Hi, thanks for clicking the link & taking an initial step towards a completely new off grid project.

I am looking for help to renovate & turn this land into a beautiful, peaceful, self sufficient community that can hopefully offer spiritual, healing, cleansing style retreats / events & also offer a quite space for people to holiday & relax.

 

For the right person(s) I am prepared to offer a legal contract for either:-

A long term lease, free of rent for an area of the land or

To sell a portion of the land to the right person, after time or

A place where you can stay x amount of weeks per year.

Photoshop Rendered Images - Before / After

In June 2023 I purchased 9.75 acres of rural land not far from Sarzedas, Castello Branco region. Central Portugal.

 

The land is extremely rural & divided over 2 areas divided by around 200 meters. Please see the land map below.

 

The main plot (approx 7.4 acres) has a large flat field area with a couple of terraces towards the rear & a ruin for renovation. This area also has a water well which, when checked in August 2023 had plenty of water.

On the other side of the field is a 2nd ruin & a 2nd water well.

The land has no mains water or mains electric. (There is unfortunately an unsightly electric cable running through the land)

 

On this larger area there are 2 neighbours in separate houses around 150 meters away on separate plots. One of the neighbours lives their permanently, the other house seems to be used for summers only.

It is very important to me that we do not interfere with the 2 neighbours, in all likely hood, improving the land & the dirt tracks around it will benefit them also.

 

To access the main field a road, dirt track needs to be built before anything else can be done.

Road / Dirt tracks needs creating here

Once the road has been built the field will need cutting back, strimming, removing any awkward vegetation. Then we can place a few tents, put a caravan on site & start to make it habitable. The water wells need a complete cutback & clear out, then a pump system installed. We also need to get some compost toilets built along with solar heated showers.

Aiming to be fully self sufficient, we will install a modular solar panel setup which can be extended as & needed. Get a workshop on the land, an office & we are underway. Maybe build a yurt, a log cabin, certainly restore all 3 ruins.

Above, the larger 7.4 acre plot.

 

Below the smaller 2.3 acres plot, approx 200 meters from each other. The smaller plot has 1 ruin & a water well, which was also full in August 2023. This area has a dirt track road but whilst I have used this road a few times it needs some filling in places, cutting back of brambles on the side & ideally where it curves to the left on the below picture it could do with being extended down to the below flat field where the water well is.

 

There is a stream which runs at the end of this land & leads over to the larger plot. In August 2023 this stream was completely dried up.

PLANNING PERMISSION

 

Everything in life needs planning permission & I am very keen on following Portuguese law, following the local cameras guidance, following building regulations & doing everything properly. For building materials I would like to use renewable (straw, hemp blocks, ???)

 

FIRE SAFE

The land was severely burned early August 2023. Whilst it looked terrible I like to look on the 3 bright spots.

 

• The land will be naturally rejuvenated.
• The land is much more accessible now that everything was burned back.
• The land is now fire safe for at least 5 - 7 years.

 

When I visited the land after the fires were out it was plain to tell my land from the surrounding neighbours, ie the neighbouring land had been maintained, made fire safe & the fires had jumped past them. So from the start making the land fire safe will be an ongoing task.

 

I understand It is possible to apply for tourism & agricultural grants although at this point I do not know what the eligibility criteria is.

So I am hoping to meet someone who wants to help out, hopefully long term. Everyone has different skill sets so if you get in touch after reading this please could you tell me a bit more about yourself, what you can bring to the project etc.

(Agricultural skills, forestry knowledge, wood work experience, social media skills, video filming / editing, knowledge of plants, planting, growing crops.)

 

As mentioned above I am interested in hosting retreats, possibly airbnb a couple of the ruins but this is down the line once we have a base camp in place.

 

Initially there is no where to stay on the land, unless you are happy in a tent. I have found some fairly local accommodation from $80 per week. You will need your own transport, Castello Branco is a 25 minute drive & the nearest local (very small) shops & cafe, 5 to 10 minutes drive. The closest airport is either Lisbon or Faro, both approx 2.5 hrs drive.

The following is a list of ''nice ideas" that can hopefully come to fruition over time.

 

in alphabetical order

 

Animals

If we are in an area where we can offer a animal sanctuary / rescue centre on a small scale then this is something I would like to set up. If this is the case then we will need whatever permissions from the local camera, a building / structure to house them, association with a vet and much more.

 

Central Fire Pit

Close to the kitchen area for everyone to sit around & enjoy shared meal times.

 

Cutting Back / Tidying Up

Ongoing, the most basic but essential of tasks, cutting back evasive trees, brambles, weeds etc, clearing paths, creating firewood, clearing up what has been chopped. Planting local fire safe trees.

 

Fun

I fancy the idea of a zip wire which I will defiantly build, maybe an underground bunker, a tree house...

 

Ideas

I am very open to many ideas & if you would like to suggest something please do get in touch.

 

Permissions / Legal

Planning permissions will be required for some of the buildings. If you can help & have experience of Portugal planning law that would be very useful. Filling out forms, visiting the local camera with me for translation purposes.

 

Kitchen area

I would like to build a central kitchen area for community meals, help with the building & with the kitchen structure all useful.

 

Nature

Advice & help in all aspects of plant growing, fruit & vegetables, helping the land to breathe, getting rid of invasive plants & trees.

 

Office

Like the workshop, a good sized office with strong wifi  & several spaces for people to work in a sunny tranquil location.

 

Retreats / Events

Over time it would be nice to offer retreats, meditation, dance, dreams, tantra, psychedelic healing, music. Someone who can work with me to run such an event. Not just putting it on but checking with the locals & authorities that what we do is all legal & not upsetting any local neighbours.

 

Roads

We need 2 - 3 paths, tracks cutting back to allow vehicle access.

 

Ruins Renovations

Cutting back surrounding vegetation, stripping back the ruins to their basic structure & renovating. Opening up the overgrown tracks to them.

 

Solar Panels / Electric Storage

The aim is to build a solar powered battery farm, if you have experience in this that would be very useful.

 

Stage

To build a stage area for use in events, happenings. Maybe a guitar night or a film night, an area to dance. An area to use for drama, improv, endless possibilities.

 

Toilets

A few compost toilets will need to be built.

 

Videography / Director / Editor

I plan to document the process & it would be good to work with some with enthusiasm to film, edit & help with the process.

 

Water

The land has a small stream & a water well. Helping to identify which source is best to use, setting up a water pump (maybe Ram?), water filters, plumbing through to where it will be needed.

 

WiFi

Adding aerials & boosters for wifi around the land.

 

Workshop

To create a good sized workshop with multiple tools & a good place to work in the sunshine.