Profile information
Host rating
65 %
Last replied
11 May 2023
Feedback
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Email verified
Details
Description
Hello and welcome!
We are a permaculture homestead and guesthouse based in the western ghats of Maharashtra owned and run by a family of 3 (a pioneering paragliding enthusiast, a nature lover, and a young, passionate paragliding pilot) Our property functions as a guesthouse, workshop space, and hosts, Nirvana Adventures our paragliding school. We’re surrounded by nature, overlooking a beautiful lake and vast hills. Our property is easy to access, as it’s right between Mumbai and Pune.
The guesthouse is inspired by the ecological, sustainable, regenerative home gardens of peninsular India that grew their own food and medicines. It follows permaculture principles and is set on an acre and a half of a biodiverse tropical garden space.
We welcome weekend and long-stay guests as well as students and pilots from all backgrounds across the week. We host and run workshops in yoga, stargazing, birding, and permaculture to name a few. We offer our guests a simple wholesome living, community experience. Pristine natural surroundings, clean air, and water, homegrown food, and wholesome homecooked meals inspired by the sustainable homestead life of our ancestors. Our forest garden is home to several plant and bird species and is a big draw for birders and nature lovers.
We are always experimenting with new recipes, soil regeneration methods, mixed cropping, new garden beds etc. We make our own jam, pickles, condiments, and coolers as well.
As our venture turns twenty, we would love to have more people with varying skill sets with us on our journey. We are looking for volunteers who have some experience on farms, gardening, photography, filmmaking, social media marketing, web development, artists and designers, culinary enthusiasts, and people good at marketing, guest relations.
Our current projects involve tasks such as:
-Planning out nature trails
-handling bookings, guest relations and the front office
-general farm work, including sowing seeds, harvesting, tending to plants, weeding, monitoring compost, watering, preparing garden beds
-intensifying our food forest
-curating new menus based on the produce we grow
-photography, filmmaking, digital marketing
-growing our social media presence
We are on the lookout for open-minded, enthusiastic volunteers who would enjoy being surrounded by nature and farms. If you have gifts to share, be it music, art, painting, natural building, food, or hosting events do get in touch.
Astrid, our founder, is a trained permaculture practitioner and has a passion for teaching, birding, yoga, and mindfulness-related activities. She has designed and set up the Native Place Garden, and will guide you throughout your stay.
If you’re interested in aiding us in our venture, please write to us about what you’d be interested in. We would love to host long-term volunteers (3+ months), but we are open to short-term volunteers (2-4 weeks) who offer special skills as well.
Our guesthouse is located near Kamshet 3 hours from Mumbai and 1.5 hours from Pune. The rural town is 10km away, with hills to climb, a lake to swim in and hammocks strung under densely canopied trees to relax in.
Hop on over to Native Place for the experience of a lifetime!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Farmstay help
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Learn the basics of permaculture design, growing food, composting, and soil regeneration. Birding, learning about the native tree species, and deep nature connection. Experience local home-style food and enjoy the slow pace of rural Indian life. Meet our guests and students from all over the country and the world.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
General Garden Maintenance:
-Seedling propagation
-Nursery Maintenance
-Planting, Weeding, Harvesting
-Composting
-Planting beds
-making natural fertilizer
-seed saving
Creative Projects
-Designing a trail/signage in the garden
-Baking
-curating menus
-photography and short films
Miscellaneous
-Helping around the house
-Hospitality
-General maintenance
-Bookings and guest relations
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Hindi: Intermediate
Marathi: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
-Dorm accommodation (bunk beds) and bathrooms with running (hot) water showers.
-In tents in the garden (mattresses pillows and sheets provided)
We cook and eat vegetarian and non-vegetarian food at the guesthouse. We provide delicious non-spicy home-cooked Indian meals three times a day, with chai in the evening.
Mid-week meals are simple and, on the weekend, when we have guests the fare is more generous. We head out for farm and other work post breakfast and return at 1 pm for lunch and do any in-house work in the early evening.
What else ...
In your time off, you can travel to Pune, visit the Karla Bhaja Bhedse caves or go on a long trek, visit the flying site, or hang out in the hammocks in the garden or by the lake.
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.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
