Ecology, wildlife and food on the edge of the exciting Garfagnana, Tuscany, Italy

Informationen

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  Beschreibung

  Come stay on a biodiversity-focussed permaculture small-holding, and join an ecologist restoring wildlflower meadows, rehabilitating native woodland, and growing a sustanable food forest!

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  Arten von Hilfe und Lernmöglichkeiten

  Hilfe bei Ökoprojekten

  Gartenarbeiten

  Heimwerker- und Bauarbeiten

  Betreuung von Tieren

  Hausarbeiten
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  UNO-Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung, die dieser Gastgeber verfolgt

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  Was ist das?
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  Kultureller Austausch und Lernmöglichkeiten

  I am an ecologist with a professional background in nature conservation, and a particular enthusiasm for bats. My priority in life is to leave the corner of this land whose stewardship I am responsible for in a better state for nature than I found it. I will gladly share everything I know about ecological restoration and conservation with you, in the hopes that you can go forth and do good things for the natural world! Besides learning about approaches to sustainable land management, here you can immerse yourself in the natural world, watch wildlife, explore ancient and unique landscapes, enjoy the great outdoors (wild swimming in rivers, gorges and lakes, hiking in the mountains, wandering the coastline), and generally get to experience quiet, rural, Italian life.

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  Arbeit

  There's much to do, plenty to learn, and heaps to share. Depending on the time of year, we could be developing and maintaining the no-dig vegetable plots, sowing seeds, harvesting, foraging, restoring meadows, tackling invasive acacia trees, controlling bramble, pruning fruit trees, undertaking botanical surveying, photographing plants and insects, fencing, maintaining tools, renovating an outbuilding, building furniture...come with enthusiasm and some practical skills and leave with even more! There are the important small daily tasks too: playing with Watson the spaniel, housework tasks, supervising the chickens on their afternoon ramble, and watching the sun settle down for the night behind the mountains.

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  Sprachen

  Gesprochene Sprachen
  Englisch: Fließend
  Italienisch: Gute Kenntnisse
  Spanisch: Grundkenntnisse

  Dieser Gastgeber bietet Sprachaustausch an
  I'm a native English speaker, learning Italian, learning Spanish, and happy to share all these languages!
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  Unterkunft

  Welcome! My home is rustic but comfy. You'll have your own bedroom with a double bed, clothing rail, armchair, and mountain views, and will share the rest of the house with me and my friendly little spaniel (and my Italian boyfriend, when he pops round). There is a spacious bathroom with a compost toilet, shower, sink, and a bidet that functions as a plant pot for an exuberant fern; a sitting room; a space for working out/yoga/pilates; a small, functional kitchen; and of course, ever such a lot of outdoor space to lose yourself in.
  
  This place rewards the hardy, offering no lazy comforts like central heating and air conditioning, although wifi is a recent addition. Sometimes there is hot water, sometimes there is not. Responsible, careful use of water and energy resources is a must - if you like luxuriating under steaming showers for 10 minutes a day rather than a practical 2 minute dousing, this isn't the place for you. Laundry happens once a week. I like to keep the house tidy and as clean as a house in the mountains can possibly be, and you will be expected to play your part in maintaining this every day.
  
  I am an enthusastic cook, and you'll be able to enjoy homemade meals every working day (I really enjoy culinary cultural exchanges, too, so bring your favourite recipes!). I bake my own bread, make my own pasta, and go through phases of experimenting with fermenting different veggies. I rarely eat meat, but am not vegeterian, so eggs from my hens, milk, local cheese and the occasional anchovy or sausage or whatnot make appearances in my cooking. I can accommodate vegeterian and vegan diets, but not food allergies, I'm afraid. Everyone is expected to chip in with some kind of help around dinner time, maybe some food preparation, maybe a little tidying around the house, maybe sweeping the yard, and it's always a team effort to do the washing up! :)
  
  On your free days I strongly encourage you to eat out at the marvellous local pizzerias and tiny family-run trattoria in the area ("workers lunches" give you 3 courses for around €12 to €15 including wine and coffee, and an evening meal will ring in at about €20). Eating out is a cherished and important aspect of life here. Not only do you get to try delicious local specialities that you won't find in other parts of Italy, but you support local community, help to keep the rural areas alive, and live your Garfagnana experience more fully.
  
  At 600m elevation, halfway up the hills that bring you to trailheads for the less-explored end of the Appenine mountains, my house is a good 15 minute drive from the nearest small town down in the valley. Public transport to or from the house does not exist. The nearest train station and bus stop are in the village at the bottom of the hill (about 4 miles away). Therefore, I am extremely reluctant to host workawayers without their own transport. If you are coming as a pair you'll definitely need your own vehicle as my little van only has space for one passenger!

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  Was noch ...

  In order to make the most of your stay I strongly recommend having your own transport. If you are a pair of Workawayers, you must have your own transport.
  
  All in a drive of an hour or less: trailheads into the Apuane alps or Apennines; sublime seaside; canoeing on the lake; wild swimming in the Lima; paddleboarding in the gorge; historical cities (Lucca and Pisa, with Florence, Bologna and Modena a little further away); charming local bars and cafes for aperitivi and caffe; family-run restaurants offering authentic Tuscan cooking.
  
  The house and the land are strictly no-smoking spaces.
  
  You must have a reasonable level of fitness to stay on a cultural exchange here, as the land is terraced and steep in places. Your own work boots/walking boots are absolutely non-negotiable essentials.

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  Etwas mehr Information

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    Internet Zugang

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    Eingeschränkter Internet Zugang

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    Wir besitzen Tiere

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    Wir sind Raucher

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    Familien möglich

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  Platz zum Abstellen von Camper Vans

  There's a parking space for a small van.

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  Kapazität - wie viele Workawayer maximal

  zwei

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  Arbeitszeiten

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