Discover the Contadini life on our old Umbrian Tuscan estate in Italy

Details

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  Description

  Fellow Travelers,
  
  Why not come to wonderful Italy? Yes! The Italian countryside, olive trees, grape vineyards, medieval villages, and Italian cypresses beckon! It's beautiful! It's emotional! It's fun!
  
  We are Alex and David, a once-young couple who has spent the past 20 years fixing up a country house, raising two kids (adults!), cultivating an organic garden, and caring for olive trees. The property is well-loved by everyone. The house always needs a little work and your contribution will add to a house largely fixed up with the help of over 100 Workawayers.
  
  The house and grounds are within an old, rural estate ensuring privacy and a wooded parkland. We're near Chiusi in Central Italy, halfway between Roma and Firenze, Assisi and Siena. We're close to the main north/south highway and rail service putting all of central Italy within reach.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  When the work is over, there are plenty of sights to see which we can help you get to. We are very aware that this is a reciprocal arrangement, and will do what we can to reward you for a few chores. We are 10 minutes to a central Tuscan train station putting all of central Italy within easy reach. The city centers of Roma, Firenze, Siena, Arezzo, Orvieto, Assisi or Perugia can be easily reached by comfortable and inexpensive trains. You can walk to the bus stop in the morning and find the local cafe or bakery. The estate we live on provides many lovely walks through native woodland. There are even a few old racing bikes hanging around the cantina (although I need a hand replacing the tires and oiling the chains).

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  Help

  Do you see those photos of famous workawayers digging ditches? well, that work is over. You'll have it easy. What we are looking for now are those who are clever with their hands. We don't need baby sitters, language or music teachers, cooks, bricklayers, computer programmers, or cement mixers.
  Outdoors, it's weeds, pruning, maybe planting, maybe harvesting. How about firewood. Can anyone out there use a chainsaw?
  Indoors, we need someone who can run a sewing machine, oil a window frame, or glue a chair together. Can anyone out there sew? If so, we offer you central Italy for free housing. And food. And drink. And, most importantly, conversation!
  We have a lot of experience with workaway. I recommend workaway volunteers plan for stays of not more than a week with any host. This gives both host and guest time to get to know each other without making too big a commitment. If you fall in love, you can probably extend. It's a very fluid and easy community full of wonderful hosts. If it doesn't work out for either host or traveler, there will be a lot of hosts here in Italy that will be happy to have you.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Italian: Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  You will have your own private room and bathroom with shower and a place set for you at the supper table. You'll be treated as a guest and friend with equal parts privacy and company. We offer free wi-fi and phone to the US and Europe.

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  What else ...

  Many people lament about rampant materialism, commercialism, processed food, consumerism, and the loss of touch with the 'real world.' But it's tough changing old habits and few do much about it. We've managed to find a small way to exercise our options and get back to the land. It's not a retreat, a hostel, a de-programming experience or an off-the-grid alternative lifestyle. It's just an old house in the country we're trying to improve and learn from at the same time. What we've learned so far is that it's possible to tip the balance back from consuming to producing. And it's fun, too. Maybe by volunteering, you can get some of this inspiration for free!
  
  I've got a lot of respect for the intelligence and creativity of the Italian contadini who built these houses and cultivated this difficult but beautiful land. We've tried to preserve not just the original features and the natural aged character of our house and property, but also the frugality, efficiency and independent nature of the building. Wherever possible we have recovered and reused original building materials. Almost all of the work has been accomplished by us or Workaway volunteers, and everyone who visits remarks on the lovely effect. It is a real testimony to the quality of Workaway help. At the same time, we have sympathetically included some new-age plumbing, solar water heating, photovoltaic power, and underfloor heating installations. By now, most of the heavy work is finished; and we are in the midst of an endless amount of "finish work," landscaping, decorating, orchard maintenance, and gardening.
  
  Our house is ancient, rustic but comfortable. The rooms are small, but there are a lot of them. Those used to luxurious, spotless accommodation, will feel more comfortable somewhere else. We are and will remain, an old Italian farmhouse. Our water is heated by the sun. We now have an air-conditioning/heating heat-pump running off solar-generated electricity. When the clouds accumulate, we revert to a more frugal style of living. There is a gentle, outdoor cat to keep everyone company.
  
  We enjoy a friendly household. We're not running a business. We're not going to rely on you to keep us profitable. It gives me great joy in reading through my diary of Workaway volunteers. All of them have given so much more to our household culture than we can possibly return. Our first volunteer, Trisha Morgan, stayed with us twenty years ago; and every visitor since then has brought support, fun, laughter, and worldly experience to the family. Please check the availability calendar, we get a lot of requests from volunteers, friends, and family. I'm afraid our calendar is pretty tight.
  
  RyanAir.com flies from London directly to Perugia, which is a very pleasant hour's drive from us. The airports in Rome are about two and a half hours by car or train. Here in the country, it helps to have a car; but with excellent rail service, a car is not required. Car rentals are available at the train station in Chiusi.
  
  We require no lifestyle restrictions. We don't smoke, but we do enjoy a fresh, local wine at supper. Our diet has moved from rural Italian to more flexible vegetarian. We are patient with mature volunteers and we have room for pets and couples as long as the work allows. Please email us with your questions and your plans. If we have room for you, I'll send you directions, photos, and more details so you get a better idea of who and where we are.
  
  Our sincere thanks to all our friends who have come to visit us. Your contributions have helped make our house comfortable and our family happy. Best wishes to all you travelers out there, we hope you love your Italian adventures.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  25 hours per week

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