Region: Noordoostpolder (Flevoland)

A small organic farm, that is run by two women. We grow crops on 10 hectares land. The crops are onions, carrots, pumpkins for seed and flowers for seed and luzerne. We have a few very attaching cats and wonderful chicken that wander around the garden. We have a farmgarden with fruit- and nut trees and they are housing a lot of birds. The view is wide and sunsets are magnificant here. The farm is situated in an agricultural environment. Our aim is to live, use and make a living on this bit of paradise while respecting the land around us. We prefer to have a simple lifestyle. We’re interested in sharing our insights – and learning more from people that come into our lives. We believe that respectful food growing/collecting is nourishing for the soul and body. We want to live in harmony with the beautiful mother earth that is providing us with everything we need. The work we can offer is mostly weeding and work in the (kitchen)garden. We ask about 25 hours work a week in 5 days in exchange of board and lodging. We prefer a minimum stay of 2 weeks. We provide healthy, organic and vergetarian food. We prefer non-smokers. Smoking only at permitted places.

Region: Pennsylvania

We are two suburban homesteaders with a tiny backyard flock of laying hens, honey bees, and approximately 2800 square feet of garden space. We're located in the Lehigh Valley of eastern Pennsylvania. Our goal is to produce as much of our own food as possible through organic methods, while demonstrating what degree of production is possible on a residential plot of land by ordinary people with no formal training in gardening or agriculture. In 2009 we produced over 600 pounds of food from our backyard, and in 2010, over 760 pounds. We expect to continue that trend going forward for the next several years. Since we grow for our own consumption and not for market, ours is very much a polyculture site. We have fruit trees and several types of perennial berries, a large garden of annual vegetables, and many culinary and medicinal herbs. Other interests include light DIY/construction work to address on-site needs, permaculture, herbal medicine (we're still very much beginners), various methods of food preservation, dumpster diving for construction materials, local foods, Transition, ethical consumption, and all aspects of sustainability. We look forward to learning more about the world, other cultures, and many areas of expertise from our volunteers. Plans for 2012 include the planting of a living fence to replace our old wooden one, installation of rain barrels for passive irrigation, as well as a tiny frog pond in the middle of the main garden. We'll also plant more perennial food crops, cook more meals with our solar oven, raise a few chickens and turkeys for the table, and learn to extend the growing season with our new hoop house. Finally, we'll experiment with the cultivation of Black Soldier Fly larvae for poultry feed.

Region: Connacht

Has old-fashioned courtesy been consigned to the rubbish-dump? Any hope at all that workawayers could spare 30 seconds to reply to messages?! I need someone for May/June! I am an artist/writer/photographer living in a smallish bungalow situated 1 km. from a 13th century walled town with very narrow streets! Bhind my house is a 1-acre field with a stable where my Shetland pony, Flicka and my donkey, Kassie live – though they do visit me unexpectedly now and then! I have three cats, Lulu (aged 12) who spends a lot of her time in the stable, Kiwi (4) and Siog (Gaeilge for ‘fairy’), the baby, both of whom spend most of their time in the house with access to a walled courtyard for fresh air. My day is usually taken up with painting or designing in Photoshop, recording or mixing audio projects in my studio, writing my weekly columns for a local newspaper and a national magazine, taking and processing photographs and playing my beloved Takamine EN-40. I have lots of other instruments in my studio.

Region: Lower Normandy

We are a Kiwi family living in historic Normandy, renovating our amazing 400+ year old farmhouse whilst perfecting our French and generally immersing ourselves in French life. We are returning the house to it's traditional majestic beauty by reinstating the thatched roof and exposing it's stone and oak features, whilst at the same time adding modern twists of glass, metal and bold colour, and the occasional 'kiwi twist'. We are a couple who have travelled and worked in many different countries and enjoy learning about different cultures. Here in France, we have a simple but good life enjoying the outdoors in our pool, jacuzzi, trampoline, kids play area, etc. We are in the countryside just outside an active village, our 6 year old son goes to the local school (a 3.5km cycle to the center of town), we're close to all the historic D-day sites, actually on the D-day 'route-de-libertie', the evocative Abbaye d'Hambye is 5 mins away, it's 40 mins to the famous Le Mont St Michel, and we have easy access to port and airport connections to the UK etc. We're in the midst of an extenstive ecological project to rethatch and insulate our chaumiere. This involves many preparatory phases such as paving and decking terrassing and drainage, exterior insulation, lime repointing and double glazing. Additionally we are in the midst of many other projects - the construction of oak spiral stairs and mezzanine extension; instillation of wooden kitchen worktops and repair of 300 yr old oak flooring; planting of a New Zealand garden; and several craft projects such as the polynesian/celtic inspired carved facing boards for the new thatch roof (a great project for anyone with a passion for wood carving / wood carver). We use natural traditional products where ever possible and have a simple organic vegetable garden and we are looking for enthusiastic generally capable people who would enjoy helping us in exchange for access to this fantastic part of France. We are of course happy to assist those wishing to improve their French and/or cultural understanding of France and assist you with access to tourist sights where we can.

Region: Midi Pyrenees

My husband and I are moving to a wonderful old farm in the South of France within the next few weeks. I am 43 and he’s 48 years old and we have 5 children (21, 21, 19, 17 & 11), 1 cat and are planning to buy 2 dogs very soon. My husband is Belgian and loves to cook, and I am English and work for a non-profit AIDS organisation. My 11 year old vegetarian German/English daughter lives with us, the rest of the kids come for visits. The farm is in a beautiful rural area between Toulouse and the Pyrenees, very close to Boulogne sur Gesse. For your free time we have an above ground pool, table tennis, table football, Wii, king size trampoline, dvds and cds, books and magazines, badminton, wireless internet etc. Within walking distance there is a public outdoor pool, boating lake with fishing, shops and a weekly market. The gorgeous city of Toulouse is just one hour away in one direction and the mountains just one hour south!! Nearest airports are Toulouse-Blagnac, Pau-Pyrenees and Tarbes –Lourdes.