Category: Life in General

  • In the Kitchen: Plantain & Kefir Bites

      No, I’m not talking about the plantain that looks like a sort of banana, but Plantago major, the ribbed leafed plant which people who don’t know better call a weed. We’ve loads of it growing at Casalinho and in this ‘hungry gap’ time of year when last year’s stored vegetables are running short and this more »

  • Easter at Casalinho

    I’m pleased to report that the Easter Bunny appears to be well and living in central Portugal.   We heard rumour that he had a mysterious horned assistant this year.                     I followed their trail around the garden, a good opportunity to take the camera. Easter more »

  • A Visitor’s Perspective – Sam Hangs with Beyonce

    This is part of a series of posts where we ask one of our volunteers or visitors to say a few words about their stay. Sam worked with us this summer, and these are his reflections.  I’d never had to chase a goat before. Especially not one hell-bent on using his new found freedom to more »

  • Ruptured Pipe Causes Rio Ceira Flooding

    I was planning on posting more photographs of around the farm today, but yesterday morning a water carrying tunnel connecting the dams of Santa Luzia and Alto Ceira near to us broke, causing a torrent of water to come crashing out. The resultant flooding, from the ruptured tunnel and from the subsequent emergency lowering of more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 31st January 2015

    Our round up of what we’ve been working on at Casalinho, our developing permaculture project in central Portugal. With our first volunteers of 2015 now fully on board, we’ve been hard at work planting the new trees which I talked about last week. Now the mulberries and walnuts are in we are working on the oaks. more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 14th January 2015

    Our round up of what we’ve been working on at Casalinho, our developing permaculture project in central Portugal. Our first volunteers of 2015 are due to join us any day now, and we’re looking forward to getting some old projects finished and some new ones on the go. Here are some photos to give you more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 10th November 2014

    Our weekly round up of what volunteers have been working on at Casalinho, our developing permaculture project in central Portugal. Well autumn has certainly arrived! Cooler temperatures and the threat of rain have reminded of how much winter preparation still remains undone.   Left to right, top to bottom: 1) Beyonce enjoying an autumnal morning walk more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 3rd November 2014

    Our weekly round up of what volunteers have been working on at Casalinho, our developing permaculture project in central Portugal. All change this week with a completely new group of volunteers here to work with us. Once again our work has been seasonally lead, with work in the veg garden and last minute winter proofing more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 27th October 2014

    Our weekly round up of what volunteers have been working on at Casalinho, our developing permaculture project in central Portugal.   There has been so much going on this week that it’s been hard to choose the photos! 1) What a handsome boy! 2) Our last batch of corn drying on the driveway. We cut more »

  • Our Week in Pictures: 20th October 2014

    Our weekly round up of what volunteers have been working on at Casalinho, our developing permaculture project in central Portugal.   Once again our activities have been largely dictated by the weather, but we’ve been very lucky and had dry mornings most days in which to get the essentials done. As I write though, it’s more »