Registration & Applying
Are gatherings free to attend?
Yes. The deposit will be returned to you when yo attend. If you fail to attend, it will be donated to a charity.
Are gatherings public?
No. Gatherings are private events hosted by me on the farm. The gatherings are not commercial, you attend as a friend staying at my home.
Do I have to have a Zoom call with you before?
Yes. It is important that we know each other – and also that I know who is coming to the gathering to plan the event.
Travel etc
Where do the gatherings take place?
The gatherings take place at my farm in Marvão, in the São Mamede Natural Park.
How can I travel there by public transport?
Getting to the middle of the countryside may seem daunting, but it is actually very easy, especially from Lisbon:
From Lisbon: There are two direct, comfortable buses a day. One departs early in the morning to Marvão, the other in the afternoon to Portagem. You can book tickets on Rede-Expressos.
From Madrid or Seville – via Cáceres: There are several trains a day connecting Madrid/Seville to Cáceres. These are run by RENFE. From the bus station in Cáceres (a 5-minute walk from the train station) take a bus to Valencia de Alcántara. There are two buses a day, operated by Interbus.
Would you recommend a car?
Depends… during a gathering, you can probably do without a car. However, if you are staying longer and/or are volunteering, I would recommend some form of transport.
What are the nearest airports?
Lisbon and Madrid are the closest international airports.
Badajoz has an airport, but no direct travel options to the Quinta (unless you rent a car there).
Can I bring my caravan?
Yes, you can bring your caravan, however, unless it is a very small caravan, it is unlikely to be able to enter the property. You can, however, park your caravan at the entrance.
Quinta in General
What’s the land like?
The Quinta is 5.5. hectares. We have four streams (including a water fall). Most of the land is wild forest, with some olive trees. You can see many pictures here https://quintaproject.org/queer-farm/
What rooms are there?
The main building at the Quinta has a
– living room, with library and fireplace
– a mezzanine drag room (where we have lots of fun clothes to dress up or down!)
– a kitchen, with all the mod cons
– two volunteer rooms
– my “apartment”.
Is there electricity, water etc at the Quinta?
Yes. The Quinta is off-grid: we generate our own electricity using solar and have our own well for water. Water is heated by solar energy during the summer months, and by electricity or wood in winter. In winter we have a central heating system that uses a combination of wood, pallets and solar power.
In the summer months, please mind your water usage!
Is there a bathroom at the Quinta?
Yes… three bathrooms plus one volunteer room has an “ensuite” and the other volunteer a shared bathroom.
Is there a kitchen at the Quinta?
Yes. There is a kitchen equipped with an oven, microwave, hob, dishwasher, kettle, washing machine, coffee machine, air fryer etc… Please help yourself to coffee. There is oat milk in the fridge.
Can I bring non-vegetarian (meat/fish) products?
No. The Quinta is strictly vegetarian. Do not bring meat or fish products onto the property, even if they are for your own personal consumption.
Can I smoke?
Yes, BUT please smoke only in smoking areas (terrace at the main house). Because of fire danger, you are strictly not allowed, without exception, to smoke anywhere else. If you are found to smoke outside of a smoking area between May and October (inclusive), you will be asked to leave immediately.
Is clothing optional?
Many people coming to the Quinta are naturists or explore nudism. I’m very relaxed with this, so feel free to wear as much or as little as you want (and I’ll join usually). If you have any strong preferences either way (always naked or always clothed), let me know!
What should I bring/not bring?
The Quinta is a real farm and much of it is wild. So bring clothing and especially footwear that can get very dirty!
Also, we are located in the mountains. Nights can be cold even at the height of summer – so bring an extra layer just in case.
What to expect: Gathering
Where will I sleep?
There are various sleeping areas (mezzanine etc) and two volunteer rooms with beds. You can also stay in a tent (we have some basic ones or bring your own).
Do I have a preassigned sleeping space/partner in my room?
No. There are no allocated sleeping spaces during gatherings for participants. You can choose where to sleep, and with whom (or without anyone).
What is the Open-Space method you use?
We use this to “create” the program for the days during gatherings: Everyone can bring and request things to do. We then try and find someone to facilitate these, and all together create a programme from this.
Is there a leader/teacher during the gathering? Or a syllabus?
No. All the gatherings are completely co-created by all the participants. They work by fostering peer-to-peer learning, so there is no leader, teacher, expert or so forth. The is no preset syllabus, and the programme for each day emerges from the contributions that participants bring.
Do I have to bring an event/idea/thing to do to the gathering?
You don’t have to, but it helps. Also, you might have an idea or find that you can respond to a request during the gathering. It is a very flexible system and often leads to very interesting experiences!
Can I be nude during the gathering?
Generally, you can be dressed as much – or as little – as you like on the Quinta. Nudity is welcome, as much as any other way to dress.
… more questions? Contact me 🙂