Casalinho

Author: Andrea

  • Fabulous Time of Year to be a Goat

      After some rain, it’s a fabulous time of year to be a goat. The hills are totally yellow with broom (Cytisus scoparius) and carqueja (Baccharis trimera).

  • Meet Lambert Geeny

      This is Lambert Geeny, our new ram and future patriarch of what we’re hoping will become our new sheep empire. About two minutes after I took this photo Lambert chased Mr Goat all around the field. Mr Goat is now sulking in his shed, nursing his ego. Lambert is stalking the fence line, baaaahing more »

  • Glanville fritillary

    Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) on a chamomile flower

  • Cactus Fire Break

    For several years now we’ve been planting cacti along the border of our land, between our camping spaces and our neighbour’s land in the forest. Mature cacti can slow the spread of a fire, so a useful plant to have on the edges of our land. This year I’ve also harvested the cactus fruit to more »

  • Photo Gallery – Permaculture Design Course 2016

    Photo Gallery – Permaculture Design Course 2016

    With our summer course season rapidly approaching I was reminded that I hadn’t shared the marvelous photos which Nuno took for us during one of last year’s Permaculture Design Courses. Here are a selection of his photos of the event. Please join us for a Permaculture Design Course this year. Bookings are now open, and more »

  • In the Kitchen: Broom Blossom Pickles

      The hillsides and road edges are vibrant yellow here at the moment with the blooms of the broom bushes (Cytisus scoparius – Scotch, or Common Broom). The flowers have an interesting flavour, and I like to pickle a few jars for use on salads through out the year. As with any wild food, don’t more »

  • Stuck Kid

    Goats, when left alone, spend their time plotting new and ingenious ways to escape and frustrate me, trapping themselves in ever more inventive ways in the process. This youngster is no exception, and has managed to get himself stuck in between these fences. His brother was in there too when I was alerted by their more »

  • Pig nuts

    Have you ever dug for pig nuts? You perhaps can’t see them well in this photo, but in the cleared patch surrounded by broom there are masses of white flowers on very delicate leaves. Each of these has a tuber underground which once dug up is absolutely delicious. You’ll know how passionate I am about more »

  • Tito

        Gorgeous Tito here joined us in December when his owners could no longer look after him. After an adventurous start, he’s chosen to live next to the outside kitchen where there’s a roof he can shelter under and plenty of attention and he finally seems to be content. After all these months he’s more »

  • Windy morning

    Drifts of broom blossom on the roads Driving home from Pampilhosa this morning I needed the wipers to sweep the rain of yellow petals away. I’ll pickle some flowers in the next days if I get a chance.