Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
27 Apr 2024
Reply rate
66.7 %
Usually responds within 72 days
Feedback
12
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
I am Mick 45 carpenter from Ireland, I have two kids Leo 10 and Luna 7 years(8 in July) they live with their mother very close by, so you will be seeing them around.
I live in the countryside in North Karelia 20 km from Joensuu city center.
We had a big project of building a natural, straw bale insulated roundhouse, that is now finished and my kids are happily living there.
I live next door to the fields of Pjotr's (Leo and Luna's grandad's) organic vegetable farm and there are four families which cooperate with growing our food there.
I like to live a simple life in the countryside, close to nature and growing most of our own food. In season we pick lots of mushrooms and berries for preserving.
You will be sharing my farm house which needs lots of work. Where I"m living is a 500 meter walk through the forest to the vegetable field which has a nice little lake to swim in, and there is another bigger lake just across road from the house.
Last Autumn I did new drainage work around the house to fix a damp cellar (its now dry) and the next big project is building a new roof on the barn, using round wood poles from the forest. Some of the downstairs floors in the house need to be taken up and redone at some stage.
There is no running water in the house which means carrying in drinking and washing water.
I work part time away from home so people happy to be sometimes independent would be great. Or you can of course join me at work! Which is renovating a 200 year old log manor house.
If you have interest in crafting, natural building, working with hand tools, organic vegetable growing, being in nature, following natural seasonal cycles, berry picking, mushroom picking, getting or staying out of the rat race I'm sure we will get along.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Learn how to provide yourself with a healthy, beautiful soulful shelter, which you will not need a thirty year bank loan for! Experience living more simply using local food and resources.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
I am looking for people with a keen interest in crafts/hand work or an interest in gathering berries in season and planting, harvesting and processing vegetables.
The tasks will be varied over the length of the project, but will include peeling trees for building wood, general carpentry, roofing, general help such as collecting firewood, digging and moving earth, preparing the garden and many other things.
I have learned from the last years that the longer people stay the better it works out for all involved, and am hoping to have people for a minimum of one month.
I am looking for helpers for a few different kind of jobs, here I will try to describe them as well as possible so that you know what to expect. Please read the descriptions well.
Helping with building work on the house, doing some carpentry type projects, clay work, painting. The other time you would be getting building materials ready, tidying up the area etc. You should have some experience of using hand tools and a bonus if you are not afraid of heights! (3-5 meters).
Green fingered people who are happy to get their hands and feet in the soil! Growing many different vegetables, herbs and salads in our communal garden. I would also love to get some more berries growing in the house garden this Summer.
Longer stay 5 or 6 months.
Someone with a keen interest in building could work with me I will teach everything I can about our building techniques, using roundwood, clay plastering, strawbale building etc. but probably mostly we end up doing carpentry work.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Finnish: Beginner
Accommodation
There are two bedrooms available in my traditional Finnish farm house. We eat mostly vegan food. We have all food together, simple, local wholesome mostly organic food.
For the Summer camping is another option.
What else ...
Free time: we live by two lakes to swim in, we can give you bicycles to go for a cycle and you can cycle to Joensuu 20km, there is a restaurant in the local village! You can do berry and mushroom picking later in the summer, walks in the woods, we have regular sauna.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
must be under voice control.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (5)
Also I was inspired by their lifestyle ( to make by ownselves, to eat local… read more
I wish only the best for them and I would love to see… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Also I was inspired by their lifestyle ( to make by ownselves, to eat local… read more
I wish only the best for them and I would love to see… read more
Charlotte was a hard worker and very motivated doing what ever it was we were up to that time. She got into work and enjoyed it. Also she really liked learning new stuff and was asking what we do and why we do it which showed her motivation… read more
The work was intense sometimes, and you have to enjoy make many things with your hands to be here but it's my case and I'm so glad to have had my first step in the World… read more
I stayed here about 2weeks.
It was precious time in my life with them.
I really enjoyed with them to build their new log house. I'll keep visiting their blog about their house. Marja and Mick was so kind and Leo and Luna was so cute. Thank u for making a good memories!
CQ works hard and he devotes himself in the work given. We were able to tell him a job and he would do it precisely and also ask if something was unclear. He loved… read more
Mick and Marja are excellent hosts and I really enjoyed my 2 weeks stay over there. Not only they took great care of me, they treated me like their family too. And mick makes really great pizza! I love it alot.
The work can be tiring but… read more
