BIOINTENSIVEÂ GARDENING APPRENTICESHIP 2025
Are you in search of deepening your experience with Permaculture, acquiring new skills, and putting theory and systems design into practice? Learn by doing with our regenerative farming approach. This apprenticeship will give you a kick-start into running your own bio-intensive market garden.
Three positions are open!
When? from mid-June (to be discussed) until mid-October 2025
A QUICK GUIDE TO THE APPRENTICESHIP
Apprentices will be focussing on two of our garden systems: the bio intensive/market garden and the forest garden.
The bio intensive/market garden system is a regenerative farming system that focuses on small-scale intensive and high-yield principles. Our farm is designed in two structures:
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1. "visible" structures such as the Farm Hub which is a space dedicated to all things garden related such as tools, work spaces, cleaning station for harvesting etc.
2. "invisible" structures that include a dedicated target plan as well as documents for weekly planning, ordering, nursery management and more.
Our forest garden is 14 years old, designed using the 7 layers of forest gardening and the concept of tree guilds.
It offers a range of subtropical, temperate and mediterranean species.
- gain valuable hands-on experience working in a bio-intensive garden and a forest garden
- facilitate gardening during our courses by guiding small groups of students into our 16 garden tasks and other garden activities
- receive mentorship & lectures to guide you along your way
- receive an apprenticeship certificate upon completion
- apprentices will also learn to bake bread in our cob oven and then be responsible for baking bread for the courses throughout the summer
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SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFORMATION
APPRENTICESHIP OVERVIEW
THE APPRENTICESHIP IS SUITED FOR...
Anyone looking for an immersive experience of permaculture. There are no prerequisites needed to join though, as the apprenticeship is experience-based. All we ask for is:
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eagerness to learn
positive principles
cooperation & politeness
active engagement in co-living (cooking/cleaning)
ability to spend time alone or with people as and when needed
excited to live the reality of an off-grid daily life in the midst of nature
IT INVOLVES...
Apprentices will be responsible for routine tasks throughout their time here and will have a strong focus on farming. Project leaders will facilitate your work and guide you as needed.​
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Off-season (April-June) you will gain knowledge and experience which you will then have the chance to share throughout the summer course season (June-October) by facilitating hands-on sessions as part of our permaculture design courses.
YOU WILL GAIN...
You will gain a comprehensive grasp of permaculture and be able to confidently move forward in your pursuits, whether it be transitioning into farming or taking on a yet-to-be-discovered role in the Permaculture movement.
Along with valuable land-based knowledge, you will also receive teacher training and gain experience facilitating group activities.
We offer certification through our non-profit.
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As part of your apprenticeship you will also get the chance to join classes held during the courses throughout the summer, which will then combine into you receiving a PDC certificate.
ADDITIONALÂ INFORMATION
COST
We do not charge any fee to be an apprentice here. For 6 hours of work 5 days per week your exchange will include food and camping along with the training you will receive.
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CAMPING
The campsite is a semi-wild area where we have created level terraces among the trees, mushrooms, and stones for people to pitch their tents out of view from the rest of the garden.
FOOD
We eat vegetarian meals with ingredients sourced from our gardens or from local organic producers. If you are celiac, gluten intolerant, vegan or have any allergies please inform us so we can adapt accordingly.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please expect an answer up to two weeks after the application deadline and not before the application deadline. In case you were selected we will ask you to take part in a zoom call, if you were not selected you will also receive an email during that time.
ABOUT THE LOCATION
Terra Alta is an off-the-grid holistic-education host site where students and visitors alike get to see all 12 Principles of Permaculture in action. It’s located in between Almoçageme and Ulgueira, two quaint sea-side villages with easy access to amazing beaches and is relatively simple to reach from Lisbon and Sintra. The following Permaculture elements and functions are on display, amongst others:
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Small-scale earthworks to capitalise on impervious surface runoff
Hot & Cold Composting (Vermiculture) systems for boosting soil life, picking up on waste streams, and cycling nutrients
Food Preservation and supporting the local economy of food production
Natural Building techniques utilised for dwellings and social spaces
Renewable Energy technology featuring solar panels
Internet available
We treat Terra Alta's off-the-grid site as a teacher in its own right as participants get to experience Permaculture daily, learning from our existing projects and being part of our crew.
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