Natural World « Casalinho

Permaculture is a sustainable design system that provides for human needs while having positive effects on the surrounding environment.

It is based on the ethics of earth care, people care and fair share, and provides practical solutions to the global crises we are currently facing.

Permaculture is for EVERYONE, regardless of their education, background, or previous experience.

Permaculture is NOT just about trees, or just about gardening! You don't need loads of land to practice it and it's a design method that can be applied to all social systems.

Stay at home!

With the Covid-19 pandemic going on, guidance from the Portuguese government is “Fique em casa” – stay at home! Not so difficult when the world looks like this …

Jeroen has been putting in a huge amount of effort over the last weeks to install new fencing which will allow our animals to graze more effectively. We’re not just looking to feed the animals from the land, but use their eating, manuring and treading to actually improve the quality of the soil, the […]

Hot Day, Cool Pig

Hot day, hot pig. Cool bath, cool pig.

Exhausted

The first Permaculture Design Course of the year is now over and I’ll have some photos for you to see shortly. If you missed out, join us in August instead.

Geri the pot belly pig waited until there was a bit of peace and quiet to share her beautiful litter with the world today. I think […]

Monster Broom

Wikipedia tells me ”Plants of Cytisus scoparius (broom / giesta) typically grow to 1–3 m tall, rarely to 4 m.” We’ve been cutting down specimens easily 6m today.

We’re so happy to see these go. Broom is incredibly flammable, and having a giant impenetrable thicket of them (belonging to our neighbour) so close to […]

Land Clearance

Land clearance is the project of the moment, with the deadline for clearing land next to the road fast approaching.

Today’s area to tidy up – the hugel edge next to the road We’d allowed these pines to grow as a privacy screen, but most need to go.

Many of the trees are […]

Reasons to be Cheerful: Happy discovery

This morning’s happy discovery – three wee bantam chicks.

Pied-Piper of Casalinho

Anyone would think there were treats in that bucket! Ah! There are 🙂

Officially summer!

With the help of fab volunteers Maria, Madalena and João, the Casalinho natural bathing pool is now full and ready to receive hot and grateful visitors.

First clearing the winter’s growth of vegetation and the ever present brambles.

Working by the dam to clear rocks washed into the gate over winter and ensuring it’s […]

Weak Piglet

This sweet little girl, one of our Vietnamese Pot Belly Piglets, is very weak today. We’re wondering if Mum’s milk has dried up as a reaction to the stress of transport. We’re topping her up with goat’s milk as an emergency measure.

Please wish her […]

What is Permaculture?

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