House on 1ha of land with multiple possibilities in the Vosges, France

Details

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  Description

  Over the past 10 years I have had the opportunity to be a backpacker and a volunteer in Australia and South East Asia and to live in different places in France and Spain and it is time for me at 32 to settle down and in turn to welcome volunteers to help me in my dream of a simple life surrounded by nature, vegetable garden and animals.
  
  In 2021 I bought a house that I am renovating, with 11000m² of land including a small piece of forest. My best friend lives in the house but is not often present.
  My little menagerie currently consists of about ten chickens, 6 ducks, 2 miniature goats and 2 cats.
  
  I work as a software developer during the week (except Wednesdays) in full remote, so I'm at home all the time.
  In my free time, I take care of my animals and tasks related to the season: sowing, vegetable garden, development of animal space, harvesting/transformation of harvests into juice, jams, jars..., wood management in winter, renovation of the house.
  
  I try to have an extended consciousness level :) In terms of diet, I don't eat meat but seafood and fish (which I sometimes fish).
  
  I want to welcome volunteers who are friendly and interested in my way of life an also relatively independent because I work during the day. There's enough to do for everyone! I would be happy to share meals and evening/weekend activities.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The practice of French or English. For my part, I would be happy to speak English or Spanish again on a daily basis so that it does’t get rusty :)
  
  For the rest I touch a bit on everything but am not an expert in anything :D I will share with pleasure during the activities my knowledge on how to take care of a barnyard, to grow and store what I eat or what I heal myself with, cooking, maintaining outdoor spaces, managing wood and renovating a house.

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  Help

  * EDIT for spring 2024: I mainly need help with cutting/sawing/storing wood for next winter from big dead trees I have on my land so be aware of that before to apply :) *
  
  There is something for every taste! Volunteers will choose what they want to do 4h/day from a non-exhaustive list of tasks that will depend on the season. Some examples:
  
  - continue to fence the land,
  - cut the dead wood in the small piece of forest,
  - "clean" the end of the forest by removing all the branches on the ground to be able to move around,
  - taking care of poultry,
  - mowing/clearing/trimming hedges
  - participate in vegetable sowing/planting/maintenance/harvesting
  - making jars,
  - participation in daily tasks (cooking, cleaning)
  - clean the swimming pool,
  - repaint a room/lay laminate
  - ordering the basement.
  - +1 if you have experience with building a bread oven for outside (I already have the refractory bricks)
  
  There are no particular skills required but If you are a handyman/woman or have experience living in a eco-village or eco-place, I would be very happy to get any advice an suggestion on how to build/improve my project!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  Always happy to improve my english/spanish (and help you improve yours!) and to learn new languages. I can of course help with French.
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  Accommodation

  I provide a single bedroom that has just been renovated (see photos). The rest of the house is shared (bathroom, separate toilet, living room, kitchen). I will provide and share the meals.
  
  The outdoor area (garden, terrace, forest, swimming pool in summer, meadow, ping-pong table, barbecue, etc.) is also available during free time.
  
  I can lend a bike and an inflatable kayak in summer, there are many pleasant cycling areas and the Pierre-Percée lake 10 minutes drive. I can also lend sledges and snowshoes in winter, and my car on a case-by-case basis when I'm not using it

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  What else ...

  The town center is a 15 minute walk away. There is a train station in the city but I can pick you up in Saint-Dié, where the station is bigger and better served.
  
  I am on the edge of the forest at the start of several hiking trails.
  The Pierre-Percée lake is 10 minutes away by car (see photo).
  The nearest ski station is 50 minutes by car, Strasbourg is 1h20 away and Nancy 50 minutes away.
  
  I prefer idealy to host one or 2 person at a time (couples, friends...) for a duration of 2 weeks maximum. I prefer not to host men over 40 because I'm on my own most of the time and I may feel unsafe, but we can always discuss about it (I you have you own van for example).
  
  See you soon!

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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

  I am connected to the optical fiber network

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  Space for parking camper vans

  I have space for a campervan and we can see together of to do with electricity and water

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  Can possibly accept pets

  I accept cats/small animals/why not horses, donkeys and goats :) But for dogs it's more complicated because my cats are terrified by them. It can maybe work if the dog doesn't go in the house (if you have your campervan for example) or if the dog is very small.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  4 hours a day, 5 days a week

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