Area: Midi Pyrenees

We are a couple who live and work in the hills between Toulouse and the Pyrenees, in the south of France. Gaia is Italian, I'm British, we are expecting our first child and we have a dog and a cat. We work in the creative arts, I am a one-man-band in the traditional, drum kit on the back and playing multiple instruments together, sense. We are trying to develop our lives as independently as possible. We run a small record label from here, an association for the diffusion of cultural and artistic activities, and we have musical activities developing all the time.

Area: Louny

I am Richard and I run an organic vegetable farm here in Zatec. We have a plot of land 1.3 hectare with a big farm house on site. We grow many vegetables and some fruit too, we have a cherry, apple and pear tree. My sister, Romana, and her daughter live in the house with our other workers and volunteers. If you come and volunteer here you will stay in the house with them or in the teepee that we hope to build this summer. I live in the town with my wife and son and hope to move into the farm house also when we have renovated the downstairs rooms. We like to cook our food from the garden, fresh and organic and believe in a natural and organic way of living. If you come and volunteer with us we would like you to be part of our family, you can help with cooking and learn new skills of making fresh bread and juices. We like to have a good energy on the farm where everyone can be open with ideas and opinions. When the weather is nice we make a fire and cook from the garden outside. We also have a trampoline and small pool outside. In the house there is possibility to use the washer machine and the internet. We hope in the future to add some animals to our farm so that we can become more self sufficient. Our vision is to expand the farm and create some teacher training space for people to come and learn about healthy way of living. This might include learning about organic gardening as well as massage and yoga workshops and so on. We would like to create a community based on holistic living.

Area: Gara lakatnik, Bulgaria

We are Igor and Petya, a family from Bulgaria, with our 5 years old daughter Eva. Couple of years ago we bought a land and a small 70 years old house in Bulgaria, in a unique mountain area, some 70 km. away from the capital Sofia. The place is some 5 km. away from Gara Lakatnik village, famous for its climbing tours. We decided to renovate the house using cob and straw. After attending a course in UK and researching tons of information, we are finally ready to start with the project this spring . We are looking for volunteers to help us with the building and with some side works, like cooking. In exchange we offer to people, who are interested to practice building with natural materials, a place for gaining and sharing knowledge and experience. The site is quite wild, so the accommodation will be with tents. We provide also food three times a day. There is electricity and running water on site. The place is interesting for climbers, there are great possibilities for biking, hiking and birdwatching.