Established permaculture farm in Europe
Food Forest Course Portugal
Join us at Keela Permaculture Farm for our food forest and agroforestry permaculture course in Portugal.
Learn how to turn a lawn, back garden or large farm into an abundance of food. A food forest combines fruit trees, berry shrubs, vegetables, climbing plants, herbs, and spices into a natural system. It is highly diverse and one of the most sustainable ways to grow food.
Get Course info
For last-minute offers, course schedules, and more information on the course, please register your interest here.
Food Forest Course Portugal
Join us and learn about the various ways to plan and plant a food forest. We have planted different methods since 2017 and will show you the pros and cons of each method. You will also experience how to manage and maintain food forests, which is essentially gardening.
Join the residential course and experience community living on a permaculture project. Enjoy daily yoga and meditation practice in the beautiful Portuguese countryside!
Option to stay for two extra weeks and join our Permaculture Design Course as well
Food Forest Course Portugal
What is included in this Food Forest Course?
Tours of our establish Market Garden, Food Forests, Agroforests, Silvopasture and Syntoric Agriculture systems
Experience living on an off grid homestead
Theory classes every day
Practical sessions every day
Fresh air, water from a spring and communal living
Farm to table vegetables
Three yoga classes per week
Course Dates
All our PDCs are followed by a one week specialist course. You can join the specialist course alone or make the most of your trip and do the Permaculture Design Course as well.
The Permaculture Design Course takes place during the two weeks before the specalit course.
Food Forest Course Dates
15th-22nd November 2026
22nd-28th November 2027
Permaculture Gardening Course Dates
27th April – 2nd May 2027
28th Sept – 4th Oct 2027
Natural Building Course Dates
To be announced soon
Video from our Summer 2023 PDC
Permaculture Design Course Portugal
Your Course hosts and Teachers
Laurence Manchee
Lead Teacher
Co-founder of Keela Permaculture Farm. Laurence is certified by the Permaculture Association to teach certified PDCs. An author in Permaculture Magazine, public speaker, homesteader and teacher of Agroforestry, Permaculture Design and Natural Building Courses. Laurence will be the lead teacher on all courses. Laurence has lived a permaculture life and teaching food forests courses at Keela since 2016. He is a farmer, sheppard, gardener, builder and ultimately a homesteader. He shares is passion and journey with other people who would like to start a better, more sustainable life.
Assisting the teachers
We will have a new teaching apprentice on the farm who is learning how to become a permaculture teacher. Usually these are graduates of Keela´s Permaculture courses. Apprentices will assist the teachers with their classes and help manage the farm while Laurence is busy teaching.
Keela Volunteers
Helping run the farm and course
We will have a team of volunteers who want to experience living on a permaculture farm for a longer period. They help the chefs with cooking, help with harvesting food, cleaning and garden work.
Prices & travel information
Discounts availible
- €150 for Portuguese residents
- €75 per week for volunteering during the course
- €100 if joining the following specialist course
- Only one discount can be applied
2026 course costs
- Full PDC Course (including food): €950
- Specialist Course (including food): €500
- + Accommodation
2027 course costs
- Full PDC Course (including food): €850 + VAT = €1045.50
- Specialist Course (including food): €450 + VAT = %553.5
- + Accommodation
Accomodation
- Accommodation (more info and photos)
- Your tent or Caravan (free)
- Private Caravan €150
- Tent with bedding €100
- Local farm house room €40 per night (Car required and dogs accepted)
Traveling to Keela Permaculture Farm
- Fly to either Lisbon or Porto Airport.
- Take a coach or Train to Fundao Station
- Arrive by group taxi from Fundao station to the farm
What will you learn?
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All these topics will be included in the one week course:
- Learn and eat from the existing food forests. For the past 10 years, we have planted one each year using a different method for you to explore.
- Chicken-managed food forest
- Syntopic Farming method
- Silvopasture
- Guild and polyculture mixed food forest
- Restoration Agriculture food forest (for sheep)
- Design and help to expand each of the above food forests
- Learn about the food soil web, how to make organic fertilisers and how to cultivate microbiology for the soil
- Discover how to properly research trees and their companions
- Learn how to design guilds and a food forest
- Plant trees and guilds in the food forest
- Propagate perennials to plant into next year’s food forests (how to get free plants)
- Learn how to design, select, buy and install irrigation systems
- Plan and perform earthworks for water catchment, swales and ponds with a tractor
- Learn how to graft trees
- Learn how to prune trees
- Daily Yoga Class
- Learn and eat from the existing food forests. For the past 10 years, we have planted one each year using a different method for you to explore.
What our past students have say
Google and Facebook Reviews
Booking Form
More info
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