After months of hard work on our abandoned farmstead in Portugal, it's finally time to prepare for summer. We tackle the installation of our above-ground swimming pool, carefully rebuilding the base with gravel, sand and foam tiles to create a stable foundation, before filling it for the first time. Once the water is in, the chlorine treatment begins, and work starts on creating a smart terrace area around the pool.
Meanwhile, Jane continues transforming the gardens, planting new flowers and vegetables, including an experimental in-ground vegetable plot, to compare with our raised-bed kitchen garden. We harvest some enormous radishes, pick our first strawberries of the season, and enjoy a mostly home-grown lunch.
As if that wasn't enough, we receive some wonderful news in the post, when our Portuguese residence cards finally arrive, confirming our ability to remain here full-time for at least another two years.
Join us for another week of renovation, gardening, self-sufficiency and rural life in central Portugal, ending with a peaceful moment beside the pool as we reflect on how far this journey has come.
If you enjoy property renovation, homesteading, gardening, rural living and life in Portugal, please subscribe and follow our continuing adventure.
#Portugal #RenovationProject #Homestead #SwimmingPool #OffGridLiving #TinyHouse #GardenLife
Episode 134 From Pool to Pot
00:00 Welcome to Portugal
00:42 Ground planting
03:08 Residence cards
04:48 Ring flip
08:30 Centre gravel
09:42 Harvest
11:12 Adding sand
14:53 Levelling
16:46 Pool assembly
19:45 Poolside refreshments
21:34 Scrubbing
23:23 Flat bottom
25:58 Poolside terrace
28:47 Full and ready
31:56 More planting
33:02 Strawberries!
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
🍏 To follow our work on all things food
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhATPE3cnaNBpnXvXMI6mRwL4
🇵🇹 😎 🍷 Life in Portugal
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhAQrHfuZwhradscZlIzuX7wT
🎵 This week is a special for music - with just one original piece, written and recorded for us, so we are celebrating the talent of the wonderful Dave Curtis with his song 'Eve' He is a brilliant musician, photographer, and videographer, and you can find him on Instagram @dcurtis_photo or at dcurtis.co.uk
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
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