It's hard to say Goodbye! | PORTUGAL FARM LIFE

Our neighbor Joaquim brought his tractors round to our OKportugal farm. His flail mower smashed up all of the branches left over from our olive pruning, and the annual wheat harvest has finally begun.
Its always a bit sad to say goodbye to the flowers, grasses, and cereals that cover our fields so beautifully in the spring, but its an absolute must. Not only due to the fire risk in the dry summer heat, but also because Joaquim needs the grasses to turn into hay bales to feed his flock of dairy sheep.
Hope that you enjoy this episode, let us know what you think in the comments :)
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We are Ken & Gina. In 2019 we weren't happy with the way things were going for us, so before Brexit, we sold our home and most of our our belongings, and drove to Portugal in our motorhome Bob.
We bought an old sheep and olive farm in Castelo Branco, Central Portugal, where we live the good life with our beautiful animals. Back in 2019, we could not find any videos on living in Portugal, so we started this channel, documenting our move from the city life to the farm life, and buying a farm.
Portugal Farm Life!
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[@a31817]

You are blessed with such a neighbour, despite mutual interest he seems like he’s a good person indeed.

[@celiapereira5223]

Joaquim is an amazing neighbour...

[@UnluckyPlant]

Joaquim is the best! Great example of how investing in the right equipment means less manual labor and more efficiency. The equipment is expensive and uses a lot of gas, but since it’s better quality and efficient, it pays off in the long run. Sharing with the community justifies the price even more. On top of that, he’s always humble and never complains about so the hours of hard work. We need more Joaquims in this world! #Joaquim’sFarmLife !

[@celiabonifacio3912]

Joaquim is the best, love watching him work on his amazing tractors 😊

[@dennisbrooks6988]

The star of the show, Joaquim!

[@sandratweedale2579]

The beautiful garden in front of your home is so lovely. Gina has done a wonderful job of providing beauty and shade for you and your 4 legged friends. 🇨🇦

[@corinevink5164]

Joaquim made a real fashion statement with his T-shirt. Regards Corine.

[@OKportugal]

He's such a cool dude 😊❤️

[@corinevink5164]

@@OKportugal Everybody has his secrets.

[@debbiegarza1287]

That Joaquim!! He is worth his weight in Gold!!!

[@kikoempis]

OMG just noticed Joaquim's shirt! "Portugal Farm Life JOAQUIM" hahahah brilliant! Love it! I need to see you and Gina sporting one as well with your names.

[@OKportugal]

We made it specially for him ❤️😁👍

[@sarasilva-rc9ve]

That's so cool 😂

[@gina50gina]

It's so nice to see Joaquim helping you out like that.

[@virginiajorgensen8614]

Yes, Joaquin is such a good neighbour. Besides the fields it must take a long time to milk all the sheep every day.

[@mm.6991]

I love Joaquim's t shirt nice touch 😍👍

[@carlosibarra5862]

joaquin is a star

[@mk-xq1tt]

You are indeed blessed to have such a neighbour - one hand washes the other.

[@sarasilva-rc9ve]

Nice to see a clean field too, whenever I see grass that tall I also think of ticks 😜. Oh by the way, yesterday we went to that restaurant you wanted to go with your sis but you needed a reservation for(we made sure we booked it), palacio dos duques de lafoes /grilo - it was absolutely amazing, thanks so much for the perfect tip, I had never heard of it!! My family loved it!! We went for lunch (amazing duck) but you can also wander around the palace (which unfortunately is pretty run down but still amazing) and aparently for dinner/evenings they have artistic performances! Awesome vibe, thanks!!

[@OKportugal]

Oh wow, livvie is back in a few weeks and we really want to check it out! Glad to hear it's good as there are some mixed reviews, but it looked stunning

[@sarasilva-rc9ve]

​@@OKportugal oh man, I had written a huge comment and it evaporated or I posted it somewhere else or it was too big 😅 was saying it's well worth a visit although a few things could be improved. For example, service took aaaaaages and it wasn't even full. A bit overpriced (I would say 1 entry and 2 main dishes and 2 drinks could easily go to 90, but I guess for a special occasion it's ok, even though portions are not that big. Tables were a bit wobbly so be careful 😅. And make sure to make the reservation online and over the phone, I made it online and decided to call and was not in the list, so I would double check! As for the palace, it's decadently in ruins although I felt it could be better preserved in some parts, but I like these kind of spaces. I didn't go into the garden or a cave I was told about because it was too hot and I was with the baby, so you'll let me know how that is 😎. Oh and if you can choose a weekday, I went on a Saturday and felt there were too many people walking around. Nothing too serious, I'm just anti-social 😁.

[@OKportugal]

@sara silva oh no that's the worst when that happens 😅 I read about how they have service issues and it takes a long time, but I'm still keen to try as the place looks really interesting. Thanks for the tips. We will try to do it before livvie jets back to the states 😁👍

[@sarasilva-rc9ve]

​​@@OKportugal ehehe other cool special places for lunch/dinner if you are staying for a few days (these I know and recommend) are Casa do Alentejo (moorish vibe), and Palacio da independência (i had my birthday there once, not in the restaurant inside but in the beautiful tiled courtyard, and they have a pretty garden! I think you paid to visit the garden, but it wasnt much, because it has wax replicas of the 40 guys who met there to plan our restoration of independence in 1640. For more edgy artistic vibes check Lx factory complex if you haven't yet, on weekends it's packed but again calmer on weekdays.

[@hunnybunny4u259]

It’s a well kept farm. I’m so glad Gina and you bought it and have such a great relationship with Joaquim. It really was meant to be. Thank you for another great video. I always learn more about Portugal farm life.

[@OKportugal]

Thank you as always 🤗

[@gerardvriend729]

Very good, thank you.

[@portugalgoodlife73]

Ken you are so brown already!!!! loved the video , so nice to see Joaquim wearing his tshirt, he loves it...Such a cool relationship you both have that suits you both....obrigada

[@OKportugal]

We had an unseasonably sunny April and I got very burned filming property stuff. I have a proper farmers tan. White chest and thighs and very brown head, arms and legs 😅

[@tonypereira1484]

More Joaquin please ! He is the star of the show ❤❤❤❤

[@melinda5777]

He's the MAN!!!

[@formxshape]

Love it. Great episode. For those trapped in the UK due to brexit, working in the rat race just to cover basic life costs, your KZbin channel is a lovely escape from it all… and a great motivator ❤

[@OKportugal]

We were stuck in it too... Fortunately after selling our house, the left over money allowed us to buy this farm and start a new life. It was a big risk but it is paying off and our lives are sooo much better for it! PS: our new vlog is launching in a couple of minutes :)

[@Portugal_Pete]

Super smart approach with the tractor! I wish my fields in central PT were as flat to make use of that huge brush hog mower. A hat-tip to the UK for making one of my favorite farm tools here in Portugal... my wood chipper-shredder by Forest-Master. It's a 6hp petrol wood chipper (FM6DD) An ideal tool for smaller plots of land with lots of trees. I had it shipped to Portugal for under €700 3 years ago, and I've pretty much dispensed with the need for scheduling and dealing with the anxiety of using fire to deal with fresh tree pruning. Highly recommend having a chipper shredder on hand here in Portugal to avoid fire burns... and deal with tree pruning year round. Plus all the useful mulch! 👍

[@rosanehitchcock6470]

My husband will love to meet you and Joaquim. He loves tractors 💖

[@maureenbrophy7852]

You are great neighbours to one another👍👍

[@kathybaugh3823]

Wow. That tractor looks like it did a fantastic job. Great video. 👍🚜🚜

[@stevejohnstonbaugh9171]

Next time you prune your olive orchard, toss the pruning's into the aisle between the rows and have your farmer friend go through with his brush hog and mulch the pruning's (and grass) in one easy step. Recognizes the efficiency rule of only handle material once. The mower that is used to cut hay (in this case) is called a sickle bar. You want to keep you grass mowed in your orchards. If you let the grasses grow they will compete for moisture and nutrients with the orchard trees. The brush hog mow is fine for this purpose. You are giving Joaquim a HUGE financial gain with to crops off your fields per year - I gather at no charge based on what you had to say. I have two suggestions. Ask him to fence (at his expense) a portion of your fields that he can pasture his sheep on. Benefit to your farm is the sheep will fertilize the field as they eat. Secondly - tilling the soil coming into the dry season wastes a lot of moisture and destroys the soil texture. Ask him to buy a seed drill for planting. Then he can plant the "no till" way. It is your property so it is your responsibility to steward the land in such a way that the ag activities are building the soil, not degrading it.

[@lapsedluddite3381]

I wonder if Joaquim would show you the dairy operation sometime, if it wouldn't disturb the sheep? I'm familiar with family farms that have dairy cows, but can't quite picture milking a sheep. It would be fascinating to learn how the sheep are milked, and especially how the cheese is made, if that is at all possible. It also would be good to know if it is possible to buy their cheese, if there are any sources that ship to the US?

[@OKportugal]

Yes i plan to film all of this soon

[@abbytango8665]

Great to learn about feeding. Sheep , growing corn n cutting wheat. Wonderful farm

[@charlenequinilty7252]

Great arrangement with your neighbor

[@anajoaquina]

Parabéns pro Joaquim, trabalhador e ótimo vizinho. Sorte de vcs. Abraços ❤

[@arwelwilliams6954]

I love the product placement with your neighbour. Great video again Ken👍

[@lorimontcalm9086]

Joaquin's goats look like a few of them maybe require some hoof care a a few of them are limping. But what a nice symbiotic relationship you guys have developed! Hugs from 🇨🇦

[@arjanvogel6444]

Thanks for your vid 😇💗💗💗 love and bless you guys.

[@alane3983]

I like watching your farm experience in Portugal. Alberta has 83 wildfires already. Off to an early start of fire season. 😮

[@lapsedluddite3381]

It felt odd "liking" this, sorry to hear your area is at risk too. We've been blessed with a rainy spring, but it's still not enough to make up for the previous drought.

[@OKportugal]

Oh no hope they don't impact you where you live. We are heading into a very high risk summer here!

[@alane3983]

@@OKportugal I’m in Calgary. We’re typically only affected by smoke. None so far. I feel for the folks up north facing evacuation. It’s devastating when these fires hit towns and small cities. In previous years, there have been huge losses with life changing impacts. Entire communities have been wiped out. Typically, lives are saved by evacuations. There have been some harrowing escapes though.

[@OKportugal]

@@alane3983 its horrible! when I was a kid we had to escape a massive fire in the Cederburg mountains in South Africa. I remember being the car and driving through these tall columns of fire on either side of the road and feeling the heat through the windows. Terrifying stuff! At that time the mountains were full of very tall pine and eucalyptus and the flames were even higher than the trees!

[@alane3983]

@@OKportugal That would have been terrifying! I hope to never experience such a thing.

[@mariaeugenia7599]

That chipped wood is going to be a great mulch, specially now without rain

[@melinda5777]

Fantastic neighbor!! You need to grill him one of your steaks! Great man! 🙏❤️🇺🇸🇵🇹😊

[@OKportugal]

He's a legend for sure 😁👍

[@assuncaomeireles198]

Meu caro senhor adorei ver o Joaquim a cortar as ervas o trator é muito bom. É optimo fazer este trabalho para evitar os incêndios mas é dramático para os donos das terras quando à incêndios mas o senhor ja está prevenido tem tudo impecavel. Eu moro no litoral de dia está calor mas as noites estao muito frias. Muito obrigado meu caro senhor e volte sempre ❤ 🐅🐆🐅👍👍👍

[@ruthconstantino6861]

Hi 👋🏼😊 Ken & Gina Aside from Joseph's FFF, i think yours is the only other Central Portugal amongst those i watch that regularly features a Portuguese family farm operation throughout all the seasons. As well as showing your farm's symbiotic relationship with his and the benefits to your abilities and needs, each time you show segments of their work you allow us to get to better understand and honor Portuguese farming and culture with you. I'm so glad Joachim & fam has come far from regarding i being filmed as maybe an awkward intrusion to being thoroughly at ease and natural with it. Joachim is so sharing with his knowledge. Wonderful vlog.

[@LiLBitsDK]

yeah it is very enjoyable to get a sneakpeak into portuguese culture and daily life out in the country

[@albertabs]

Hi Ken , with so much, bush , twigs and wood, I think it would be profitable to buy a pellet machine and turn all that into pellets and sell it for fire places , just a thought,

[@richardnault9493]

Explained so well ! You get an A+ !!!

[@Darny1able]

luv his personalised tee shirt😀

[@MariaMoreira-wm7tn]

Ken, tem toda a razão naquilo que disse no início do vídeo. Os agricultores têm uma sabedoria que lhes advem da prática própria e da que lhes foi transmitida pelos seus ancestrais. Claro que, muitos desconhecem práticas mais ecológicas de fazer a agricultura, mas já há muitos outros, que actualizaram os seus conhecimentos e já produzem produtos biológicos.

[@DaviesDiaries]

Hi Ken You guys need a wood chipper like Bee and Theo theirs chips the small fine stuff as well. Keep up the great content

[@Setinmywaysalways]

As flores voltam ainda mais fortes.🌿🌱🌾🌼🪻 É necessário proteger dos incêndios . The flowers come back even stronger. It is necessary to protect from fires

[@carlagoncalves1794]

Hi Ken, Great video as always and absolute treat to watch . 👏👏👏 Could you please talk to as more about Olive trees, how to grow and where to buy Olive trees to plant , how long it takes before firs harvest, how many trees per hectare and cost per plant ? Thanks TC

[@FelizPete]

Many thanks for this update, I was wondering if you still have bee hives? If you do how honey production is going?

[@ericschmitt5390]

J-money! Solid dude.

[@jimmykariuki4858]

Very great stuff am thinking of moving to Portugal too,let me start my Portuguese lessons

[@hellopossibleprojects]

Hey dude,what happened to the bees 🐝?? And in all your videos you must have said AND THINGS LIKE THAT a million times!!..so funny 😅😅

[@kalkiwolf]

Good Help

[@debbiegarza1287]

Would Joaquim allow you to do a segment in his sheep milking & cheese making?

[@OKportugal]

Yes we will do it soon

[@debbiegarza1287]

@@OKportugal thanks!!

[@SanjeevKumar-gk6rs]

Very nice sir 100Th comment from INDIA LOVE TO SEE YOU I AM NEW SUBSCRIBER

[@maureenbrophy7852]

Gina “ lady flower garden “ is so beautiful with all the climbing blossoms I can imagine taking sun Have u filled dipping pool yet?💐🌾

[@OKportugal]

Not yet, its still a bit chilly for swimming and the longer it's filled the more pool maintenance I have to do 😅☀️👍

[@maureenbrophy7852]

@@OKportugal ok tks

[@diogonpbrito]

Hello guys! Do you know of an online store where i could order the cheese that Joaquim makes? I live in Portugal. Cheers!

[@isabelalmeida4131]

Pode comprar no pingo doce. Diz queijo de ovelha Soalheira. Nem sempre há...

[@sarasilva-rc9ve]

​@@isabelalmeida4131 Obrigada! Tb vou procurar!

[@OKportugal]

It's made in a local cheese factory called Soalheira Alves: www.soalheiralves.pt/queijaria-soalheiralves/

[@sarasilva-rc9ve]

@@OKportugal thanks Ken!!

[@VladiSolano]

Where can I get a t-shirt with Joaquin’s name o it? Team Joaquim here!

[@MultiANTI]

So you must cut the grass in Central portugal? Basically can't take vacation unless you have someone doing it for ya ?

[@OKportugal]

After this cut it won't grow again until the rains return, so you don't have to keep cutting in the summer. It's still tricky to go on vacation though as we have animals that need looking after. Dogs, cats, chickens, geese etc...

[@nordicfarmstead]

I am so curious about the corn Joaquim sow on your field (since I have sheep myself). Is it corn where the actual fruit grows as well or only the ”corn grass”? Is it the same corn as you’d sow to humans or a different one? Would love to know and learn something new 🙏🏼

[@OKportugal]

I think its just regular corn. Its only grown for the green grass or stalks, and the sheep feed on that once its tall enough. It will only grow corn cobs if its irrigated in summer. He does irrigate a bit of it on another field to grow the corn cobs, which he uses as seeds for the next year. I'm not sure of the exact variety he plants. He plants it in a lot of fields from our farm all the way up to the local village and he rotates the sheep in the different fields so they have something to eat in the hot summer. He has 159 sheep now so they can go through a single green field very quickly. He has arrangements with a lot of farmers to look after their fields, keep them clear of weeds, and harvest grasses and corn throughout the year for his flock.

[@nordicfarmstead]

@@OKportugal thank you so much 🙏🏼 very informative

[@josecaetano2388]

Joaquim is your portuguese father 😅😅😅😅

[@OKportugal]

Haha :)

[@germaineludik]

I am seeing fuel for rocket mass stoves instead of pulverized wood 😉

[@rosaliethomson4655]

Thought you ere leaving??????

[@OKportugal]

Its always hard for us to say goodbye to the spring flowers and wheat fields before the summer when everything is dry and dusty :)

[@user-dg6jr2rq8r]

Hii I need job I work in Denmark last 2 year agriculture and pig farm but now I come in Portugal in you need people please reply me I am a hard worker

[@OKportugal]

We dont have any jobs available on our farm. We have an arrangement with our neighbour who helps on the farm already. I wish you good luck and hope that you find a job soon.

[@user-dg6jr2rq8r]

Please make adjustments. I need job I don't have money for food

[@mikecorcoran6834]

In Texas we are already 35 Celsius.. after this month it gets a lot hotter. I hope that news keeps out all Democrats.🤣