This started with
a CrossFit box and a Portuguese olive farm.
Sweat & Soil isn't a travel agency. It's a concept that came out of a real experience — bringing a group of athletes to help a small family farm during olive harvest season, and watching something unexpected happen.
In 2024, we took a group of CrossFit athletes to the Guarda region of Portugal. The idea was simple: help a small family farm with their olive harvest for a week. Physical work, sun, local food, and a very different kind of team trip.
What we didn't expect was how much it would affect the group. The combination of real physical work, a meaningful contribution, and being welcomed into a family's life created something that no team retreat had managed before. The group came back closer. The farmer had a better harvest. And something clicked.
Sweat & Soil is the answer to what happens when you take that concept seriously. A platform that connects sports communities — CrossFit boxes, rugby teams, running crews, OCR teams — with Mediterranean farmers who need extra hands during harvest.
We're not trying to build another travel product. We're trying to build something that actually matters: for the farmers, for the communities, and for the regions that depend on these harvests.
In 2026, we're running our first official season. Deliberately small. Personally curated. Learning as we go. If you're reading this, you're early.
Martijn Nijhuis
Sweat & Soil Enthusiast
Every trip is personally coordinated by me. Every host application reviewed by me. This isn't a hands-off platform — at least not yet. I believe the best way to build trust in something new is to be present in it.
Five things we believe in.
Purpose over product
Every trip should be worth the flight. If it isn't more meaningful than a regular holiday, we haven't done our job.
Community as the engine
Sports communities have discipline, team spirit, and physical drive. That's exactly what harvest work rewards.
Concrete, not symbolic
We measure kilos harvested, not vibes. Impact should be visible and tangible — for the farmer and the group.
Simplicity first
No bureaucratic process. No complex booking systems. Clear expectations. Low friction.
Respect for local rhythm
Guests adapt to the harvest — not the other way around. We respect the land, the culture, and the pace of the place.
Want to be part of this?
Whether you lead a sports community, have a farm that needs harvest help, or just want to follow along — there's a place for you here.