Help me with food forest and animals in Frasnes-lez-Anvaing, Belgium

Details

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  Description

  I live in Frasnes lez Anvaing, just in the French speaking part of Belgium, but many also speak Dutch (Flemish). The property I live on is 2 km outside the city on a secluded 1.8 hectare property on the south slope of a hill that I am converting to a food forest including natural swimming pond and (separate) fish pond. The house I live in has 3 bedrooms, a living room and a sunroom with kitchen and dining area. The house still needs finishing certain parts, while the terrain is still in the process of being planted with a couple of hundred of trees and bushes. There are already quite a few species of fruit and nut trees as well as a Hugel used for vegetables.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Depending on the interest and inclination of the travellers there are the following things to learn:
  - setting up a permaculture based food forest, including detailed knowledge about what to plant in combination with what other plants and on which parts of the terrain (dry, wet, sloping, flat etc.)
  - how to plant and maintain a vegetable garden on a Hugel culture (trans)planting a large range of tomatoes, beans, salads, chard, yacon, jerusalem artichoke, mizuma, cabbages etc. and of course harvesting and processing the harvest (freezing, canning, fermenting, making jams and syrups etc,) depending on the season.
  - There are a couple of other beginning food forests in the vicinity that I am collaboratively involved in, learning from each other. The traveller can be involved in these exchanges if so inclined.
  - The languages spoken in the area are French and Dutch, and I am fluent in Dutch and English, less so in French, German and Spanish.
  - If interested, the traveller can also learn woodworking, from simple to more complex projects. If the city council permit is granted, I will also be building a Walipini (in-ground greenhouse) to prolong the growing season.
  - I do have a tractor with attachable mowing equipment, pallet forks and trailer to transport things. The tractor is easy and fun to drive, but because the terrain is sloped and some areas are quite wet, it does require some practice.
  
  For all of the activities above, I will mostly help as well when I'm off, it is the intention to do these things together at least for a couple of hours a day, depending on the interest and inclination of the traveller.

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  Help

  It is proving challenging to do this by myself since I still work full time, so I'm looking for someone to help with the outside tasks and take care of the cats and chickens when I'm travelling (about 1 to 2 weeks per 2 months) and do light chores around the house, but the emphasis is on establishing the food forest, so I can focus on finishing the house itself. There is also a fairly large workshop where I make anything from cutting boards to shelves to furniture that is used in the house, as well as making LED lights.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  German: Intermediate
  Spanish: Intermediate
  French: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  I don't have a chance to practice my Spanish enough and would love to do so!
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  Accommodation

  Bedroom and separate bathroom in the main house. The living room, sun room and kitchen are of course to be used freely. As for food, I will be working in Ghent 4 days a week and we can take turns cooking in the evening, during the day the traveller is free to raid the fridge/freezer or the vegetable garden. I always make bread and yoghurt.

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  What else ...

  Frasnes is a small town, but Ronse is a larger city 9 km away from my house that is easily reached by bicycle (2 bicicles available) which is where i usually shop for groceries & DIY supplies. From Ronse you can take a train anywhere in the country. Paris is 2.5 hours by train, Brussels 1 hour to give you some idea, so plenty of opportunity to visit the cultural capitals of Belgium and France.
  
  There is ample space on the terrain to chill, including a natural swimming pond of 15 x 35 meters with grass around it. If preparing food is a hobby I am happy to show all the forageable foods that are growing wild on the terrain.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  There is a good internet at the house and also quite a good cell phone signal

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  Space for parking camper vans

  There is ample place to park a camper or motorhome

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Depending on the pet, since there are 2 cats in the house, so other cats or dogs may or may not be an issue. If you are staying in a camper or motorhome that is of course less of an issue.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

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