Casalinho

Author: Andrea

  • Brambles

    It’s been awhile since I’ve reported on activities, but we’ve got an enormous amount done over the past weeks. It’s been our busiest time of year in terms of number of volunteers, and we’ve been fortunate to have had an amazing group here, both in terms of their numbers and their energy. Although I’ve been more »

  • Laundry Day

    Without sufficient electricity to run a washing machine, laundry day involves scrubbing the old fashioned way. But allow Leticia and Christophe to demonstrate an alternative approach ….                     For those who don’t recognise the scene, this is the river at Unhais o Velho where there are more »

  • What to write?

    I’ve not updated the blog for a while. Firstly because Jeroen has been off on his Straw Bale Course (which by all accounts was superb, but more about that some other time) and I’ve been really busy in his absence, but secondly because I’ve not been able to think of the right things to say. more »

  • Save me from the Tyranny of Goats!

    In this part of the world every village, large and small, has it’s annual festa. It’s an excuse for some music, perhaps some dancing, certainly some drinking, and an opportunity for the community to celebrate together. The festa of Aradas, organised by the Comissão de Melhoramentos de Aradas, will be held this year on the 30th more »

  • Downsizing: Less is More

    I came upon this article on a site written by a friend of mine, and have asked his permission to reproduce it here as he’s expressed my own feelings about this downsizing journey that we’re on so well. Ian and his partner downsized to Asturias on the north coast of Spain 5 years ago. Take a more »

  • Straw Bale Building course

    We were recently asked why our new communal area / training room is built using conventional building techniques. If I’m honest it’s simply because it was quick and easy, the materials were easily available and will fit in with the existing house. But Jeroen is very excited to be soon attending a Straw Bale Building more »

  • Oak Park Hates Veggies

    Good morning folks. It’s a bit cooler today, and we’ve been scrabbling around for warmer clothes and moaning about the weather. We moan when it’s too hot, and we moan when it’s too cold. I thought it was just the British who moan about the weather, but it seems that it’s an international failing 😉 more »

  • Merci, Les Pionniers de Limal

    Yesterday we sadly waved goodbye to our most recent group of Scouts, who made their annual camp here at Casalinho. I seem to be forever making excuses for not updating this blog, but it’s been a busy ten days! So a heartfelt thanks go out to the fourteen members of Les Pionniers de Limal, Belgium more »

  • Introducing Oficinas da TerraCrua

    Oficinas da TerraCrua (literal translation = Workshops of Raw Earth) is a local organisation offering workshops in a range of sustainable building techniques such as Adobe, cob, cordwood and straw bale. Nuno taught the New Build session on our recent Permaculture Design Course, which everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy. Although workshops are taught in Portuguese, more »

  • Terrorists, Feline Style

    We’ve been so caught up with other things over the past weeks that I’ve failed to tell you about the newest members of the Casalinho team. They’ve terrified the dogs and the cat is so horrified that she won’t come in the house.  They keep us awake half the night playing tag on our bed more »