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Help needed on small farm in Aveyron, France

  • Favourited 565 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are six at our little hamlet: Jean-Marie (41) and Jule (38) with our little girls Lila (6) and Marilène (4) and the parents(in-law) Michel and Yvonne who bought the ruins in the 80s and reconstructed everything to the beautiful place it now is. They moved here from the Netherlands back then and the main language spoken here is Dutch. We also speak English and French. Some of us also Spanish and German. Jean-Marie and me really enjoy playing guitar and singing together, watching movies, playing board games and experimenting in the kitchen. Jean-Marie is really into mushrooms and fishing. Jule is into yoga and plant medicine. We try to practice positive parenting with our children.

    Our place consists of two family houses, four gîtes (holiday houses), a chicken house, a sheep barn and 11 hectares of forest and meadows with fourteen camp sites. We keep bees for honey and we have a big vegetable garden and several fruit trees around the house. On walking distance, there is a creek flowing through our valley.

    Our activities differ per season. In autumn we are harvesting and conserving our earnings and we go searching for walnuts and chestnuts in the woods. Winter time is cosy here, but there is always stuff to do like nut cracking, repairing, construction, wood chopping etc. Days are short so we try to make them count. In January our sheep deliver the lams, so they need extra care. Spring time is when we start the veggie garden up, that takes a lot of time. In summer the garden needs a lot of attention, but there is always other stuff to do. Daily chores include taking care of the animals and of course the general housework.

    Overall our main aim is working with our natural environment and entertaining and feeding our guests with leaving a relatively small ecological footprint!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    The South-Aveyron is little known by tourists, that makes this area very interesting , rural life is not spoiled by mass tourism at all! We will show you how we live in and with nature and how we aim to be as self-sufficient as possible. Depending on how long and in what time of year you work with us, we can teach you how to bake your own bread, conserve vegetables in many different ways, how to hold chicken and sheep, how easy it really is to have your own vegetal garden, etc. Moreover, the landscape here is stunning and it's so quite in the surrounding you really collect yourself here.

  • Help

    Help

    For spring, we are looking for Workawayers to help start up the garden!

    In between, there is always small tasks around the farm to do ( mowing, painting, maintenance and renovation). The weather also decides what we do, on rainy days we have some indoor work too.

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    We receive hiking guests in spring, who stay for only one or two nights and continue their hike the day after. We make their beds, prepare them a three-course meal and take their luggage to the next place. In summer, the place is crawling with camping guests, mostly families with small kids who enjoy playing in the woods, feed the sheep their left over bread and play with our kittens. We organize weekly dinner/music parties for the summer guests with - of course - food from our own land.
    =============

  • Languages spoken

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

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Most of the time, you can stay in one of the gîtes with your own kitchen and bathroom. We will provide your food and basic necessities so you can take care of your self. We really enjoy sharing some meals together, but not all the time.

    In summer you stay in a tent (which we can provide if you need).

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    The closest public transport is the train station of Albi-Ville, which is an hour away. We can pick you up there. Bus stops are also in Albi, Requista, Saint-Sernin, Alban or Saint-Affrique.

    Winter is a very calm period of the year, there is not a lot to do around here besides hiking. It would be good if you had an activity planned for your free hours here (writing, painting or learn how to play the ukulele for example). Bring your bike if you are a staunch cyclist!

    In summer, there are village festivals and flea markets all the time and you can go fishing and swimming in the close by river Tarn, that's also what we like to do!

    There are some beautiful villages around and Albi is on the list of World Heritage and definitely worth a visit.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

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

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

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

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

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

Host ref number: 357729467283

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Cultural exchange: (4.9)

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