Casalinho

Category: Building

  • Dam It (again)!

    Following my previous post, where I showed the creation of our summer bathing pool, it was pointed out that I didn’t show the competed project. Ooops! What do you think? Anyone fancy a paddle?    

  • Dam It!

    With just under three weeks remaining until our latest Permaculture Design Course kicks off, it’s all systems go here at Casalinho as we prepare. The job we’ve been looking forward to the most has got to have been installing the dam which we put into the stream each year to create a wonderful, natural bathing more »

  • Volunteer / Training Space – Let’s Warm Up

    This will be old news for those who have visited us over the past few months, but it seems rather appropriate to show you some photos of the stove we’ve installed in the Volunteer / Training Room on the first day where it’s felt like winter this year. Although unnecessary when we use the space more »

  • Showered with Good Fortune (part 3)

    We’ve won the 2013 WWOOF Host Grant, which we’re thrilled about. This is the story of the new shower block we’re funding with the grant.    Cue the drums and trumpets, I’ve an announcement to make! It’s now possible to take a warm shower at Casalinho. No more dunking yourself, shivering, in the river (unless more »

  • Volunteer / Training Space Update – Door

    Our intended training room has served multiple uses since we completed it; volunteer hang out space, kids party venue, bedroom, storage space, cinema and even a training room where we’ve hosted three Permaculture Design Courses. But all would probably agree that proper doors would help no end with keeping the temperature steady. Cue Pete, recent more »

  • Showered with Good Fortune (part 2)

    We’ve won the 2013 WWOOF Host Grant, which we’re thrilled about. This is the story of the new shower block we’re funding with the grant.  I recently posted pictures of the intended site of our new shower block, which demonstrated the huge amount of sheer hard work required  before building could begin. We’ve been blessed more »

  • In the Doghouse

    Blue needed a home. Pete needed a project. Blue reminded us that volunteering at Casalinho isn’t just about goats! Blue’s new house is based on an old pallet and uses leftover planks and greenwood for the structure. Coloured offcuts from other projects create the lovely shingles effect. Finally, it’s roofed with broom over some old more »

  • Showered with Good Fortune

    Each year, WWOOF Portugal award one host farm a small sum in the form of the WWOOF Host Grant. We proposed that we build a shower block for the use of wwoofers and other farm visitors, with the water supplied from the river using a RAM pump, heated using the power of the sun, and recycled 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 »

  • 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 »