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Host rating
85 %
Last replied
24 Apr 2020
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Details
Description
After a long break, I am back here looking for somebody who would like to join me for a while on our small homestead in the bush.
We've lived on our land since 2006, and have slowly built and developed our home and surroundings. I am now in my late sixties and love my life here - and it is a lot of work. My husband works in town most days, while I take care of the many animals I have. The most important ones are my two milk cows with their calves, because they provide us with milk, which I turn into yoghurt, cheese, butter etc., and with meat. Taking care of them is quite a big part of my day. We also grow gardens, I have a tiny greenhouse, and my husband runs a very small beekeeping operation. Then there are donkeys, a lama, a variable number of chickens and turkeys, a very old little piggy, three cats and a dog that all want to be taken care of (lots of cuddles appreciated by most of them).
It is a very quiet life as we are half an hour's drive away from the next small town and 1.5 hrs away from a bigger city where I go about once a month for my main shopping.
We are off-grid and only installed running water a few years ago, so this has its own challenges and dynamic. Most of the cooking and heating happens on/by our trusty woodstove, even though we have some back up propane heat. We produce all of our own meat and eggs, quite a few of the veggies we need and all dairy except for some cheese (working on that!)
I am an avid knitter and I also own a couple of spinning wheels and a few hand spindles, but rarely find the time to use those lately. There's a loom that's still waiting to be set up, and I dabble in willow basketry.
Networking with other people who enjoy living close to nature, with a small-ish ecological footprint and making things/food from scratch is something I am very interested in and I would love to welcome preferably women (30+ yrs) to mutually share ideas and skills with.
I'm offering the opportunity to learn or practice some traditional skills, take a break from tight schedules, deadlines, city noise, and find some peace and quiet among the trees. There are always things I could use some help with, and I enjoy working side by side with similarly minded people. Weeding is so much more fun, when you can chat with someone while you're working :)
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Travellers could get to know an entirely different, very simple lifestyle, very close to nature and the weather, with options for wildlife walks and watching. If someone is interested, my husband would also provide some insights into small-scale beekeeping. When the work is done, somebody could take it as a retreat and enjoy some personal solitude and lots of "me-time".
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
I could use help with some smaller fencing projects, cutting and hauling grass for the cows, cleaning out some animal sheds, gardening, re-arranging a pantry.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have a very basic, but clean and bright room in an outbuilding, still covered by WiFi. Shower is available in the house. Our house is not big, but we can always make room at the table :-) We are not set up to host somebody in the cold season.
What else ...
Since we have many animals, dogs and cats are in the house, and in the summer there is exposure to honeybees, any allergies (except possibly food-related) would be a problem. Also, volunteers should be aware that there are small (mosquitoes) and possibly larger (bears and other wildlife) challenges.
Given the daily animal chores, we find it tricky to go on longer trips, but daytrips with guests can be arranged. Otherwise, interested workawayers should consider this to be something more of a nature retreat :)
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have satellite internet, not Starlink, but very decent, and there's always a quiet corner where somebody can do online work.
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
