Big News From Little City

Big Hearts, great food and ten days of permaculture learning at Varzea de Goncales

Thanks thanks thanks to Kris, Chris, Brendon and Gaynor as patient hosts and Lesley Martin who taught the 72 hour Permaculture Design Course there.
Owl returned refreshed, informed and bouncing on the spot. It really is a fantastic location, a couple of kilometres east of Aljezur. Anyone is welcome to visit - this week they have 26 school kids using the top cottage to study as the local school is being repainted (sadly with toxic paint.. which can take up to 5 years to become neutral!!)



Chris and daughter Megan, a humble man with passion for life!




Raised swale beds awash with vegetables









The Usual suspects. As the course went on, the students bonded and dyed all their clothes the same colour (or maybe my camera batteries....)

They have an amazing array of workshop weekends - please visit their website at icanfeedmyself.com for their diary. Good honest simple people, I am jealous!!

Whistling at wasps

A Summer Sauna

High temperatures and high humidity, in other words a typical August. Dragging my heels, head down, teeth clenched... and that's just walking to the fridge to get a beer. A pigeon hurls two feet over my head propelled with lead... bloody hunters. Two flocks of pigeons continue to fly round and round in circles. Sport no, cowardless pig headed slaughter yes.




The tipi is the coolest room at night...... get one!!



Work in progress. This is going to be three solar showers and three compost loos


The Cheeky Chapati Cafe, finished!!



New extended dining area in front of the C.C. Cafe



Kitchen started in the C.C.C. All the marble was found in various gardens!

Owl is heading off next week to do a Permaculture Design Course at the fabulous retreat of Chris and Kris near Aljuzer (see www.icanfeedmyself.com) The ten day course is being led by Lesley Martin (Hi Lesley, promise to share a Medronho with you) and starts on the 10th September. There are still two spare places for anyone to grab?

Ah yes! Latest tip, whistling gets rid of wasps (sometimes..)