We bought more abandoned land and this is how we cleared it
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- Опубліковано 18 чер 2024
- This week it is finally time to share our secret project of this year. At the end of last year we were approached by a friend who shared that our neighbours were looking to sell their plot. Seeing that we had been eyeing this plot for the future, we decided to jump on the opportunity. It only a small plot compared to our land, but after decades of neglect it had been overtaken by brambles. Be sure to watch till the end to see a grand tour of this amazing new addition to our property.
0:00 Introduction
1:39 Day 1
4:25 First discoveries
10:00 Second terrace
11:44 Day 2
21:21 The final stretch
22:15 A tour
24:54 All the random stuff we found
30:42 Conclusion, would we do this again?
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Lea van der Eems
Apartado 001144
EC Zona Industrial Castelo Branco
6001 - 901 Castelo Branco
Portugal
Music: Epidemic Sound
New here? My name is Lea and I live with my partner Maarten, our toddler Puck and baby Bo on our land in Central Portugal. We left the rat race in the Netherlands in 2018 and moved south in our old campervan. Two years ago we bought land in Portugal that had been abandoned for several decades. After lots of hard work we now live in a beautiful yurt and keep ourselves busy growing our own vegetables as well as producing olive oil, wine and honey on a small scale. This channel documents all the different jobs we have to do, and sometimes some nice footage of this beautiful country we now call home.
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Email: quintahortavelha@gmail.com
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![1 Year ALONE Restoring an Abandoned Smallholding [timelapse]](/img/n.gif)
Have suggestions of what we can do with this new addition to our property? Let us know in the comments below!
You can have fruit trees there.
Puk and you could add beautiful stone pathways up to the terraces with stones found on the property? Loved seeing the steps in the wall. We will think about this more and get back to you. 🇺🇸🌹
Leuke video weer!! Mooi stukje land voor dwerggeitjes, paar hangbuikzwijntjes, paard...
@@molyjoseph1128 my thoughts too. they have at least two sources of water, so no issue with watering. i wonder what is the soil like.
It looks so beautiful there. Could you relocate your Yurt, outdoor kitchen, and outdoor potty to the new area and live in the garden with the fruit trees and such?
I bought a house with an abandoned garden & what amazed me so much was how fast things started to grow after the brambles where cleared.
I’m sure it won’t take long here either :)
Always buy the neibors land , dutch farmers wisdom
Did you see Martin’s face when he talked about clearing the land ! A smile from ear 👂 to ear ! Viva Martin ! And Viva Martin’s tips lol 😝 we need more Martin and his tips to help us get through our day lol 😝
He loves it! Glad you loved the video and you have your Maarten kick for the week ;)
@@ourportuguesehomestead everyone knows that Martin is the Johan Cruff of off grid life lol 😂 🔧 🐓 🐕 🐈 🥦 🧒 🧒 👩🏼 🧔
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The blue plastic "pot" that you find on the field is a water container to pick up fresh water from the well and bring home for water drink . My grandfather used to have a small well and i pick up the water on a "pot" like that to bring home the water. On that time country houses doesn't have piped water.
Yes I think you’re right. We’ve met some people who lived here before they had running water in homes, so much work to get water daily.
Please remember to make the wells child safe as soon as possible. Kind regards from Denmark
You have a lot of energy. Best wishes on your new land.
I don't know why but i love how happy this man is from just buying some random overgrown and otherwise unwanted land to clean up, Keep on cleaning up the land and showing us the process along the way.
Man the work that went into building those walls is amazing. imagen shifting all that rock into place and moving all the soil. We need to make the most of what people in the past have done.
Well, I must say this has been my favourite Portugal 🇵🇹 content from anyone for a while.
The best time-lapse I've seen, superb!
I love strimming, it's my meditation.
Finding hidden stone work, especially when it's beautiful and I'm betting there is more to see of the water management systems there, possibly a water mine hidden away.
Nice to see land being saved from the silvas, I call it the tory plant, no matter how you deal with it, its going to hurt and destroy.
Really super pleased for your acquisition, I think you've secured a little Bobby Dazzler of land and fruit trees will give you so much sunshine joy forever.
Thanks guys!
Thank you! I really enjoyed making this video and must admit I have been watching it a few times as well haha 😂. I’ll investigate the well and ‘reservoir’ when the temperature rises and I need some cooling off. Great analogy, brambles need strict management and repetitive cuts so it can’t damage its surrounding plants.
Maarten: very satisfying to watch the clearing of the property! Love the stone walls.
Hazel ☘️ …
Painstakingly satisfying Martin !
Lovely piece of land to restore … the earth is a better place with custodians like you 👍
🙏☘️😘
Thanks!
Oh yes! In a heartbeat I would do it again. What a neat piece of land with the fruit trees but those walls! Beautiful. Can you even imagine the work it took to move all the stone to build those walls. And the terracing it produced is very nice. Beautiful piece of land. Congrats!!
Thank you! We have been amazed by everything our predecessors have been able to achieve, often without any machinery; it’s a humbling experience.
@@ourportuguesehomestead they managed to accomplish it by big families helping each other and also with the help of oxen and donkeys, mostly. But still, it IS amazing what they did without modern machinery
@@ourportuguesehomestead when I was a kid, spending all my school vacations in that region, I remember all the men working together to build a house for a young couple, then I remember
... then, everyone would help build another's house, and money wasn't even involved, they traded services like that
They bartered a lot
You may start growing flowers that are suitable with the Portuguese climate and start a business, selling them also on line.
How exciting to suddenly reveal those ancient walls. I think the spirit of the old peasant people who eked out a living on those tiny farms lives on in those stones. I have admired your strength and resolution over the months and the raising of a family in true pioneer circumstances has been wonderful to watch. Thank you.
How beautiful the Nature in there , Fantastico !
What a delightful addition to your land. It took me back to land I was custodian of here in Australia during the 1990’s. Recalling the terracing, the treasures, unexpected fruits, huge quantities of brambles and the sheer joy of it! Thank you so much for sharing. 😊
What a beautiful addition to your homestead, I love the stone walls and terracing that has been done and the additional water security will be invaluable in the future. Well done on the clearing Martin, that was epic! I can't wait to see it all expose itself as you complete the clearing/cleaning and put it into full production. I would love to see a map of the overall land and how the new addition fits into it as you go forward in your property development. Thanks for bringing us along on your journey, be careful and be well... /B
The new land is beautiful and you all must value having it. Hard work cleaning it, but so worth it Blessings to all.❤
Your new land is a most magical ancient place. Throughout Maarten's work, I kept seeing sheep on the terraces in my imagination. Perhaps I was getting a flashback from a few centuries ago. But then I thought perhaps if you want to, you could buy a breeding pair of sheep to keep the farm "mowed." You could sell the lambs or enter into meat harvesting if that's something you have discussed. I'm sure there are neighbors who could do it for you. (I hope this doesn't bring you or me an avalanche of backlash from vegans out in internet land lol). Great purchase. The land is gorgeous! I also think the reservoir (not the well) was to receive spring water from higher up that seems to be going into the black tube Maarten uncovered. Perhaps the spring is also on this land. That would be amazing. At any rate, congratulations. This offer to buy the land was a providential gift for sure. In Italy where I live, I just sold my house with a few olive tree terraces on the land. I am now trying to find a house needing renovation with much more land within my very modest budget. I am waiting for my own providential "gift" since living in a rental place is giving me crazy dreams haha. Once we have lived in a quiet rural place, it is impossible to adjust to city life again.
We find new magical corners all the time, hard to capture on camera how special it feels there. Sheep might be in the future, but not for a few years. I think they would enjoy it there. Hope you find a nice new place soon!
You both look so happy with your new project and we are happy for you. Not just more land but land providing you with more water, fruit trees and great potential for more endevours. love the old wall and exciting finds. Great! Thanks for the share, loved it. All the best Cath and Keith 🌞
Well said, From Portland, Or America
The zone where you are at, what's the average cost per acre of land? And how far from the Sea.
The larger tree free terrace you called a crop area my grandfather would call the spring paddock with spring filled trough. Pigs, goats, and sheep would be brought there to over winter and give birth, then let the offspring grow up a bit before moving them along a small holding. These critters would munch down the previous years bramble growth and chew through most of the spring growth keeping the brambles in check. Their back end production would fertilize the trees and a summer crop could be grown. After that harvest, the critters are moved back in.
Water, water, water!!! Plus lovely fruit trees, terraces, walls. Congratulations!
I’ve said this before but watching your videos on Sunday mornings with my two toddlers and my very pregnant self is one of my weekly highlights right now. I love your content, how real and well thought out it is, insights into a different way of life. And I love that you have kids but it’s not a parenting channel.
Thanks, that’s lovely to hear! I hope we’re good toddler tv, I love it when they’re quiet for 20 minutes 😅
Beautiful addition,well done,hard work but worth it
Congratulations on your new purchase 👍👍
Loved the video. Congratulations on the new purchase. The land is beautiful. 😁
Thanks so much! 😊
Great job, you've also made your land safer from a wild fire perspective as brambles climbing trees like that lift fires into tree canopies exacerbating fires
Land with fruit trees and water is indeed a rich piece of land. That was a good buy. ❤️🙏
The new land is AMAZING!!! The fruit trees, olive trees, and the walls and terraces!!! Wow!!!
And not one but TWO new water sources.... That must be thrilling!!
Maarten, you did incredible work to get this cleared.... Kudos to you and the strimmer!
I'm so happy for you all!!!
Re: your find haul of 'treasures', the last flattened object you couldn't identify is, a salt pig, or 'saleiro' in Portuguese. It could be quite sweet if restored it. You attach these on the wall, with a nail, next to your oven hob/cooker, so you can season the food while you cook. The rusty buckets could be painted and made little plant pots, if you are into twee, which I am. All those fruit trees I say WOW!! Happy days folks. X:)
Great job clearing, that is an interesting addiction you have there. Excited for you four, fruit trees a plus! Thank you for sharing from upstate New York. 🇺🇸🌹
It's one I won't complain about. The kids are loving all the clementines, thanks for watching!
@@ourportuguesehomestead Maarten, some more technical questions, after you shred the brambles with the trimmer, do you make any special treatment like pulling out the roots or just let them rotten down? Do they grow back easily? Thanks.
I think the last metallic object would be a "saleiro", where salt was kept in the kitchen. It would have a half-circle shape and a wooden lid.
Thank you for solving that mystery :)
Second that. Came here to write that comment. Saleiro for sure.
Would be in the kitchen… had a bit of a journey out.
The blue plastic container is a “cântaro” to transport water indeed. Likely from the well to a house back in the day before pipes.
The land is just gorgeous. I can see a lot of work was put into the land and the water is a great plus for certain. The walls are lovely. The place seems very peaceful. I am planting small fruit trees and it is very expensive these days here to add trees. It was shown to me the Air B&B for the small property I have could be used that way. I stayed at one in mountains that was very nice and the views wonderful. The land is a wonderful addition and fine investment. Beautiful it is!!
Oddly I enjoyed watching your husband cut brambles and discover all the trees. Thank you.
It is a nice place for the new house. I loved!!
Hiring or borrowing a chipper/ shredder is the best way to deal with brambles. Mulch down to compost, saves so much pain and effort
Awesome property. Good luck
Looking forward to seeing the new piece of land.
I'm quite sure when man finally leaves our planet brambles will completely cover everything.
It doesn't take long for them to grow into & over structures, they're triffid nightmares.
Well done clearing so much Maarten.
I can see that!
I really love these exploring videos! Congrats with the new land!
It was very fun to do the exploring :)
Congratulations!! The land is SUPERB!! The ground looks very fertile, the grass is lush and long in some areas. The terraces are beautiful, such a serein and peaceful place. Back in the day, someone really took good care of the place. I'm glad that it's going to go back to having some use.
You all are such an inspiration. So grateful to see down to earth common sense people in these often trying times🌟. Know it is hard work but you carry on with smiles!❤️ Sometimes in the USA, I wonder where the "real" people have gone.(Still here of course just not as easily seen or obnoxious as the loud ones) 🤷♀️. Thanks for sharing and Many Blessings!
With brambles, the same as with roses, you get rid of the thorns by lightly gripping the stem with a full hand and then twist that hand around the stem. That way you break all the thorns clean of and create a hold for gripping the stem. That strimmer with the knives worked fine. I have at times also used a hedge trimmer (heggeschaar)
Its so magical! Perhaps more fruit trees, and some kind of glamping tents for air bnb guests.. extra income and a beautiful spot to host others while also growing fruit. A goat or two could also keep the land bramble free.
The wall makes that area It's own little microclimate for plants. Some can need that little extra wind protection. Makes me wonder if that may have been an area for sheep..and a place to water them. The big tree might make a good spot for a tree fort for the young one. The spread in trunks of the tree could sit a platform. Watching you uncover that great piece of land. Is amazing! And discovering all it has on it.
WOW, I am so glad you got this property, I do believe you will enjoy this property even into your old age. Take care of it and do not change it too much, You have some of the most beautiful old walls that I have seen, They look to have been built to LAST. YES, And the Well or Resevoir is a great Feature to have, I do not know you, but I am so Happy for You,
That was amazing to watch! Thank you for sharing.
Go Martin! Can’t beat a bit of clearance work, very satisfying!❤️
Maybe start larger fruit orchard though that takes time. Or milk producing animals? Lots of potential!
There's lots of water so we might plant some more fruit trees in the future :)
And under fruit trees you can have animals graze...
It was nice to see everything you discovered. Very exciting. Love the terraces and moss walls.
A beautiful piece of land, like a magical secret place for a child to play in ... the things you can do are limitless. 👍
Wow it looks like you’ll need some clearing, this is fun. You said at the beginning that there was some adjacent land that you could buy. I wonder if it does ajoin. More land is always good.
Yes, this land connects to our land and is separated by a waterchannel. :)
Very cool Maarten, great job!
Congratulations, a real find! Watching the time lapse of Martin clearing the land is one of the most satisfying videos I've seen in a while. Thank you! 👍👍😁😁
PS: Martin, continuing our last comments about buying more spares than you need, I woke up this morning after a -5ºC night to find a water filter cracked and full of ice, meaning that we have no water on a Sunday.... Luckily, I managed to cobble together a temporary bypass with my "left over" plumbing fittings.
Oh wow, that is not the best start of a day. Last year we had a cracked faucet in the shower due to freezing and now I just make sure there is no water in the lines when it will freeze during the night.
Congratulations on your new piece of land. My wife says I have enough but you can never have to much land especially if you're Irish.
Congratulations on the new land addition. What a wonderful Christmas gift for the whole family. Remember..land is the only thing that lasts. I am so proud for all of you. Another well is fantastic. I cant wait to watch the progress. Have a great week.
Thanks Maarten for showing us your new land - great potential I would say, for your future.
Where you have high level brambles/foliage/light stems you can also use a adjustable hedge trimmer attachment on a pole if necessary.
all in all this plot was a little gold mine with all the mature trees and the wells
I'm thrilled for you! What an amazing pieces of land. Loving the moss covered stone walls ... especially the steps! The open flat area would be a lovely spot for a house, so close to your water supply. All-in-all, it's a wonderful new mini-adventure for you two. Love from Australia 💞
Congratulations on the purchase an excellent purchase with it being next to the property that you already own. Safe guarding the children for me would be a concern for me with the open well or reservoir. Could just be me after all I'm thousands of miles away and in front of a computer screen.
This the reason why I left some of the brambles up so no kids or animals can accidentally get to the well. I’ll make sure to secure the well soon :)
True they are like fishing rods pulling , the tree also trying to get away becomes elongated and weak as the brambles try to smother the tree for light we put the two coloured banksia roses up a walnut tree soo prurtee but became like bramble and weakened the integrity of said walnut in Tasmania with all the rain , brambles are rife what a find all the fruit trees , bless 👍❤️❤️❤️🙏
So finally building what's up for nexts is somehow making its way ...
Step by step if i dare ...
Dare, care, ride safe, clean, have fun ...
From France with !
Hi Leah, wow love this video. The land looks like a farry tail garden! Love the tearases the steps, that wall wow it's stunning! Is there a nice view? If there is I will build my house 🏡 on the most highest one and use the lower parts for a nice garden flowers and veggies, and the lowest ones for chickens, ducks etc. But I know you'll already have that😊. What to do with that new land I can't think 🤔 of at the moment. But the water is a very big bonus!! At the right time plans will fall in places. My big conserne is to make that water save. That is a very big danger. But I know your going to do that for sure. Thank for the nice video. We have 2 rainy days and had to stay inside. Have a great day! Greatings Melinda from South-Africa.🙋🏻♀️👋💕
It's so stunning! Hard to capture all the beauty on camera. There is a nice view from the bottom terrace, but too small for a house... But Maarten started clearing where we want the house, we'll share that later :)
I understand. Yes think a lot of us want to see the new house ideas and sides. 🙋🏻♀️
Congratulations, the new land is beautiful and Marteen looks like a kid in a candy store looking to those brambles before cuting them :-) those mossy walls are gorgeous. I suggest some more fruit trees not only to consume at home but even sell some at a local market and make some extra money. Have fun !!!
Great work Martin. Must be very hot doing that labour in the heat. I have a machine like yours, it has blades and a guard around half if it. It's called a Brush Cutter here in New Zealand. How much land would you and Lea like. I admire and appreciate the effort this takes. I lived on a diary farm during my childhood. After decades of urban living I have been back in the countryside 3 years, I am Retired. I love it so much and enjoy the birdlife, the mountain rivers, sunsets. The peace is beautiful. Bless you all for allowing the sharing of your wonderful adventure. Loving all the stone terraces you are uncovering.
How exciting. Love the clearing videos Martin. Can't wait to see the next video. Congratulations.
I had just been thinking about a wall around that well to protect the kids and Louie.... so glad you mentioned it! You guys are great!
That strimmers amazing! Job well done,Martin.
You two are so much make to each other .. the lady looks like to me like she is about to cry while explaining things & the man looks like he will burst into laughter even while introducing himself 😂😂😂👍👍👍👍
Congratulations Leah and Martiin . Looking forward to the new projects . Thankyou for sharing your thoughts and experiences .
What a wonderful opportunity, thank you Martin, I enjoyed seeing you in a whole video. Much love for your family, and my wishes for your prosperity in these uncertain times.
i envy you. what a great adventure you guys will have. a bramble bush/raspberry mulcher attachment to a small tractor will make you smile further.
You made the best decision to buy, a new adventure in discovering the trees and water sources. I will look forward to future videos of how you will use this land. So pleased for your whole family in what you are achieving.
Good morning . It's great to see Maarten's excitement . 😄
Beautiful landscaping with the walls and terraces
I came across your post and clicked in to see what your experience was with purchasing land. Since I have also recently taken an interest in viewing how people clear land and I must say you were the first person who pointed out that after the brambles are cut then you pull them down.
The purchase of land anywhere or any time is an endearing moment for anyone to experience but some do not appreciate the growing experience that can come from it. Most people only dream of perhaps owning land someday and if they could own then what they might do with it. When Opportunity knocks I say if you can follow thru with it go ahead. For it is a stepping stone in making a dream a reality. The dedication and hard work will help to cement the dream into a reality.
Thank you for posting for I feel I have entered into with you beginning a journey of discovery. Your down to earth approach and friendly disposition are no small factors in wishing you both the very best and to tell you I look forward to following along in your new vistas as you discover many new experiences. God Bless!
Burn the brambles! Then plant more fruit and olive trees-enjoyed the video
Thanks for posting and sharing. Happy for you all to see what was discovered while beginning to clear the new addition to your property.
What a beautiful piece of land you have just purchased. I love the terraces. You have already made a great start in reclaiming the land back from those horrible brambles. I am sure as you clear more of the land you will start to think of what you can do with it. Good luck
Lovely to be able to uncover this land and be able to take it on. So many beautiful quintas around here have been ploughed for planting things like eucalyptus or Almonds, and are then lost forever.
What a piece of treasure! Enjoy. 😀
Wow so exciting to watch you all transform yet another mysterious piece of property into magical discoveries. The walls are beautiful and so well built - do you know the age or history of them? When you were taking the brambles off that beautiful old Olive tree , it was like taking the brambles off the tower to reach Cinderella! It feels like you have gone back to that simple time of living and that the property is rejoicing !
I’ve asked around but no one knows for sure how old they are.
Congratulations guys. Martin what a find, that ancient wall and terrace is beautiful; so lush and with all that water. Think that is the spot to build your first home! Exciting day for you! X:)
Hi there. Hallo. I'm from the Caribbean. My Father was Portuguese. I'm living in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten and was Born in Curacao. We use to do a lot of farming. I hope I can visit you guys someday, in my father's native Country.
Such a beautiful piece of property. Martin, you are beaming with happiness. CONGRATULATIONS
Loved the clearing. It was exciting for us too
I think this my favorite video so far!! So entertaining 🤗🤗 loved the Timelapse and the new land tour and your cheeky humor! 🧡🧡🧡you were very lucky with this land! Very happy for you x
I also still love this video. It is such a nice piece of land that was clearly loved in the past and will now be loved once again. Cheers, Maarten
He’s in his element with the elements. I hope you have found yourselves a little treasure trove full of joy x
Congratulations on your new land purchase. The mature fruit trees will be a nice addition to your homestead. Very happy for all of you, keep up the good work.
Congratulations!
Awesome! Water is a real plus!
After it’s cleared you find it’s going to help you a lot!👏🎉
All I can say is ....
CONGRATULATIONS to both of you. This is the fruits 🍓🍑 of your hard labor. Am really glad to see this video.
The unidentified object looks like a kitchen salt container, whose bottom fell off. Maybe someone brought it over for a barbecue while picking olives or fruits... 🙂
its a hidden gem. what a fun project and interesting trees
Beautiful! Congratulations! I love this channel! Looking forward to seeing your work on this new land.
very nice christmas present you made to your family, very nice walls that protect the land. I did the same in Corsica at the end of 70, we had olives trees, but infortunatly no orange, that we planted afterwards.
Congratulations on the new land. Loved watching the clearing. Thank you for sharing.
This looks like my land in Portugal Centro when I first bought it. I had 3 massive walnut trees and a pine completely obscured by brambles. Clearing uncovered 3 large terraces with beautiful stone walls...one is 10 meters high. I built my cabin on one of the terraces right next to the levada....fresh spring water all year round. I feel so lucky...going to sleep at night to the sound of bubbling water, and a waterfall nearby. Portugal is so beautiful and the people have been very kind to me....a foreigner. I'm enjoying watching your progress...thank you. I'm sure you know that the lichen on your trees only grows in the purest air.....happy for your family.
Beautiful property! So glad you bought it. Thank you for the great presentation.
You are both very good teachers, you demonstrate how everything is done