ARE WE READY for summer at our ruined Portuguese farm? EP130

After weeks of hard work, we finally make the last big push to complete our kitchen garden bench seating area, here at our ruined farm in central Portugal.

This space has become more important than we ever expected. With our huge summer building renovation project bringing noise, dust and disruption, we desperately need somewhere peaceful to sit, relax and enjoy the evening sunshine — hidden away behind the kitchen wall.

But summer preparation never stops on a rural property like this.

This week also sees us tackling more land clearance work to meet our annual fire safety obligations, with the ride-on mower and trailer working overtime on our steep and challenging terrain. Every day we are learning more about what these machines can do… and where they probably shouldn’t go!

And as temperatures begin to rise, we prepare for returning to sleep at the farm full-time for the summer months, by finally fixing a long-jammed shutter in the back room of the old house.

Are we actually ready for summer yet? Probably not… but we are getting closer.

Join us for another week of renovation, rural living, problem solving and slow progress at our ruined Portugal farmstead.

#Portugal #FarmRenovation #OffGridLiving #RenovationProject #RuralPortugal #LifeInPortugal #Homestead #DIY #CountryLife #AbandonedFarm

Episode 130 - In the Hot Seat
00:00 Welcome to Portugal
00:49 Beans and boars
02:03 Bench base
03:25 Bug proofing
04:36 Mowing lessons
07:24 Shutter fix
10:16 Help is here
12:11 Land clearance
13:58 Thundery
15:37 Shelves
16:18 Herb bed
18:38 Bench completed
21:37 Bramble corner
24:03 New plans
28:10 Strim and close

We have an extensive back catalogue, and have collected our experiences into themed playlists, such as:
📆 For the 2026 story so far https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhATBfZOir21eMAOP3zo1JE4N
🚜 For our work on the land https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhAQRdSbIslyyMdUkJ4PMzK6e
🍳 To follow our work around the outdoor kitchen https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhAQTLp8MEXWhbLeR7qPdjDJm

Music this week features licensed material from uppbeat.io:
🎵 'Hey Ho' by Northwestern https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/hey-ho
License code: ISCIAGNKIYAL9DZJ
🎵 'It Starts With Teamwork' by Sky Toes https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/it-starts-with-teamwork
License code: FTWA1N5WGIXDMABB
🎵 'Simple Life' by Synod https://uppbeat.io/t/synod/simple-life
License code: H4P5NBP0OELAHWOE
🎵 'Nevada' by The Lakes https://uppbeat.io/t/the-lakes/nevada
License code: N0DX8EVV5ZWJF6CK

If you would like to contribute to our tool shopping list, then the best place is through Buy Me A Coffee at:
buymeacoffee.com/hotkeysportugal