Gardening and DIY help welcomed, in ‘s-Heer Abtkerke, Zeeland, Netherlands

Details

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  Description

  Imagine a beautiful house, build with materials from a medieval church nearby. One big part was build as a carpenter shop, connected to a farmhouse. An old family lived here for generations till 1975. In 1959 the farmhouse was broken down and rebuilt into two small houses in fifties style. One of the houses is sold, the other one is still connected to the big carpenter shop annex art studio and I am living there. My husband died after a long sickbed in 2022 and I am alone since.
  The carpenters never used electricity or heating in their shop and that might be the reason why the house is filled with a very special atmosphere. Everything is made and re-used with full attention and craft. The people were poor in Zeeland.
  We tried to maintain and built in the same tradition. Though the old family owned all the four houses in a row in the only street of the village at the time, now there are four families all-together. The garden space is separated into four gardens. It is still a magical place. In the back yard we are bordered by a former orchard we have free access to.
  Due to the workload by taking care of my sick husband the last three years, there is a maintenance lack of the property. The long studio shed in the garden needs repairs and a garden house that falls apart would be wonderful to be restored.
  Next to the shed is a studio at the second floor of the big house. The first floor was my silkscreen studio. I rebuilt it to make an apartment for my husband with a bathroom and a bedroom. The bathroom needs some finishing touch. So does the hall. The big and small house are linked together and share one head entrance.
  Eating and socializing we do mainly in the kitchen in the small house, bordered by the garden with a terrace. There is a big wood burned stove for heating and cooking. We always have a big supply of wood. There are two more wood stoves in the house. There is also central heating on gas.
  Apart from my art I am working with plants, make my own medicines and collect food next to growing it.
  I want to rent the studio out to artists and travellers in the near future, give workshops bookmaking and printing in the shed and focus on my own art projects in my upper floor private studio.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am living in a nice community in a small village in the beautiful Bag of South-Beveland in the province of Zeeland. Zeeland is a former island group, since the flood disaster of 1953 connected by bridges, a tunnel and dams in the South-West Delta aria of the Netherlands, surrounded by seawater. (The Delta Works). You may learn/experience to face people open minded and with trust. We speak English and Dutch at home, so it may improve your English. My artwork is innovative, sustainable, different and linked to human rights. Two of my collections are in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. I am always open for new ideas and personal input. There are many festivals, very old and historic cities to visit, exhibitions, museums and beaches. Belgian is a stone warp away, so is Antwerp.

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  Help

  Hi, my name is Iris, the only workforce of the property for everything. I am also a visual and graphical artist. Due to my husbands long illness, his recent passing and my grief period, many things need care in and around the house. With carpenting, painting, plumbing, as well as garden maintenance. It is to much for me alone right now. I am also an Ayurveda adviser and give cooking courses. In return I also can give you a workshop in cooking, printing, art or creative bookbinding.
  I live in a very nice tiny village, close enough to a city in the beautiful province of Zeeland on the isle of Zuid-Beveland and the cleanest sea arm of western Europe: the Oosterschelde.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  German: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Your room will be upstairs.The bed is very comfortable. Bathroom downstairs.
  If you wish we can share lunch or dinner, or you may take care of yourself in the kitchen. You are free to take what you need. Fruit and salads are always available, as are nuts and dairy, bread and butter. If you want more or special food you have to take care of that yourself or discuss it with me. Shops about 5 km from here in another village or in the city of Goes.
  No car available. Neighborhood bus every half hour to Goes Station and villages at Zuid Beveland. From busstop to my house is about 20 mins walk.

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  What else ...

  There are many Festivals in Zeeland. Just search for it on line Also look for info about the Zak van Zuid-Beveland, for walks and bike trips. You can swim close by, around 30 minutes biking to the Ooster- or Wester Schelde. Antwerp is rather close, nice for a day trip. Many exhibitions and museums are open to visit. We have a small tent available so you may like to use it for longer trips. If you like to visit gardens, Zeeland’s gardens are famous. In the village is a tennis court.
  I expect my guests to take care of themselves when they want to entertain themselves. There is internet of course, no tv. There are bikes available. Station at 20 mins bike distance.

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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

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

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

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