Help on an organic farm in Mercantour national park, France

  • Favourited 630 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hey Hey, the newest update is that we are looking for one or two people who would like to stay for the summer and help with hosting our guests. In exchange we can offer of course food and accomodation and a more flexible working schedule and possibly a small compensation. This will be a bit different then our average workaway experience and specifically are interested in someone who could stay two to three months. If you would be interested in this just mention it in your message! And of course we still have space for those who maybe are not interested in this but want to help out in the other projects and stay a shorter time. Look forward to hearing from you!


    Hello everyone, Spring is here and it is bringing lots of activity to do in the gardens and around the farm. We are looking for people motivated to help in the gardens for Spring and Summer and who enjoy also working at times independently. Along with this we are planning to begin renovation of the roof of our main communcal building. It is an old stone building, built in 1864 and we are looking forward to renovate it and to create a nice big kitchen and communal space and living spaces. This will be mainly in the summer months so anyone motivated to help or to learn a bit of this they are more than welcome. Along with these main activities there are other projects around and things to do. You can read through the rest of the profile to learn more about us and the place.

    Also this summer we will be cohosting a permaculture design course at our place. There will be one week worth of workshops and the full two week certification course in August. People here in this time will also get the opportunity to participate a bit and help a bit as well in these activities.

    We live in the mountains of Mercantour, at 7km from the first village, Tende. Isolated, in the middle of wild nature, we are inventing a different way of living, closer to what we are, in the consciousness and respect of ourselves, others, plants and animals around us.

    We want to develop here several activities as organic farming, beekeeping, fruits transformation, communication, hosting tourists and courses, and make that this farm is sustainable. The project is now going into its fourth year. It's still in the beginning but now we have had some time to learn about the space, the rhthyms of the seasons, and the areas around. We are now renovating the farm, cleaning the land, settling the farming activity, designing the garden for us, renovating the transformation room, working on energy, and learning to live together, to communicate in a peaceful and effective way. Quite a lot of work :)

    This place is a learning space, everything is changing all the time, with people and nature, and it's what we are interested in. Experiment, share and create following the rhythm of the seasons.

    The farm is multicultural, we are all musicians and artists, each one has his own way to express himself, and we want to encourage that. We are not specialists, we are experts, we are just funky, motivated and curious people who want to build something together, and see what happens!

    One thing to keep in mind with our space is that due to the isolation and our place within the mountains the life is very affected by the seasons. Summer is often more busy, warm, and energized with more people and more activity and winter tends to be more of a quiet time as there are less people and it can be cold and snowy. Each season brings its joys and also its setbacks, and each one brings a different experience. Depending on when you would like to come we can let you know what to expect in that time.

    After one year living here, we can tell you that MANY MANY things happen :)

    Hope to meet you and share authentic moments with you!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    General Maintenance
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Farmstay help
    Help with Eco Projects
    Animal Care
    Language practice
    Art Projects
    Help with Computers/ Internet
    Teaching
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Next to the farm activities, we all have skills to share, with great pleasure!
    We are a group with different interests and skills. Some of us focus more on the farming and some more on the building, or the mechanics. With a range of knowledge and a motivation to learn by coming here you are sure to learn or experience something knew as well as we are sure to learn from those coming.

    Our place is young and so are the structures and organization and we hope to show people that anyone who has the desire and wish to live a life more simply, clsoer to nature, and closer to the resources we need to sustain ourselves, that they can do it without first having the expertise. Mostly we hope to help inspire others as well as be inspired.

  • Help

    Help

    This place has everything to offer but everything needs to be done. The coming workshops are:

    Cleaning the fields
    Planting and weeding the vegetables for the farming activity ( april/may/june/july...)
    Harvesting apples and pears to transform it into compotes and juices ( september/october)
    Renovating the roof (july/august)
    Building compost toilets (april)
    Renovating the transformation room (april/may)
    Finishing the solar energy system (may/june)

    Volunteers should expect to work in the morning during group work activities and should also be able to have a good sense of self responsibility and self leadership. Daily tasks apart from the works in progress include cooking meals, pot washing, chopping firewood, and cleaning the communal spaces!

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    German: Fluent
    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Fluent
    French: Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Depending on the number of people at any given time, we have accommodation in the traditional buildings: four 2 peoples' rooms, but if there are too many people then you will need to pitch your tent wherever, there is much space on the land and around.

    From april, we'll have a solar shower. There also is the river on the land, very appreciated during the summer! We have internet, limited. and we have wood stoves in the sleeping rooms.
    We have a communcal kitchen and we ask that everyone take part in cleaning and cooking. We serve vegetarian meals and cook to the style of those here in the moment.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We like working as much as we like playing. There is a good amount of musicians with us, and we use the stars as to guide us through the nights. Being in Mercantour national park, we have so many trails starting from the farm, that circle all around, with magnificent views.

    And we go and visit and help our neighbors anyway we can, so surely the opportunity for you to understand better the farming world in our region.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    actually at our parking which is about a 5 to 7 minute walk to the farm

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 618774952732

Feedback (7)



Feedback

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Accuracy of profile: (4.7)

Cultural exchange: (5.0)

Communication: (5.0)