Volunteer with a family on the Pennine Way, England

Area: Saxony

We are Florian Schneider and Odilia Jarman with our daughters Maia (2) and Saskia (8) (with Rumi (12) in the holidays). We speak mostly English together on the farm but are all fluent German speakers. French, Spanish and Dutch can also be communicated to a degree! Our placeis situated in a small village (Sohland am Rotstein) in the heart of Upper Lusatia, approximately 30km from the Czech and Polish borders. There are many long distance walking routes, round tours and cycling paths in the area, a plethora of lakes and woodland, as well as mountain hiking territory within an hour's drive of the farm. The medieval towns of Görlitz, Löbau, Bautzen and Zittau are all easily accessible by train and provide numerous site-seeing opportunities as well as regular cultural events. The proximity of Poland and the Czech Republic add to the experience of being in the middle of Europe. We have two and a half hectares of arable land on the east face of the Rotstein – Saxony's oldest nature reserve, established in 1912. This area was conventionally managed until recently by the local farming cooperative. It has been measured off and returned to us since August 2012. This year we will seed it with green manure to assist its' regeneration for the next couple of years. We also have plans to begin planting a hedge around its outer borders in autumn 2013, using indigenous shrubs and trees to create a wildlife habitat as well protection against errosion. An additional hectare of land surrounds the farm buildings, over half of which is pasture. The rest hosts many established trees including Walnut, Apple, Pear, Cherry and Plum as well as Birch, Larch and a stunning single crown of three Lindens. A vegetable garden and polytunnel have seen one very good season through and our plan is to gradually expand production this year. The fruit trees were abundant last year, and we even had a crop of peaches! A stream runs along the eastern border – the Schwarze Schöps – whose source is nearby and which eventually ends up in the North Sea. On the ground floor of the main farm building we are creating a family kitchen as well as an approved food processing room. We are both keen food enthusiasts and love experimenting with food. The summer and autumn of 2012 saw a great deal of tomato preserves, chilli sauces, jams and pickles. We currently have five sheep, seven hens and a cockerel. They will breed this year and we are also looking to get a pair of milking animals in the near future. Two female cats complete the family.

Area: Tuscany

My father owns a country house... The house is very big, it’s located in the natural park called "Riserva dell'Acquerino". It’s an incredible place, of a breathtaking beauty, on the alpes above Prato. After an hour’s drive from Florence and a 3km dirt road you can to reach Luogomano, this is its name. The closest village it’s about 8km far away, around Luogomano there's nothing but woods, chestnuts trees, blackberry bushes, deer and wild boars. During the last 100 years it has been bombed, neglected, flooded and moulded, ransacked. Right now the desire is to bring back its old beauty in order to welcome friends and acquaintance in a place that its more and more rare, where as far as the eye can see there are only trees, there is no traffic noise and at night you can see the stars. This summer, during june and july, we will be there, to work all together to restore Luogomano as a real paradise. Days will be spent by painting walls, fixing furniture, taking care of the homegrown vegetables, coking and enjoining. The idea is to rediscover the beauty of country life and to share by working all together, things that nowadays are getting forgotten... Anyone can come, bringing along a friend, a fiance' or kids... june- july There will be work, but also time to learn, teach, relax. No specific rules, anyone can do what feels like, no obligations, only the spirit of adaptation, the feeling of being together and the real good mood. We will collect a kitty to buy food, around 17euros a day for breakfast lunch and dinner, when it’s possible we will by organic product, or food that comes from near farm…

Area: Northland

I live in the beautiful Tutukaka coast area on a 10 acres lifestyle block with my two children. I'm still getting established on the property after relocating here a whether board cottage two years ago. There is still a lot of work ahead but I enjoy coming home at night and mostly spending time on the many stunning beaches nearby. I work as a social worker in Whangarei and I'm actively involved in the life of my community. I love good food and cooking and eat mostly organic and locally grown products.

Area: Sjælland

We do not need any more help in april. We do not need any more help in July. Danish style, old farm house and family of 4 with a creative approch to the world. We love when the World can come to us with travelers from all over. We have a little house with a room on the topfloor, thats the guest room. Free internet. Hammocks in the garden, when it is sunny. We can always use help with different things in and around the house and garden. And cooking. Other times we have very specific tasks and jobs that needs to be done. We only look a couple of month max, ahead deciding what to do,and therefore we find it difficult to make arrangements to fare into the future. The help we ask of you could be, and could also be something else : Spring : Garden work. Getting the garden ready for summer. Feed the chickens with weeds. Help painting and maintaining the house. Cooking the food. Summer : Help in the garden Maintaining the house Cook food. Feed the chickens with weeds Fall: Clean and give oil on the terres and balcony before winter. Other tasks to get ready for wintertime. Feed the chickens with weeds. Winther : Renovate an old horse pulled slade. Help in the kitchen. Oil the floors. Paint work. Other indoor tasks. We expect our guest to take part of cleaning up after eating, and that they can keep the guest room clean, them self. We have a washing machine you can use. We work at home and are self employed. We do mainly illustrations and advertising work. We only look a couple of month ahead deciding what to do, and therefore we can only make plans a few month in advance. If you know blacksmith work we are very interested to learn, and have some equipment for this kind of work. We are trying to make the outdoor area more artistic. Are you creative, with you own ideas, we find it very interesting what other people think, and could contribute to the garden area. We really enjoy, when inspiration can be a to-way thing. We would be happy if you know felting tecnics, and we could do some felting together, and learn from you. Or how to make soap :-) We can try and teach you how to ride a unicycle. We also have juggling equitment. We would love to tast what you can cook. We make most of our bread our self. We have chickens that needs to be looked after, they eat weeds from the garden, and in return we get the best eggs for us to use. It's our guest house on the picture. Nice bed for 1 or 2. We have blankets and duvets. Free internet. We can mainly host from May and until September. We expect 4 hours work 5 days per week or 25 hours pr.week, and that you help in the kitchen the days that you are attending the meals since we are not a hotel but a family. We hope that you would also like to participate in the every day life, and get familiar with danish lifestyle. If you like to go somewhere we will try to help and work it out. Also it is importent that you are able to do things on your own. Please write when you would like to join us, and for how long you are planning on staying. We prefer that you have pictures on your profile. We live in the country area, but close to a small village (walk 7 min. to the bakery and some shops). Walking to the trainstation, taking the train to Copenhagen, it will take 1h 15 min. Other big city's in reach within 30 or 45 min. Only No-smokers. No animals in the house. We are looking forward to meeting you and welcome you in our house.

Area: Veracruz

We Herbert and Oliva are a retired couple living in the northern mountain range of Veracruz, away from the beaten path, at the edge of a small town (aprox. 9 000 inhabitants). I am German and my wife is Mexican. Our house is on 15 000 m2 fenced land and there is always something to do with maintainance, gardening and carpentry. I am a hobby carpenter myself. We have 5 dogs (a pair of german shepherds and 2 frenchpoodle females (mini) and a Fox Terrier) So you should love dogs and can get along with them. We have a couple of employees living in a separate house on the ground. We live in a very nice region, which offers excellent opportunities for hiking and sightseeing. We love to know people from different backgrounds and cultures and to learn from them. DISIRED PROFILE Some experience in carpentry and general maintainance would be great. We accept one work awayer or a couple. We have no preconception regarding age. An international drivers license could be helpful. WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER An international health care insurance policy, valid through the length of your stay. Some sturdy shoes and long pants when working in the garden. Some warmer clothes. In the evening it´s getting a bit cool, as we are about 2 200 m high in the mountains. Depending on the time span you are visiting us, some raincoats. You better check with us for some more detailed recommendations, once you are accepted. If you smoke, you should do this outsides and dispose the reaminings in the garbage. Moderate drinking is no problem, excess will be. No drugs allowed.