the winter

We are closed during the winter for courses, but the farm work doesn’t stop. We are looking for volunteers to help Laurence work around the farm. Gardening, forestry work, looking after animals, some natural building. etc. Every day is different on a farm.

To apply please complete the form at the bottom of the page

Volunteer Options during Course times. April 2024 onwards:

Volunteering Option 1: Permaculture Teacher Assistant

This is for someone who wants to deepen their experience of Permaculture and off-grid living. You’ll need to be solutions-focused, flexible, a team player, able both to take initiative and follow instructions (and decide for yourself which is appropriate), and willing to embrace all the challenges and pleasures of life as part of a learning community in a dynamic off-grid setting.

Usually, we will have one apprentice helping with the classroom-based theory classes and one helping with the outside practical classes.

You must stay with us for half a year. You will be paid for your work if you are asked to return after a second course period.

To apply, please let us know the dates and your current experience. contact us

Volunteers helping build our straw bale house

Volunteer Option 2. General Farm helper during course times

Prerequisites. Physically and mentally fit, you want to learn about a permaculture farm and help keep our farm going while we run courses and retreats.

We have four roles.

Videographer and Photographer – Join all the courses for free and create a daily short video and a daily 10 min video. You will need your own equipment for filming and editing. Please include link to your work when applying.
Kitchen assistant – Helping the chef with cooking and washing up. Ideal for someone who wants to improve their vegetarian and vegan cooking skills.
Farm management – Helping around the farm with the garden, natural building, and animal husbandry. Ideal for someone who wants to live off-grid in the future and get some new skills.
Assistant host – Helping with hosting guests, cleaning, keeping the place tidy, a bit of gardening and organising rosters and community events.

Apply by c ompleting the form here

One Tree Hill — We have good views, relaxing spots, no noise pollution, stars and the sound of nature all around us

What is included when you volunteer at our permaculture and yoga farm:

Healthy organic meals, much of which is from our farm or neighbouring farms
Get closer to the food you eat
Learn how to cook
Onsite yoga/meditation classes (only during internships, retreats and courses)
See permaculture systems in action
Time to relax, unwind and get back to nature
Learn new skills in permaculture, natural building, healthy and sustainable living
2 days off to relax or visit local places, usually, once per month we spend one of these mornings helping local communities and farms
Experience being part of a community! (only during internships, retreats and courses)

What is required of volunteers?

Minimum 2 weeks stay
A positive attitude
Look after our tools and equipment as if they are your own
5 work days
Assisting in the kitchen on some days
5-6 hours per day working
1/2 a day volunteering at a local project every month on a Saturday as part of our community help program
Willing and interest to learn and work hard
Assisting with community tasks (cooking, cleaning, lighting fires etc)

Usually on the last night, we make our pizzas in the wood-fired oven for a closing party

What does your day look like when volunteering?

These times apply for the weekdays and vary depending on the season

breakfast
9 am – 12 am working
12am – 3pm – lunch
3 pm – 6 pm working
Dinner
Weekends off

Prefer to come and do more things relating to permaculture? Then join as an intern instead of volunteering. this has set start dates and a more structured program.

volunteer permaculture — We have areas to eat and hang out both inside and outside

Community Facilities

Community straw bale house – a large house with a fully functional kitchen, dining room and chill-out area, charging stations, a projector for movie nights and free WiFi
Yoga deck with a view
Outside hang-out areas: stone circle, BBQ area, food forests.
Long drop vermiculture compost toilet
Washing machine (1 EUR peruse including organic washing liquid)
3 showers: 1 Indoor shower room with wood-fired hot water in a tropical greenhouse, 1 outside solar shower open to nature, 1 natural waterfall (cold shower and only during winter and spring)
45 acres (18 hectares) of land to walk with many chill-out spots, hammocks and viewpoints
2 dogs, 3 cats and 9 chickens to interact with daily 🙂

We have an inside shower powered by wood and this outdoor solar shower

Local Village

The village is small and quiet and has a cafe with a small convenient shop (with free wifi) and is a 25-minute walk from our farm.

A volunteer collecting out daily fresh salad from the garden

Food

We are mostly vegetarian, but we can cater for strict vegetarians and vegans if required.
Most of our food is locally sourced directly from various farmers (except some other products which we have to get from abroad)
We can also cater for most allergies, including gluten, lactose etc. Gluten-free products tend to cost slightly more than normal, so we charge EUR 5 extra per week if you like this option.