If you’ve been craving a deeper connection with the Earth, wanting to learn how to grow your own food, build real community, and live more in tune with nature, our permaculture course in Portugal invites you into this space.

Trade textbooks and screens for spade, soil, and a veggie garden! At the heart of the Alentejo region, in a regenerated chicken-factory turned community, our land stewards are holding a permaculture course starting on November 1st where the land is your classroom and the people around you become co-learners, collaborators, and friends.

Welcome to Hands-On Permaculture 101, a fully in-person, two-week dive into regenerative food production, ecological design, and community building. If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to plant a food forest, build with cob, or desire and dig water catchments, this is your invitation to join.

Discover more information and how to sign up here.

What is permaculture?

Permaculture is both a philosophy and a practical design system. It teaches how to create more sustainable human habitats inspired by natural ecosystems. From growing organic food and harvesting rainwater to designing resilient communities, permaculture combines ecological science with hands-on creativity.

In TDF we have been practising permaculture since the project opened in 2021 when the first food forest along with native trees was planted. In 2023, we embraced permaculture for food production by creating a veggie garden that combines seasonal crops, pollinators and trees creating synergies that benefit all.

Learn in the land

Picture of the team working in the land to build the permaculture garden back in early 2023.

Since we created the garden, we have been growing food for us and working towards plans to open a local restaurant.

In this permaculture course in Portugal, you’ll experience it all in the permaculture garden we have on the land, where we grow a variety of vegetables and fruit trees (lots of brassicas at the moment thanks to the fall season!).

Here you’ll learn by observing, planting, building, and collaborating. Each lesson unfolds outdoors, surrounded by the landscapes that make Portugal one of the most fertile grounds for regenerative projects in Europe.

What you’ll do during the permaculture course

You’ll spend your days in hands-on projects such as planting trees, or designing food forests. You will get muddy. You will feel the sun and together help design systems that can feed a village. Evenings bring group discussions, gatherings, and shared meals prepared with local ingredients.

You’ll also build compost systems that include chicken-powered piles, hot heaps, and humanure. You’ll dig swales, work on irrigation. You’ll harvest, ferment, cook together, map and design landscapes, plant guilds, and step into what it feels like when humans and land regenerate together.

Sounds interesting? Get to know more and be part of this lived experience.

What will you learn and why does it matter?

In addition to the physical work, you’ll dive into the theory, ethics, and mindset behind regeneration.

You will explore core permaculture ethics and design methods, land- and water-management techniques, soil-building and compost strategies, renewable energy basics, off-grid thinking, natural building, and community governance.

What makes this different from many courses is that you’re living it, you’ll benefit from facilitators who bring depth, skilled experience, and the kind of teaching that turns ideas into action.

Specifically, in you’ll learn about:

Soil regeneration and composting
Water management and rainwater harvesting
Forest gardening and agroforestry
Natural building techniques
Renewable energy systems
Community design and decision-making

But beyond the technical skills, our permaculture course in Portugal invites you to have a broader perspective. You’ll begin to see patterns in nature and understand how they can guide your decisions, from how you grow food to how you collaborate with others.

A permaculture course in the heart of Portugal

At Traditional Dream Factory (TDF) in Alentejo, we host immersive learning experiences that combine permaculture with creativity and community living. In this permaculture course in Portugal participants become part of a temporary village where learning, eating, and building together create deep bonds and real-world impact.

Located at the regenerating village of Traditional Dream Factory in Alentejo, the course takes place on land that once housed a poultry factory and is now surrounded by cork-oak hills and olive trees, about 1.5-2 hours from Lisbon.

Our neighbors are a small town called Abela and its lovely citizens, a few curious toads, and sheep that loudly join the sunrise meetings.

Why this edition is special

Many permaculture courses are excellent, but what sets this one apart is its fully immersive community environment.

Past examples in the region show that when a course includes real land, real systems, and real people living together, it deeply changes what participants take home. The team will bring years of real-world experience, and you will be actively contributing rather than observing. This means you’ll leave with the certificate as well as confidence, tools, networks, and experience. Discover more about our permaculture course in Portugal.

TDF’s permaculture course lasts Two Weeks, here is a Glimpse

Over fourteen days you’ll follow a rhythm designed for learning, participation, and reflection. The first days will ease you into the land, into the design mindset, and into the community. Mid-course you’ll tackle deeper challenges: soil systems, water patterns, building, food forests. Toward the end you’ll integrate, design, plan your next steps and celebrate. Along the way you’ll sleep on-site, share meals, co-work, build friendships, and end each day aware that you’re part of something alive.

Sign up for the course here

So… Are You In?

If you’ve skipped past this far, you’re already imagining it. You see the soils, the beds, the community table, the sunrise over the oak trees. You will taste the produce grown in the land. You’ll talk with locals. Your hands, your questions, your ideas are welcome here.

Spaces are limited to ensure small-group learning and community depth.

If you’re ready for this, sign up!

Let’s dig in. Let’s grow. Let’s design a system we’re proud of. Join the permaculture course in Portugal: Hands‑On Permaculture 101 and take your first step toward a better future.

Permaculture course

Permaculture Course Portugal - A 14 Day Immersion

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