Join us in our ecological lifestyle, renovation projects and gardening in Zoutleeuw, Belgium

Details

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  Description

  Hi there!
  
  We are Floor (35), Bruno (43) and Gita (born Aug '19) and Jaco (born Aug. '22), living in a little house on about 8000 m² of land, which is becoming more beautiful every day. It is our wish that this place may be a home where natural exchange can happen, where we aim for the Highest, and we have space for all. Until now, we have really enjoyed hosting people from all over the world, and we are up for more :-)
  
  The 150-year old house is small, but it has an extra room for guests and there is the old ‘baking house’ which we use as a guest house, big enough for couples. We also have a large caravan in the back. In summer, we can put up a large tent for those of you who prefer camping. So there is enough space for you to join the fun!
  
  The land has a vegetable garden, fruit trees, many kinds of berries, a greenhouse, and lots of space for nature: wild flowers, trees popping up here and there, buzzing bees and singing birds...
  
  We don't have a paid occupation and so we have no fixed income but plenty of time for the kids, the house, the garden and our guests.
  
  Before we moved in (2016), the land in the back of the house had suffered under the strain of regular suppressive and oppressive agricultural methods. So we decided to plant trees and hedges and sow flowers, and add more of them every year. Now, the land is gaining back its vibrant beauty, and a rich diversity of living beings increasingly finds its home here. We are feeling the energy of the place rise with their presence.=
  
  The garden provides us with most of our vegetables and fruits the whole year round. We are adding organic matter and inviting a diversity of life forms to help us regenerate the soil. We experiment with different techniques, but the main idea is to bring air and life into the soil.
  
  During the month of August we set up camp in the south of the country, on a field with a small river. Many people gather there to celebrate life and our summer-time connection. It is an ecological camp, low-impact, with vegetarian food and lots of good vibes: acoustic music, games, bhajan singing, yoga... We can host up to 4 volunteers at any time there, so feel free to apply.
  
  We believe it is possible for human beings to live in harmony with the natural environment, protecting natural diversity and sharing space with other species. We are truly enjoying this deepening connection with the totality of life around us, of which we feel we are an inseparable part. Welcome!!!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Language, culture and ever growing experiences in 'natural living, building, gardening and cooking'. And making new friends, of course :-)

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  The 150 year-old house needs plenty of work to be done, from removing what is not needed or doesn't feel good, to restoring what is good and adding beauty and natural efficiency. And the garden… is never-ending :-)
  
  Here’s a list of things we are working on or will be working on soon:
  - renovating parts of the house with recycled materials, locally sourced wood, lime, hemp, cob...
  - painting with natural home made lime-paint
  - gardening tasks (sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, preparing vegetable beds, mulching, planting trees, pruning, harvesting hay with the scythe… depending on the season)
  - kitchen chores (especially during harvests, we make jams, juices, chutneys and pickles)
  - wood sawing and chopping
  - some construction activities on the sheds - the wooden structure needs to be fixed here and there
  - so many other small tasks that show up every day :-)
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️ If you have some specific skill in construction, restoration, gardening or anything else, please let us know. We may get inspired to find the right job for you :-)
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️We generally leave you very free to organize your own time. You can work when it suits you and take your 'days off' when it suits you. It's all good, just let us know in time.
  
  So welcome to our place!!! We are sure you will like it!
  
  *If you are applying to volunteer at the camp during the month of August, you will join the main kitchen team that provides vegetarian food to all participants, and you could also contribute to the ‘general maintenance’ of the camp.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Hindi: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate
  German: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Basic but comfortable. You will have a room / large caravan / one-room house for yourself, a wood stove for heating, bed & blankets, limited internet access...
  
  The bathroom is in the main house, and there is a compost toilet outside of the house.
  
  All meals are shared. We're vegetarians so no meat products here, but we do use organic milk from a nearby farm, and local organic eggs. We choose to eat organic, also a part of our view on a life in harmony with mother Earth.
  
  We don’t use alcohol, which may be surprising in a country famous for it’s beers. But we don’t mind if you open one once in a while.
  
  Internet is available with limited data. OK for everything except streaming or downloading videos. We have no television, but we do have a few movies on a laptop you can borrow.
  
  When we are not working or cooking, we like to play a game of cards, go for a walk, play some music, read, talk, or sit around and do nothing, listen to the birds and the wind in the trees... you are warmly invited to join us for a game, a talk,, a walk, some tea... We really appreciate these moments of sharing, but we also encourage you (and ourselves) to take your own time whenever you feel like it. No pressure here. You can be as you are.

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  What else ...

  We have a few good bicycles you can use to discover the surrounding area.. Lots of good people/places around to visit. A lake at 10km, small nature reserves, towns, other eco-sustainable projects in the area... Tienen train station is a 25 minute bus ride away and connects you to interesting cities like Ghent (80 min.), Bruges (100 min) , Liège (40 min), Brussels (40 min), Antwerp (90 min), and to the more forested South of the country (120 min). It's a small country, so nothing is very far away. We can help you find your way, and we can even arrange a sleeping place with friends in some of these places if you feel like going for the weekend.
  The nearest supermarket is about 6km away. Two libraries with free WiFi are 6km and 8km away.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  5 hours a day, 5 days a week, but this is flexible

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