Volunteer at Keela Permaculture Farm in Portugal

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

Volunteers planting trees — Photo: Volunteers are making a compost pile.

Volunteer date Options:

We prefer our volunteers to start on set dates so that we can welcome you together and give you a tour. We usually have about five volunteers here. However, we also run permaculture courses with additional staff and students on the farm. Below are the preferred volunteer periods; however, staying for a shorter time may be possible; please see the full list of end dates on the application form.

8th Dec – 23rd Dec 2024
9th Jan – 13th Feb 2025
17th Feb – 21st March 2025
24th March – 9th May 2025
22nd April – 9th May 2025**
12th May – 27th June 2025
10th June – 27th June 2025**
7th July – 21st August 2025
3rd – 21st August 2025 **
15th Sept – 29th Nov 2025 (10 week internship)
10th Oct – 29th Nov 2025 **
5th Nov – 29th Nov 2025
** These dates are less preferred and usually only accept one person.

Volunteers helping build our straw bale house

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:

Three meals per day
Get closer to the food you eat
Practice farm-to-table cooking
Daily yoga or workout classes. (usually, we rotate between the two)
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!
Make new friends

What is expected of you

You start on the set dates so you can be part of a group
Physically and mentally fit
Have a positive attitude.
Assist with tasks to help our courses run smoothly
Look after our tools and equipment as if they are your own
5 volunteer days
5-6 hours per day volunteers
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

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. We can offer occasional meat from our own animals as well.
Most of our food is grown on-site but others are locally sourced.
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 10 extra per week if you like this option.