Help to create a permaculture learning center and ecovillage in Haavisto, Finland

Details

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  Description

  This is not a commercial farm but an ecovillage project and permaculture learning center. Next summer (from May to October 2020), we host short term volunteers only for one week workpartys. Traditional and natural building goin on along with premaculturue farming and forestgardening. Agelimit for long term (minimum 1 month) volunteers is 30 years ( and used to camping conditions and capable of working independetly) .
  Our volunteers are active members of a small community of equals. We use sociocratic decision making. There is a lot of learning and creativity involved. We work 6 hours, but anyone joining via workaway would be free to keep to 5 hours according to workaway rules. Usually our volunteers are so enthusiastic that it is more a problem to make them stop and take rest. We plan our work and selebrations according to moon calendar so every second week we might enjoy an extra holiday together prepairing and enjoying something special: day before full moon and day after new moon.
  During time off you can go for a swim in the lake, go fishing, hiking or biking, take out the rowing boat or canoe (or kayak if daring enough capsize it), take our dog for a run, do yoga, dance, jump on the trambolin, balance on a slackline, make art, carve wood or make other handicraft with natural materials like birch bark or willow, build your own shelter, sit by the fire, play music, or simply relax in a hammock with a good book from our library. Nearby there is nice hiking routes, a protected area to study old forests, a wooden tipi and a lean-to to to take rest or even to stay overnight.
  From May to September we are prepared to host 3-4 hardcore volunteers used to camping conditions. Summer 2019 building projects continue. Minimum stay 1 month. (Shorter visits are possible on special request for skilled enthusiasts, builders, carpenters, gardeners and PDC-holders) Basic skills needed: handling an ax and a bill, starting fire in the owen. If you are enthusiastic about living in the nature, permaculture, sustainable cultural heritage, natural- and traditional building, sociocracy, talking circles, singing and jamming together, edible and medical herbs, forest garden, fermenting, terra preta... this is your chance! This summer we build sauna by the lake, cellars, outdoor kitchen, greenhouses, lean-to shelters in the forest and by the lake. This is an old farm with 20 ha of land, 300 meters of lake shore protected for flying squirrels and a separate place for sauna by the lake. Old courtyard is also protected. We learn by doing together. We invite locals to join our work parties and workshops. Possibility to learn traditional Finnish rune singing. Our plan is to start a trainging center for sustainable cuture LAND center) and an ecovillage fulfilling all four aspects of the definition: cultural, social, ecological and economic resilience. In our vision it would be possible to live here off grid, outside money-order. Eventually this will be donated to a foundation making it possible for people to devote themselves to land without owning it.
  Our season starts in May. It would be a bit rough still to live here during winter months. Before final decision applicants will be interviewed via skype/zoom. We hope to get your application by the end of March, so that we can take desitions beginning of April. We keep one bed free for shorter visits by skilled enthusiasts. Also volunteers with own accommodation (tent/camping car...) may apply later.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  General Maintenance

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Farmstay help

  Help with Eco Projects

  Animal Care
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Volunteers have access to all workshops, work parties and parties. I enjoy sharing my knowledge of sustainable traditional culture based on the old fenno-ugric philosopy of origins (syntytieto). I teach rune ringing and rune singing meditation. Yoga and singing together possible daily if interest.

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  Help

  Natural and traditional building (log, cordwood and co), forestgardening, permaculture gardening. Harvesting and processing wild herbs, berries and mushrooms.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Finnish: Fluent

  This 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.
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  Accommodation

  Very basic. Off grid. No running water. Suitable for hardcore volunteers used to camping conditions. Possible to stay in the main building, to fit up your private space in the granaries or build you own temporary shelter in the forest or by the lake. Solar power panel to charging mobiles and laptops. Sauna at least twice a week. Swimming possibility any time. We take turns in the kitchen, so cooking will be one of the tasks. Mostly organic, vegan or vegetarian food, but can make exceptions while fresh, local, organic animal products available. Dumpster food only if you want it.

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  What else ...

  There will be a kayak, canoe and a traditional wooden rowing boat at volunteers use. Fishing possibilities. Possibility to create our own activity park. Trambolin and slackline. Possibility to build a musical playground in the forest. Bikes available. There is a protected old forest nearby. And a network of other ecovillages -communities to visit. 8 km to nearest shops, public library, restaurants etc.

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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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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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