Storm Kristin hit central Portugal hard — and while we were incredibly lucky, with minimal damage, many people just a few kilometres away were not.
#PortugalStorm #RuralPortugal #RenovationJourney #StormRecovery #VegetableGarden
In this episode, Phil climbs onto a friend’s damaged roof to replace lost tiles, and we use our portable solar power bank to make breakfast and then help a friend in a remote, cut-off village. It’s been a sobering reminder of how quickly things can change — and how important community is in times like these.
Here are some links to other channels who have suffered so much more than we have and we encourage you to support them in any way you can.
☔️ 🛠️ David and Sophia @escapetothequinta had a massive loss when their roof blew off – the relevant episode is https://youtu.be/la0nT3eO_1Y?si=9L503Nelm0W0Wtl0 and their fundraising page is https://gofund.me/bbbf5b08b
☔️ 🛠️Laura and Dan @theoriginhomestead also lost a roof and had damage to other buildings too. See them at https://youtu.be/Zl4lxNkUsWQ?si=uL_FiW-Eklx7qgn- they have paused donations, but it is still a harrowing story.
☔️ 🛠️Lea and Maarten @ourportuguesehomestead had devastating losses, including the yurt their family lives in. Their story is at https://youtu.be/PwDR6rlIFlc?si=BmdQOd2y6OEZ90a1 with links to fundraising initiatives in their area.
Once the storm clears, we get back to positive, forward-looking plans — marking out and digging our future vegetable plot near the outdoor kitchen. 🌱
Episode 115 – After the storm
00:00 Portugal after Kristin
01:10 Damage assessment
03:10 Reserve power
04:40 Breakfast energy
05:44 Friends’ roof
07:34 Ridge tiles
10:40 Farm inspection
13:39 Garden layout
18:20 Measurements
22:17 Start digging
25:51 Stakes and string
27:24 First look
28:50 Unexpected drain
30:35 Drainage box
33:28 Review and close
Thank you, as always, for watching, supporting, and being part of this journey.
👉 If you enjoy honest renovation stories, rural life in Portugal, and real-life problem solving, you’re in the right place. Subscribe to follow our journey renovating an abandoned, ruined farmstead in central Portugal.
If you would like to see some related content, 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 the wrap up of all we did in 2025 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhATwFKtDM5faErQ6ALvoflKu
🛠️ For stuff up on the roof https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhAQSeVQP33WxscYQ6A2jNiGf
🚜 For our work on the land https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhAQRdSbIslyyMdUkJ4PMzK6e
🇵🇹 For general life in Portugal stuff https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnv5B7HgyhAQrHfuZwhradscZlIzuX7wT
Music is from uppbeat.io and features:
🎵 ‘Beauty in Bloom’ by Vens Adams, and
🎵 ‘Lost in Memory’ by Kit Flight
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
44 Comments
I am so pleased to hear that you got off so lightly, thank God for that as you were in my thoughts and had you been affected, no doubt that the trees on your farm and the roof that Phil worked on would have blown off. Really happy that you and your farm were and are safe!
I’m glad you guys are doing OK I was worried that your roofs would be destroyed because it’s so old thank God it didn’t.🙏
From Louisiana here. It's amazing what a hurricane can do. I've seen a camping trailer upside down in the dirt where the only thing you can see are the tires sticking up.
Good to see you're well, for the Portuguese the Phrase '' there's no power, we have no means of making a cup of tea'', must sound strange and funny. Stay safe, Abracos
Hi Jane hi phil,so happy that you guys are okey.obrigada por a vossa ajuda.😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
All will be ok 👏
Septic tank ?
Good to hear your land was safe from the very windy weather. I was thinking about your gazebo, it was a good job you put it away.
So glad your ok & escaped the devastation. We moaning about the ongoing bad weather here in Spain, but counting ourselves lucky. Loving the plans for veg garden, from your head Jane to the ground 😂 clever girl. Take care, love as always Patricia ❤
❤
La tormenta Kristi nos ha tocado a todos en mayor o menor medida. Aquí han sido vientos muy fuertes y poca lluvia. Ahora llegará Marta. Esperemos que no sea peor.
Very pleased you are both alright and that your land did not suffer any damage. Kind of you lending a hand out by repairing others damaged property around you. Hope the electricity is sorted out soon, good luck with your new intended veg plot.
2 sandwich panneled roof blew off. 😢 glad youre helping neighbors😊
So glad you and your property are ok
Cant beleive its feb..already!! Looking at my garden too😂
Bless both of you
great
Love this video, helping neighbours. And working together on the raised bed garden ❤
🙌 Praise God y’all are safe and your farm didn’t blow/wash away! And it’s impressive that you can demonstrate for doubters the actual advantages of being able to function off-grid, of how straightforward off-grid living can be!
So glad to see that you are safe and sound ❤ xx
It was definitely horrendous for some quite heartbreaking, so glad you both were ok. Thankyou for mentioning the others xx
It's a sceptic tank it's very common here in Portugal
Was worried about you after this storm devastated so many homesteads.
Just a thought but Any time land is being fed “down” don’t forget to keep water drainage in mind!!
I'm so glad you both safe and property is still 👍 and so nice and green to other properties in portugal, you baugjt in such a good spot🤗. I've been following you from the beginning as we are also thinking of doing similar. Just wish it can be in portugal but we are in 😢Australia best of luck and always looking forward to your programs ❤ goodluck with veggie garden 😁 🥕🥔🥦🥬🥒🫑🌽
Que bom que não foram atingidos pela tempestade. Uma grande benção de Deus.🙏🙏❤❤
So happy to see that you didn’t get too bad about storm where you’re at and your solar panels are still up there. I’m totally surprised, but that tornado that came through. Good luck you guys God bless.
Im so pleased you escaped the worst of it. Thanks for helping your neighbours. You two are such a great team. ❤
I’m glad that you survived the storm without too much damage. There’s nothing like a woman with a plan! The veggie patch sounds fabulous. Take care, x
Thank God the storm has passed and you are safe. But please clear the undergrowth and bushes around your house, because with all this water, the combustible biomass will explode in the coming months and, in summer, the risk of a forest fire near your home is high. Please clear the forest around your house.
We Portuguese want people like you to live in Portugal, but protect yourselves, because living among us has its risks for those who are unfamiliar with our environment. Ask the locals what you can do to prevent forest fires, and they will help you.
Please do not risk your lives. Stay safe and well to enjoy your life in our lands.
Jane – I think might need to draw a plan of the proposed garden beds otherwise you are likely to end up with something you’re not planning on. That was a frustrating conversation! ❤❤
so glad you got through it without any major issues! so devastating to see so much destruction
for the garden, sticks and string will make it easier for you to mark and visualize how it should look, the string level is brilliant (ah a little further you have marked it with string 😀 yay)
I hope there will not be diggers needing to go through your new get garden when they start your build.
I love watching this video
Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa. Glad to hear you have not had any damages. Loved your video.
Ouch! Thank the good Lord you guys escaped the worst of that storm. Around here in the south US we call that a tornado. 😉 Happy to see your solar panels still sitting where you put them. I watch a couple other channels of other couples that have set up shop in Portugal. One broke my heart. Just finishing up the home they were going to live in whilst they worked on the rest of the farm and the storm took the roof and ruined all inside. So sad. All that work gone in a blink, but thankful they and you guys are OK! The weather is unpredictable for sure. ❤
Много хубаво подредихте керемидите на покрива! Успех със зеленчуковата градина!
Why not just put table and chairs on the slab so you can sit when you are gardening
hola nueamente queria comentarle que en Portugal estan otros compatriotas que la sufrieron con el ultimo huracan ,y aca aparecen los desastres de esta,les comparto sus contactos :Frankie Off Grid el otro es :The Origin Homestead ,esto tiene que ver con mi opinion del video anterior de uds. donde hice algunos comentarios,no me convence en lo personal que la futura construccion de uds. debe comenazar desde limete con la calle exterior!ya que desde el desnibel entre casa ylimite de la calle se forma una canal donde siempre habra "acumulacionde humedad y agua cuando llueva"la pregunta del millon es porque teniendo tanto espacio de terreno no alejarce de esta situacion ?? miren los videos que les comparto y saquen concluciones mirando esta realidad !puede que este equivocado!!!! saludos desde chile
….me falto este video:The Indigo Escape……
Glad to hear y'all are ok. I've been wondering. I'm still catching up on videos ( new to your channel, last fall) but I decided to watch this one cause of the weather situation and also to comment on a few things. First – your Olive OIl. It needs to be kept in a dark bottle or a dark space. Those green bottles would work with a cork for the top. Why dark? Acc. to Google – to protect it from light-induced oxidation, which degrades quality, destroys nutrients, and causes rancidity. Light destroys chlorophyll and antioxidants in the oil, shortening its shelf life and causing unpleasant flavors. I keep mine out in my kitchen, but I have it in a dark brown bottle. Next, I'm going to fuss a little bit, but it's for your own good, as my parents used to tell me. lol Your chainsaw usage – for your own safety, both of you are sometimes unsteady on your feet, as well as stumbling, etc… You lay that chainsaw down right under or around your feet and then start moving limbs/firewood and both of you have come very close to stepping on the bar and chain area. I'm talking from 40+ years experience being around and using chainsaws. Move it away from where you are working, including the path to wherever you are taking the limbs/firewood. When you set it down, also you need to put the chain/bar away from you. You don't want to get cut by the chain and altho that bar is tough ( it has to be when controlling that chain), but it can also be easily harmed. If it gets bent, you've got problems. Stepping on it can do that, as well as getting your chain/bar area hung up in a cut. You haven't done that yet, but the day will come when it might happen. It's very common. The limb starts falling and crimps the bar. People tend to jerk it around trying to free it and it can easily bend the bar. Leave it hanging and find a way to get the weight off of it from the limb. Regardless, please move the chainsaw away from your work area, bar pointed away, for safety's sake. Y'all are big on safety, but here you are lacking a little bit. Last but not least, why are you so concerned about the roof line of the tiny house? You can see everything from the road, so you really aren't camouflaging anything and have you seen the roof of the main house? jk But really, the tiny house roof is beautiful compared to the main house roof. I wouldn't worry about the roof line of the tiny house. 🤣 I do enjoy your videos since I can relate to your age, etc… I'm a few years older than y'all and watching the younger generation is sometimes tiring. lol Hope I didn't come across as rude. I'm just don't want to see y'all get hurt or your chainsaw either. Oh yea, almost forgot. I know y'all get your water from that fountain thing, but are you drinking enough water? I'm not talking about water mixed with coffee or tea, but just water. Mostly all I hear is you drink coffee, tea,, beer, wine and juice. All are fine, but not for hydration. Caffeine and alcohol ( of any kind) cause dehydration instead. You need to drink a certain amount of water or electrolytes every day in hot weather. I live in the Southern USA and it gets very, very hot here during the summer ( humid heat ) and I drink a lot of water, with or without electrolytes and also wear light colored cotton clothing. Any color except black or other dark colors. Black attracts heat, light colors reflect it back. You don't want to suffer from heat stroke/exhaustion. That stuff can kill you – literally. Ok, now I think I'm through fussing. 🥰🤣
Very good you take care 😊😊😊
Just found your channel and loved this first video I’ve seen. You’ve got a new subscriber from Ontario Canada 🇨🇦. Keep going and growing!
Great progress, can't wait for veg plot x