Farm tours had the attentive participation of people of all ages, coming from different places and various nationalities. It started with an illustrated project presentation supported by design maps and other tools used throughout the planning process. Visitors went up the farm passing by different areas of the project, from vegetable gardens to the aquaponics system, forests to animals, dry compost toilets to Lama Village, where the residents of the farm live.

We invited members from the local community to share traditional knowledge which they help to keep alive. Workshops happened a bit everywhere to suit all tastes: palm and dried flowers crafts with Manuela Caneco, cane instruments and wooden toys with Victor Hugo, small cane mats and traditional chairs by D. Idalina Gonçalves, how to make cheese and curd with D. Odete from the organic farm Quinta das 6 Marias and rythmic games with traditional drums by Tiago Rêgo. We also invited a group of elders from Odiáxere's Nursing Home to give life to the circle Stories of Our Past. They told us stories from the old days about how life was like and was it to do agriculture then. It was a specialmoment of sharing, of mutual inspiration and respect in an intergenerational dynamic. We are grateful to all for participating and hope to see you around here again!

Healthy food is an essential ingredient of the daily life in Vale da Lama so the whole weekend was filled with delicious food and refreshing lemonades and orangeades that helped to deal with the heat throughout both days.

The Farm Products stall was a success. Visitors had a chance to taste our new processed foods and our wooden oven bread. We collected evaluation marks of each product to be able to measure the satisfaction of our customers.

In the evening, Pás de Problème, a Lisbon band that was invited to liven up the party, made the calling. With trompets. clarinets and trombones they took everyone, once again, up the farm, towards the Sweet Spot Cafe – the new esplanade made with palets and old fruit boxes – a space that was launched with a dinner around the oven, that baked around 200 delicious pizzas. The concert started right after and lasted till the last breath of the audience that never stoped dancing. It finished with an epic night colective dive in the swmming pool of Casa do Vale.

The night was long but Sunday morning at 10pm the doors were open once again. The day started with an Introduction to Permaculture that brought together a huge and diverse group of people.

Children's Garden was amusing all day, specially at storytime. Between the tipi and the swings there was a lot of play. We built raised beds that will become sunflower's nests, a cane tent where beans will grow and we planted a lot of imagination. We celebrated together and with lots of smiles a wonderful Mother's Day.

Sunday was also International Day of Permaculture. We celebrated with an open heart and shared some of the dalily activities of Vale da Lama's living community.; we baked bread in the wooden oven, an delicious chila pumpkin jam, an 18 day compost pile, we swaped seeds and played music in a circle.. The day ended with an amazing performance from Rancho Foclórico e Etnográfico de Odiáxere teaching us traditional dances. Together with the group members and with all of those who stayed until the end of the day, we shared warm bread and the jam from the afternoon workshops.

Thanks to the commitment and effort of all residents, interns, volunteers, friends and friends of friends this weekend was an inspiration to all. Our doors stayed half open so that they can be open again soon.

The next event is coming on June 1st, De Pequenino se Planta o Pepino, to celebrate World Children's Day and the 19th anniversary of PND. You are all welcome!

Click here to see some pictures from the event.