MAY 2017
Found the property advertised on the Internet. Make contact with the relevant Remax agent, and sign a contract for our intent to purchase.

JULY 2017
Visit the land for the first time. Meet up with a solicitor in Castelo Branco, and sign over power of attorney, so that she can handle the purchase without us having to be present. Get our fiscal numbers.

AUGUST 2017
Michael makes a quick visit to meet the architect and some potential builders. He is made aware of an issue with a portion of the land, which actually belongs to someone else, although it is part of the official document or caderneta. Contact the solicitor.

NOVEMBER 2017
The land is transferred into our names, including the disputed piece that we bought from Maria, and will always refer to as Maria’s Land.

DECEMBER 2017
Building work starts to convert a small ruin into a house.

APRIL 2018
Our first two week visit to the land, essentially to do some land clearing.

JULY 2018
With the house being wind and water tight, we can, for the first time, stay on the land for two weeks. Leveling of ground around the house and between the house and barn, as well as building both a temporary outside bathroom and shower inside the barn. Pruning of some of the trees on Maria’s land.

SEPTEMBER 2018
Electricity from the main grid is connected to the top of the land

NOVEMBER 2018
Michael spend a week on the land to start work on the dry walling for the bathroom, and to be present while the borehole is sunk.

JUNE 2019
Two week visit to build a structural platform above the bathroom ceiling, and chasing the walls.

SEPTEMBER 2019
Two week visit to install ceilings and dry walls.

NOVEMBER 2019
Various artisans complete the following: finish the ceilings and dry walls, skim and paint the walls; tile the bathroom; build a stone wall around the olive tree and pave outside.

DECEMBER 2019
The Electrician finishes the bathroom by installing the toilet and shower, and installs all the lights. The builder puts in the laminate flooring. The house receive a final coat of paint.

JANUARY 2020
Michael spends a week installing most of an IKEA kitchen.

MARCH 2020
One week visit to finish the kitchen, install a cupboard in the bathroom, and assemble an Ikea bed. We meet with the Architect and Electrician to finalise the purchase of the water heater. Matthias prune our olive trees.

OCTOBER 2020
Jolandi makes the move to Portugal despite the world still being upside-down because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and various travel restrictions.

NOVEMBER 2020
Our first olive harvest yields 135kg from roughly 10 trees, and a total of 15l of olive oil. We had to combine our olives with someone else to make up the required 500kg at the mill.

DECEMBER 2020
Heating system installed, but not working as it should.

JANUARY 2021
Heating system finally works mid-January, after what some people term the coldest winter in a decade or more.

FEBRUARY 2021
Jolandi has her appointment with SEF for her residence visa.
Michael relocates Midnight & Lily (our cats) and stays for a short visit.
Our first attempt at burning to get rid of all the debris of land clearing.

MARCH 2021
Jolandi builts a temporary vegetable garden close to the house.
Matthias pruned half of the trees in the olive grove.
The custom made couch we ordered in October finally arrived.

APRIL 2021
Pointing on the house.
Wall next to the entrance road built – only cement blocks portion completed.

MAY 2021
Michael arrives for a 3 week visit.
Meet with a consultant to start planning an orchard.
Install irrigation system for the orchard.
Build a wall around the second well.
Matthias finishes pruning the olive trees.
Tim digs out an extension for the vegetable garden as Jolandi sowed too many tomato seeds.
Meet our Angel in Castelo Branco who will help us with tricky paperwork and red tape.
Tim & Michael clean the main well.

JUNE 2021
The cork oak tree we think got uprooted during a storm in January 2020 by the stream is finally milled into planks, which are packed into the barn to dry.
My Stand-in paints the roof of the barn red.
Tim cuts the grass.
Solar panels installed.
Jolandi fetches her electric strimmer from the Stihl shop.

JULY 2021
Michael arrives for a visit.
Build a porch, and casa at the well to house the electric connections.
Bury pipes where we want to build a green house.
Build a roof over half the well and irrigation equipment.
Build a wind break to protect the macadamia nut and mango trees in their temporary spot (planted in pots in the ground).

AUGUST 2021
Aircon is installed.
Start to process the bounty of tomatoes and peppers from the garden.

SEPTEMBER 2021
Last of the tomatoes and peppers processed and bottled.

OCTOBER 2021
Michael arrives for a 2 week visit at the end of September.
Remove cooker hood that didn’t work, and replace it with cupboards. Build Ikea cupboards in the barn, visit Aveiro to look into an option for a barn, and fix the bridge with Tim.
I redesign and build new beds in the veg garden, after removing the tomatoes.
Melissa, the Mushroom Hunter comes to visit us on the land to help us identify some of the mushrooms growing here.
The last of the peppers, peppers de Padron and eggplants.
Receive the habitation licence from the municipality.

NOVEMBER 2021
First frost 4 November
Olive harvest 6 & 7 November
Make my first biochar and add to a near completed compost heap.

DECEMBER 2021
Start the process of pruning the lavender and rock roses that would last as a project for the rest of winter.
Michael comes for a quick 1 week visit at the beginning of the month.
Plant 21 trees in the orchard just before Christmas: 2 apple, 2 pear, 2 apricot, 2 peach, 4 cherry, 4 hazelnut, 2 fig, 2 pomegranate, 1 jujube

JANUARY 2022
Prune hawthorn and oak trees on the land we want to turn into a forest. Also remove all the remaining dead brambles from the treetops in a corner near the stream.

FEBRUARY 2022
Start online Portuguese language course.

MARCH 2022
Michael comes for a 1 week visit at the beginning of the month.
Build a retaining wall and 3/4 of the stairs near the traditional oven.
Preparing the vegetable garden by spreading a layer of my own compost for the first time.
Seeds for vegetable garden sown and started in the house

APRIL 2022
Matthias finishes pruning the olive trees
Olive cuttings turned into biochar
Make compost
Spread compost around some of the upper olive trees
Tomatoes and peppers potted on

MAY 2022
Michael and his parents come for a 3 week visit
Finish the stairs at the retaining wall
Install new irrigation in the vegetable garden and other areas to water from the well and not borehole
Build manhole to house the valves for the irrigation
Make make a temporary roll-up blind by the double doors to keep the summer sun off the glass
Change rope for a chain in the well that holds up the pump
Plant out avocado, mango, and macadamia nut trees
Tim move rocks & move rocks into place for eventual water feature, level soil behind retaining wall, and cut grass with chain mower

JUNE 2022
Buy and plant citrus trees (orange, mandarine, lemon and lime)
The first beehives arrive on the land

JULY 2022
Finally! The title deed is ammended to both Urbana & Rustica, showing we are allowed to live legally on the land
Build roller blind outside big window to block out the late afternoon sun

OCTOBER 2022
Steel delivery (19th)

JANUARY 2023
Stone retaining wall is built
Small wall at stone oven is cladded
Dry stone wall is opened for a new entrance to access the planned workshop

FEBRUARY 2023
Steel gates at house and for new entrance are installed
7 Olive trees are successfully moved to make space for the planned workshop

MARCH 2023
Long cement block wall along the access road is cladded

APRIL 2023
Groundworks for the workshop
Michael here for a 10 day visit

MAY 2023
Wall at the top entrance of land is built and cladded
Various areas of dry stone wall is fixed

JUNE 2023
Concrete for foundation of workshop is poured (14th)
Rock wall around olive tree is built higher
Michael visits for a week

JULY 2023
Floor area for workshop backfilled

AUGUST 2023
Second well cladded

SEPTEMBER 2023
Preparation work for throwing a concrete retaining wall below the workshop
Steel structure for workshop erected

OCTOBER 2023
Michael visits for 2 weeks
Throw concrete for foundation, build formwork for actual retaining wall & throw concrete

NOVEMBER 2023
Removing soil & backfilling between workshop and retaining wall

FEBRUARY 2024
Move two more olive trees
Dig trench for foundation of a small retaining wall between workshop and old stone wall
Level and compact touvenant on outside of workshop
Michael visits for a week

MARCH 2024
Heaps of soil levelled out to start the process of creating a terrace in front of the house
Build another temporary garden on terrace near stone oven

APRIL 2024
Michael visits for a week
Put touvenant down for base of workshop floor, spread, level and compact
Put up another roller blind
Spread a layer of sand over the touvenant for workshop floor

MAY 2024
Michael visits for a week
Outside floor by workshop thrown
Work on workshop floor – plastic damp proof liner, insulation, rebar mesh, underfloor heating pipes

JUNE 2024
6th – concrete for workshop floor is thrown
Roof panels are delivered
14th – building of small retaining wall & terrace starts
Michael visits for a week with his daughter

JULY 2024
4th – cladding work starts on workshop & haybales are baled
15th – leave for SA

AUGUST 2024
19th – return from SA

SEPTEMBER 2024
Michael visits for a week
Workshop windows installed
Dig foundation where compost bins are planned
Do drains and temporary downpipes at workshop

OCTOBER 2024
10th – olive harvest
1st – foundation for wall at compost bins are thrown
Manholes near workshop, dig foundation for curved retaining wall near big gates
Fix dry stone wall near orchard

NOVEMBER 2024
Finishing touches done on workshop & doors installed
Permanent down pipes for drains on workshop installed
Work on dry stone wall at the back of the house

DECEMBER 2024
Michael visits for two weeks at beginning of the month
Barn is emptied and contents moved to workshop – racks installed in workshop