Regenerative grazing farm in Alentejo
Beja
Welcome to Monte da Pêra Brava!
We are an experimental farm practicing regenerative farming with rotational grazing of our sweet sheep, mischievous goats and our ferociously sweet guard dog Moxy!
What makes us experimental? We are learning as we go with our ambitious plan to restore soil health on our land. We believe that we can heal our dry and depleted soils in the semi-arid region of southern Alentejo just by mimicking nature. In our case that's moving the animals to a new paddock with fresh food every day, keeping the soils covered whenever we can, planting a diversity of local plants and trees and doing our best to attract wild animals, insects and encourage the communities of fungi and microbes.
What's it like on our farm? We're a close-knit team of passionate farmers that love what we do even when the going gets tough. We know some days are more challenging than others, but being surrounded by the animals, nature and good people make it all worth it.
We would love to have like-minded good people come experience our farm through volunteering.
The minimum period for volunteering is three weeks and we provide room, board, meals and great company.
Want to hear more? Contact us
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Learning opportunities
Cattle farming
Sheep or goat farming
Wild foraging
Meat processing
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Holistic management
Regenerative agriculture
Rotational grazing
Host type
Production farm
Former WWOOFer
150
Hectares
|
370.7
Acres
Sara
Member since 2023
Languages spoken:
Croatian, Dutch, English, French, German, Polish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 85%
Response time: typically within 5 days
Beja
Estação de autocarros de Almodôvar, Castro Verde, Ourique; aeroporto de Faro
Reviews
Marie-Louise
Germany
•
June 2025
Staying two weeks at Monte da Pera Brava was the best decision I could have done!
I had a first videocall with Sara 3 days before my arrival, so the whole idea was very spontaneous with the only condition to stay minimum 14 days. Since that call, I felt very welcomed and I kept that feeling until my leaving!
Josh and Zach, the "bosses" are both very friendly and ambitious. They love their animals and make sure that we're using good material for the farm tasks. Also the growth of Cork oak trees is part of the project.
Sara is working on the farm for one year and she's the direct contact person for volunteers. She's very funny, helpful and incredibly nice but she wants the volunteers to work independently to become creative and initiative. I spend very good time with her. Julian is going to have the same job as Sara.
I usually worked in the morning from 7 to 10ish and then again in the evening 6 to 8 and I had one day free per week. So 5 hours a day and 6 days a week.
Volunteers are meant to cook for themselves, but since I was alone, about 5 times we cooked all together in the mainhouse for dinner.
I learned a lot, almost became a dog person (originally I prefer cats) because of Moxy the shepherd dog and the village dogs, and I could assist to two amazing events: sheep shearing and the birth of a lamb, Kira.
All in all, I really enjoyed my time, but you should be conscious that this place is quite isolated from city life if you don't have a car.
I'd love to come again soon!
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Anatol
France
•
January 2025
I had a fantastic time volunteering on this goat and sheep farm in Portugal. The hospitality from everyone was truly heartwarming, and I was made to feel very welcome. I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to all the farm staff, especially Cristiana. She was incredibly kind and supportive throughout my stay. Cristiana is a highly skilled and knowledgeable professional in animal farming, and I learned so much from her during my time there. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with her and gain valuable insights into the world of animal agriculture
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Céline
Belgium
•
December 2024
I was allowed to spend a month (November/December) on the farm in winter. My tasks included preparing the food for Moxy (the dog), making fences and moving the animals to another paddock and feeding them. I really enjoyed the work. The work was easy and I was never alone. Cristiana and Leticia are good hosts. Their only wish is that we, the volunteers, are doing well. They also always had an open ear for problems etc. I really enjoyed my time on the farm.
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Ksenia
Ukraine
•
November 2023
Awesome, meaningful place to be! I was honored to contribute to the Monte da Pera Brava's mission for two days in October this year. Cristiana, a dedicated manager caring for the farm, met me there and briefed on everything needed. I was happy to assist her with daily routine work (taking care of animals, moving them around etc.) and learn about farm's mini-projects such as weather station, groundwater storage, planting trees, saving rainwater etc. Owners of the farm have a unique vision for this land; together with Cristiana and other workers, they're working on revitalizing the dry soil and aim to restore once existed ecosystems of the region. The village itself is super small. only 20 people live there, you'll definitely need a car in case you want to move around during the stay. Everyone was extremely welcoming to me as a newcomer! I experienced a heart-melting reception during my short stay and intend to visit again!
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