Várzea da Gonçala

Várzea da Gonçala is a 7.5-hectare permaculture smallholding in the hills of the western Algarve, bordered by the Cerca river, 12 km from the Atlantic coast and 6 km from Aljezur. Over 18 years the land has been developed into a diverse, tree-based productive ecosystem, worked along permaculture principles. The idea behind it is a living landscape where families and communities can grow and thrive alongside nature. Hundreds of mature fruit and nut trees grow here: pear, plum, apricot, peach, fig, lemon, orange, grapefruit, nespera, almond and walnut, along with medronho bushes and cork oaks. There is also an extensive organic vegetable garden, a natural greywater system and compost toilets. Work on improving the soil and diversifying the ecosystem runs through the whole holding. Four houses are built in traditional taipa (rammed earth) with wood burners, and there are various other structures, plus a social space with a traditional bread oven and fireplaces. Water comes from two wells, a borehole and a 70,000-litre storage tank, and a stream borders the property. Over the years the smallholding has hosted 15 permaculture design courses, run as a guesthouse and been a place of quiet community living. It hosted the 2013 European WWOOF convention and was featured in Permaculture Magazine in 2013/2014. The property is now for sale at €950,000, negotiable, for anyone wanting to carry it on as a community living project, retreat centre, educational facility or sustainable guesthouse.