Help a family in Galicia with building, maintenance and organic gardening

Details

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  Description

  We are a family of four from Sheffield, UK. We moved out to Galicia in 2016 to begin our adventure and dream of a different life. We are restoring an old Galician farmhouse into a family home, with an artist's workshop, organic vegetable garden, rooms to rent and a small piece of mountainous woodland to convert into a forest garden. Our priority has been the family home, making somewhere for our children to grow and flourish. We are now trying to make the rest a reality and would love to share our experience and home with some willing volunteers.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  After 20 years of working on community engagement projects and volunteering in the UK, Spain and Greece on a variety of environmental projects, I feel we can offer volunteers a unique experience in this undiscovered corner of Spain. Galicia is home to the St James Camino, where pilgrims travel from all over world to walk to the World Heritage city of Santiago de Compostella. It is, however, relatively unexplored in terms of non Spanish tourists, yet offers many delights to discover. With one of the best coastlines in Europe, whether you love to swim, surf, paddleboard, sunbathe or eat seafood, it's all here in beautiful abundance. We live on the edge of a Natural Park, with 9000 hectares of the ancient Atlantic Forest that used to cover the Iberian Peninsula. Delve into a forest dripping with lichens, with such rich biodiversity not found in the ubiquitous Eucalyptus plantations found throughout Coruna, and you will discover ancient woodlands of sweet chestnut, oak and birch, poplar, rare ferns, salamanders, Iberian frogs and many more species.
  As a vegetarian coeliac, I cook all the meals from scratch, so volunteers staying with us with dietary requirements will be in safe hands. My husband is a qualified silversmith and skilled metal worker/ sculptor and after the last few years has extended his skills to include plastering, wiring, and all the other elements involved in house restoration!
  
  I am an ex environmental project worker, with a passion for ecology. I am learning new skills all the time out here, such as organic gardening and stone pointing. I love finding new walks and trails with the dogs and on our bikes and am keen to develop some maps of the local area for future guests. You will be considered part of our family during your stay here, but we respect people having their own space and privacy. We have unlimited WiFi access, some computer games, dvds, board games and we love live music and dancing.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Edit for 2023. We are further along in our plan now and as such we are working toward money to pursue our eventual accomodation and workshops plan. Due to this, we are interested in individuals and couples who are able to carry out practical tasks under their own steam as we are not able to supervise and help at all times. This probably isn't suitable for people with young kids as ours are now in their teens so the house isn't as toddler friendly as it was.
  
  
  
  Help required: We are looking for friendly, positive people to help us with various tasks around the house and garden. There will be building/construction work, gardening, wood chopping, woodland management, path construction and other general help. Whatever you can contribute will be of great help. We ask for 5 days work a week. We have pet dogs, cat, gecko, chickens and a horse that all require care too. The dogs are family pets and live inside.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate

  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

  You will have your own bedroom in the future guest quarters, with an en suite bathroom. At the moment guests are sleeping on camp beds as we are making up some single beds. It is connected to the family house and at present we are decorating the downstairs living room and kitchen, which makes up this part of the annexe. These old stone houses are heated with wood fires, so it can be a little cold to those used to central heating, but they are amazingly cool and lovely in the heat of summer and a welcome respite from the hot sun.
  We are a family, therefore mealtimes are set around the school times and after school activities midweek, with more flexibility at weekends and holidays. We cook a mixture of vegetarian and meat dishes, with gluten free options. You will be encouraged to play a part in menu planning and helping at mealtimes. Fresh rustic bread is delivered daily and when possible we harvest fresh organic vegetables and fruit from the garden, but this is still in its early stages so all of the food is supplemented with supermarket shopping. Please note, that whilst we drink some wine with meals sometimes it is not guaranteed and if you wish to drink alcohol with every meal then you will be expected to contribute to the wine/ beer purchasing!

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  What else ...

  Our house is a 15 minute drive away from the coast and the historic picturesque town of Pontedeume with its medieval tower, bars, restaurants and supermarkets. Unless you have your own transport or are able to tackle this on a pushbike (and it is hilly around here), I am afraid that there is no public transport available. However, we often make trips to town and to the nearby cities of Ferrol and Coruna. There are rural bars within cycling distance and many beautiful walks and sights to see, including the hidden monastery in the Fragas do Eume Monastario de Caaveiro and the astonishing old Benedictine Monastery of Monfero.
  We expect visitors to our house to be respectful of the fact that we have children here, so in school term time there will be noise limitations late at night. We are a fairly laid back relaxed family and we welcome open-minded individuals to come and join us in our galician adventure.

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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

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

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