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Life at Eco Caminhos is made up of small, meaningful moments.
Some muddy, some magical, all real and moments that make you stop and smile.
This article shares glimpses of what it’s like to live and grow in a sustainable community.
A Monday
After an ice-cold night and a chilly morning, the sun’s rays push out the early morning mist, warming the Ecolibrium construction site. As the clouds scatter, dropping gentle rain, a magnificent rainbow is painted across the sky. Even Scooby, our loyal dog, sits as if meditating, captivated by the spectacle. For a moment, the world is still, and the connection with nature intense. Then, it’s back to work, mixing natural materials into building blocks of Ecolibrium and a sustainable future.
A Tuesday
A Swedish TV crew from SVT arrives, filming our agroforestry methods and coffee cultivation, just as I happen to interview a student from Sweden, applying for an internship here. Their curiosity about what we do here and why sparks a positive energy, helping us share our story. In the afternoon, we gather in the kitchen with international volunteers for a workshop on chocolate crepiocas, their sweet aroma uniting us.
A Wednesday
In our fifth Agroforestry System, the biggest and most recent, we have opened up new lines and planted salads, carrots, and broccoli. To the left, grasslands give a glimpse of the past; to the right, our four-year-old agroforestry system thrives. Ahead lies a pocket of native forest, teeming with biodiversity and a look into the future of what we are creating. I am part of a bridge, between a today and tomorrow so beautiful and inviting, I hope others will cross it with us.
A Thursday
Some of us haul heavy Eucalyptus trees to repair the log retaining walls in our second agroforestry system. Others scoop up fresh cow dung from the fields and road. Not the most glamorous task at first glance, but actually essential. It’s ‘black gold’ as ingredient for the wall finishings at Ecolibrium, as well as enriching our much needed compost. Under a blazing sun, the work is tough but rewarding. The evening is filled with laughter during ping pong rounds, card games and the karaoke mic passing from hand to hand. As soon as “My Way” plays, passionately we all sing and shout as one.
A Friday
In a live online session, Brazilian apprentices and international volunteers put their hands in the rich soil of one of our agroforestry systems, together planting fruit trees donated by Planting on Demand from The Netherlands. Each tree roots us deeper into this land. Later, we reflect with British civil engineering students on their two-week stay—building, exploring Brazil’s “Switzerland,” and embracing sustainability. Together we are building partnerships and a shared vision.
A Saturday
Nearby Nova Friburgo is buzzing with the Winter Festival’s live music and reflections on land and territory— themes that echo our mission. Back at the farm, we want to cook together in the volunteer house, but reality calls — empty water tanks mean a climb up the hill to identify the issue. After a quick fix we go back to the kitchen, blending flavours from around the globe.
A Sunday
Rolling out of bed, I sink into the hammock and get lost in a book while enjoying frozen grapes. The sun warms my skin, and a breeze invites a siesta. Today is for rest, for soaking in the beauty of this place we call home.
And tomorrow? Something equally ordinary. Equally extraordinary.
