Enjoy staying in a very nice, quiet rural place with animals in Tobøl, Norway

Details

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  Description

  If you are hardworking, have good work ethics, and enjoy staying in a quiet and beautiful rural area, this could be the right place for you. However, this is not a retreat. You need a can-do mentality, and you must be mature, respectful and responsible.
  
  Trust, honesty, modesty and loyalty are my core values, and it is important that you share these values as well.
  
  I live on a small homestead that has been under renovation for about ten years and is still very much a work in progress. There is always something to do here, both indoors and outdoors, and the work changes with the seasons.
  
  The house is located just a ten-minute walk from the Swedish border, in a very quiet rural area. I have two beehives and a cat. My grandfather bought the small forest around the homestead and built the house himself.
  
  Close by is my parents’ homestead, where there are cows, a horse, a lama, a dog, a cat and hens. Together, we produce some of our own food. Our long-term dream is to be as self-sufficient as possible, but we take one step at a time. My parents are vital, energetic and actively involved.
  
  I work at a university within the field of sustainability and I am also a member of the local church choir.
  
  If this sounds interesting to you, please feel free to contact me for a chat so we can see if it might be a good match. If we are a good fit and I have availability, longer stays are very welcome.
  
  For information about the type of help needed, please see the “Help” section. All kinds of help are appreciated as long as you are handy, motivated, interested in learning, and willing to contribute in a responsible way while sharing the values described above.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Farming

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Carpentry

  

  Animals

  

  Nature
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Most of the cultural exchange here is related to life on the homestead – how it was in the past, how it is today, and how it changes with the seasons.
  
  I grew up with this place and its history, and I enjoy sharing stories and perspectives about local life, both past and present.
  
  Through daily life on the homestead, you will gain hands-on experience with simple, practical approaches to self-sufficiency and sustainable living. Much of the cultural exchange happens in everyday situations – during meals, work, and conversations about daily life, values and traditions.
  
  From late June to August, we occasionally visit a local historical homestead and farm museum, which also reopened a traditional blacksmith workshop in 2023. The museum shows how small, manually run homesteads were organised in earlier times.
  From time to time, we also take part in a very Norwegian tradition – a monthly “taco dinner” (outside the summer season).
  
  If you are interested in learning about local culture and history, it helps to be curious and take initiative. I also enjoy sharing simple, traditional Norwegian home-style food.
  
  This cultural exchange is especially meaningful for people who are curious, reflective and interested in everyday, modest rural life rather than organised tourism or a commercial lifestyle.

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  Help

  To stay here, you need to be responsible, proactive and mature. A practical mindset and a willingness to help are essential. If you are social, take initiative and enjoy contributing to shared daily life, this will most likely make your stay more rewarding.
  
  At the moment, I am also working on tidying up and reorganising two old barns and the surrounding areas, which have been used as storage for many years. The goal is to make them practical and useful again.
  
  Typical tasks (depending on season):
  
  Taking care of the 🐝 (from April)
  
  Looking after animals (mainly in winter)
  
  Making firewood (cutting, splitting and stacking)
  
  Gardening
  
  Weeding fields and outdoor areas (summer)
  
  Cleaning and general household tasks
  
  Picking berries and mushrooms, and making jam
  
  All buildings are old and require care and maintenance. We prefer to preserve and reuse existing buildings, as we believe this is a more sustainable approach. My grandfather bought a piece of forest in 1933, harvested the timber himself, built the houses and cleared the land to create fields.
  
  I am quite busy during the daytime. Most practical work together will therefore be in the afternoons, at weekends, or together with my father, who only speaks Norwegian.
  
  You need to bring your own clothes for both work and free time. If you are unsure what to bring, please ask.
  In winter, you must be well prepared with warm clothing, wool layers and windproof outerwear. Temperatures can drop to –35°C, with snow throughout the winter season.
  
  You are of course free to use your mobile phone, but not during meals or while working. Presence and respect for shared activities are important for everyone to have a good stay.
  
  A good match is crucial for a positive experience on both sides, and I therefore prefer to have a video call before confirming a stay.
  
  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Norwegian bokmål: Fluent
  Norwegian: Fluent
  Swedish: Fluent
  German: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  I can understand German to a certain degree if you dont speak to fast, but I am not able to speak.
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  Accommodation

  Volunteers live in the same house as the host. This is a shared home, not separate accommodation.
  
  Respect for shared spaces, cleanliness and agreed routines is essential for daily life to work well.
  Daily cleaning of common areas is part of shared responsibility.
  
  I aim to reduce food waste by using surplus food. This is part of how I live and may not be suitable for everyone.
  We usually eat together for breakfast and dinner, but schedules may vary and meal times may occasionally change. Breakfast is normally around 6:30, and dinner between 17:00–19:00.
  
  The farm is located in a very rural and quiet area.
  
  Living here means becoming part of my daily life and the household. We share most activities, including meals and practical tasks. Active participation in household life, such as helping with meals and keeping shared spaces clean, is expected.
  
  If you prefer to spend most of your time alone in your room or on your phone, or are not comfortable contributing to communal life and shared responsibilities, this may not be the right place for you.
  
  Unfortunately, you cannot bring a dog, as my cat is not used to dogs.
  
  Experience driving a manual car is highly recommended. There is no public transport nearby (the closest is about 15 km away), so you need to be able to manage independently when I am at work. If you do not drive but are very motivated, you are welcome to ask before applying.
  
  You should be comfortable with a modest way of living, which most previous Workawayers have appreciated and enjoyed.
  
  If you are willing to share your time, energy and everyday life, I would be happy to welcome you into my home.
  
  Upon arrival, you will be asked to read and accept the house rules. You will also fill out a short form with practical information such as skills, food allergies and preferences, to help me organise your stay as well as possible.

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  What else ...

  Before coming here, please make sure you are vaccinated against tetanus.
  
  If you are not from the EU / EEA / Schengen area, you are responsible for having the correct visa or residence permit. If you are unsure about the rules, please ask before applying.
  
  The house is located in a very rural and remote area. I have an older car that you may be able to use occasionally if needed while you stay here. This requires that you are a confident and careful driver and treat the car with respect. I know this sounds direct, but it is important to be clear.
  I also have a few bicycles that can be fixed and used if you enjoy cycling.
  
  In your free time, there are many opportunities to enjoy nature. I have fishing gear available if you are interested.
  
  If you enjoy hiking, you may see a lot of wildlife in their natural habitat. Moose, foxes and rabbits are common, as well as many bird species. Wolves also live in the area, but they are rarely seen – autumn is usually the best time for wildlife observation.
  
  I have a small boat that you may use on the lake next to the house when there is no ice. I also have access to another boat on a nearby lake, as well as a canoe in the garden. Camping, hiking and fishing are all possible in the area.
  
  During the summer season, you can find berries and mushrooms in the forest. We often collect and use them for jam, cooking and everyday meals.

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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

  Internet is fine here, it may be limited in downloading and speed when downloading more than the monthly limit. It has never been a problem though, if u do need more Internet, it’s possible to find out if we agree on it. Its 5G on the mobile net here (Telenor mobile)

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  Space for parking camper vans

  If you have an own vehicle you are most welcome to park it here, campervan etc. if you have a campervan, you may always ask about coming, even if our schedule is marked red👍🏻.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  Lucrezia

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