Permaculturing in Portugal

Went over to Benfeita today to do some more work on installing the stove. It took me easily half an hour to get along the 1km of our track. Last night’s winds and rain had brought down some trees and I had to shift no less than 3 trees across the track to get to the quinta, each one progressively larger than the last. Just as well I happened to have a hand saw in the back of the van. (Mental note to self: keep one there at all times.) And just as well they were all relatively small pines that my girly muscles were capable of shifting. (Mental note to self: keep a tow rope in the back of the van for occasions when girly muscles aren’t enough.)

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We’re back! And just in time for Benfeita Quiosque’s practice run at next year’s attempt at the world’s largest rice pudding for the Guinness Book of Records. A 3m x 1m giant pan with integral gas burners was delivered the day after we arrived, and on Sunday 13th September, the whole village turned out for the pudding-making.

The pudding making underway. JCB standing by to lift the lid back on.

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Some of the wildflowers on the quinta in late June/early July. Portuguese common names from Flora Digital de Portugal.

Succisa pratensis, Devil’s bit scabious; Erva de São José; Escabiosa; Escabiosa de raíz troncada; Escabiosa dos brejos; Escabiosa mordida; Mordida do diabo; Morso diabólico; Morso do diabo; Morte do diabo; Roída do diabo

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One of the greatest delights of living on the quinta so far has been our water. Not only does it taste delicious, and refreshes in subtle ways that tap water just doesn’t (forget the Heineken!), but after a couple of weeks of using it to wash with, the difference it makes to skin and hair are also very noticeable.

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Butterflies everywhere, particularly the Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) which is very numerous here. The butterflies dance in pairs around your feet as you walk the terraces. I also came across several Meadow Browns (Maniola jurtina), a Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia), a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), a Peacock (Inachis io) and a Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

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It’s so brilliant, particularly for the kids (small and big), having this 250m down the hillside.

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Haha. This is me at Arganil Market. Liking The Shades? It’s great fun there because they sell almost everything! From Tools to Clothes And Even Kittens. Aaaaah.

There’s lots of Cafés there! I’m sitting at the usual one! The annoying thing about this Café is … they have their seasons all mixed up. They serve luke warm soup in winter and hot soup in summer?!?! Weird huh?

It’s always great fun there! Well… Shopping’s my thing. Hehe.

Well. You’ll Have To See It For Yourself! At the moment while I’m writing this blog I’m sitting at Benfeita café.

Byeeeeeeee

I have to return to the UK now after this all-too-brief visit. Here are some images I’ll be keeping in my head as well as on this blog.

Young oaks silhouetted by the rising sun. (There are almost as many oaks as fruit trees here.)

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Having cleared away a lot of the bracken and brambles that have been regrowing, I made another great discovery. These Early Purple Orchids (Orchis mascula) growing all over the lower terraces.

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The day after I met the snake, I met another legless inhabitant of the quinta — this slowworm (Anguis fragilis) slowly worming its way across one of the terraces.

There are also a large number of very large black slugs (Arion ater) as thick as a thumb and nearly twice as long. They appear to be the same variety as we have back in Scotland, though in a higher population density than I’ve seen generally there, which is interesting as this is supposed to be a northern European species. The environment around the stream with lots of damp lush vegetation is perfect for them. I haven’t seen any other varieties, but it’s very clear we have a duck deficiency here which will need to be remedied as soon as we’re able to take up residence. Though apparently snakes eat them too.

As for the human inhabitant of the quinta, she is experiencing a complete absence of any desire to get remotely legless. The wine remains undrunk and will be going to a new home today where it will be more appreciated.