Established permaculture farm in Europe
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. Keela Permaculture Farm has been teaching Permaculture courses since 2016
For last-minute offers, course schedules, and more information on the course, please register your interest here.
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 (Britain).
Includes:
This is not a retreat or eco-holiday. It’s a real experience of living, studying 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.
Followed by – Permaculture Gardening Course : 27th April – 3rd May
All our PDCs are followed by a one week specialist course. Join the PDC or specialist course alone or since you are already travelling all this way why not stay for both courses and get the combo course discount.
For more info on the specialist course click on the specialist course below
Reserve your place with a €100 deposit. The balance is payable before you arrive. Click here for our refund policy
Followed by – No specialist course
Followed by Land Restoration Course – 15th – 21st November 2027
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.
Eric from Germany has been a professional soap maker 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 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.
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.
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.
€50 off each when two people book together
Glamping tent with bedding: €200 per week
Farmhouse room: €300 per week (car required)
Your own campervan or caravan at our offsite partner (dog owners welcome): €150 per week
All bedding is provided in the caravan and tents. However, from November to February, you may want to bring an additional sleeping bag and a hot water bottle, as the nights can be colder. However we also can lend you one of those. Please check out our accommodation options here.
Yes we have good electricity from our solar system, wifi is available on the farm from Starlink, and we have good signals for phones. There is no electricity in your accomodaton
No, Keela Permaculture Farm cannot assist with visas for entry into Portugal or extending your stay beyond what your passport permits?
The courses are quite intensive, and we do not recommend working more than 2 hours per weekday remotely. If you need to work more hours, you may miss some classes. You will also have weekends off, giving you the opportunity to work additional hours then.
Fly to Lisbon or Porto and then take a bus.
Please visit our arrival page for information about travelling.
Please visit our arrival information page for more information
We can provide a tax receipt. All our courses already include 23% VAT.
Please include your full address and tax number when booking.
We prefer that guests arrive on the designated arrival date. However, we understand that this may not always be possible.
For volunteer positions, it is essential to arrive on the specified date, as the following day includes a full-day induction with the new group that you must attend.
If you wish to join earlier, you can see the prices and book on our farm stay page
Many of our guests are vegetarian or vegan, so all the food provided will be suitable for vegans. However, items like eggs from our chickens and cheese will also be available for vegetarians. We suggest that vegans bring additional snacks, such as nuts or other necessary items for their diet, as we primarily provide whole foods from the farm.
If there is enough demand, we offer a meat option sourced from our farm once a week.
Items often wanted that we do not provide include nuts, plant-based milk, peanut butter and honey. However they are available from our shop-
During the weekends, there are no classes in our courses. The time is yours to do as you like. However:
Note. Sometimes the days off dont fall on a weekend. Usually, there are 5 days of course followed by 2 or 3 days off.
Great, we would love the help.
Please check out the info on the following page:
All our courses are taught in English; however, Portuguese translation is possible, but usually most students come from the UK, Europe and beyond.
Please check out this link to shows what the weather will be like when you visit.
https://www.keelayogafarm.com/what-is-the-weather-like-at-keela/
Everyone usually arrives at around the same time between 4 and 5pm on the start day of the course or volunteer period. For more info on arriving please check this weblink.
https://www.keelayogafarm.com/yoga-permaculture-portugal/arrival-instructions/
Departure for all guests is always by 11am.
If you are on a residential course:
All our courses are suitable for both beginners and advance students.
We will take every class from the beginning and assume everyone has no knowledge. however classes will also have sone advance information and you will take in what you take in. B
Please read our cancellation policy here.
Please sign up here to get more info
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