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Experience a Permaculture smallholding in Brittany, France

  • Favourited 509 times
  • Last activity: 29 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Thanks for viewing our profile. We are now taking bookings from April until October 2024. We are particularly keen on hosting people that have an interest in Permaculture, or want to learn more about it.

    Please note: due to demand in summer you will need to book in advance for a volunteer opportunity.

    We moved to France after our world travels in mid 2017 with a vision to create a sustainable, education and demonstration site. Since then we had been renovating the house, redesigning and regenerating the land, and we are now able to follow our dream of leading a more balanced and connected lifestyle in the French countryside.

    Glen is originally from the UK and Karen from South Africa. We have made France our home and have been working hard on setting up a Permaculture smallholding.

    Karen in a certified Permaculture designer, educator and life coach, and Glen with his background in Engineering is an all round handyman with a keen interest in woodland management, forest gardens (perennial food forests), finding creative solutions to all farm requirements, biochar and charcoal making as well as aquaponics (which he plans to set up here in the future).

    We have dogs, chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep and goats. We grow our own veggies in annual raised beds, and plan to move towards a more low energy input perennial food forest which we are setting up.
    We raise our pigs for meat and have a Community Pig club. Our sheep's wool is used for crafting projects, and we have meat from our pasture raised sheep. We believe passionately in good animal husbandry and in treating all our animals with respect.
    We also practice rotational grazing thereby improving ours and others pasture land (we offer an eco-mowing services to the local community)
    We are co-founders of a Community Association where we help and support one another living in France. So there may be community related work projects to get involved in.

    We have a few key projects that we are focusing on this year:
    - Fencing
    - Building a wooden shower and compost loo
    - Replacing wood borders in Herb garden
    - Redesigning and reshaping sheep field area
    - clearing one sheep field of broom

    IMPORTANT: we have 4 dogs so only dog friendly people should apply.
    We ask for a minimum commitment of 1 week.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Chance to experience the French countryside.
    Great food and drink in a friendly warm household
    Sharing our experience and knowledge in the field of regenerative agriculture, permaculture and woodland management.

  • Help

    Help

    Helping out with animals routines, moving animals, cleaning animal areas setting up new camps
    Growing food - planting seeds, weeding, harvesting
    We also need help with log splitting, wood chipping (which we use for mulch) and woodland management
    Mowing, hedge trimming and any other general garden duties

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    Afrikaans: Fluent
    English: Fluent
    French: Beginner
    Dutch: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    We are still learning French and would love to improve our basic skills, in exchange we would be willing to help you improve your English language skills.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Comfortable yurt accommodation with a double bed. Compost loo and shower right next to the yurt. Your own private outdoor kitchen. We usually have breakfast and lunches together and you are then free to prepare your own food in the evening.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We have bikes available to explore the local area. Lots of walks from the house. Unfortunately as we are quiet rural there is no public transport direct from our property, but we are only 5km from 2 nearest towns.
    Larger city such as Lorient 35km away, and many interesting and historic villages in the area.
    We are willing to pick up workaways from train stations within reasonable distance, and offer lifts to shops or local attractions when we are able.

  • 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

    We have satellite internet connection which we have found more effective than other services, however you may not have wifi signal in the yurt but there is local 4g connection. The wifi is effective and adequate for most remote working needs. We are happy to host digital nomads by prior arrangement.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    We have a flat field space that is suitable for camper vans and motorhomes.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 665244591686

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Accuracy of profile: (5.0)

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