Help at a non-profit permaculture farm and eco-village in Karise, Denmark

Details

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  Description

  The ecovillage, which is about one hour from Copenhagen, was established in 2018 with the aim of developing a practical example of a more sustainable and communal way of living. We engage in local food production, decentralized energy production, and a low-impact culture, where we take care of each other and the environment.
  The village consists of 90 low energy houses and 30 hectares of land. We have common buildings, a windmill, a heating system based on heatpumps, and a willow sewage cleaning plant. The population is around 90 children and 150 adults of different ages and backgrounds. We have dinner together five days a week in the main hall.
  
  It has 7 hectares of certified organic agriculture where we produce a variety of vegetables and fruits – primarily for our own consumption, with some products sold to restaurants. We have a vegetable field, a market garden, greenhouses, permaculture gardens, and a fruit and berry orchard. We also have chickens, ducks, bees, and a few goats and sheep.
  
  We aim to cultivate all of our land using methods of regenerative agriculture and permaculture because increasing biodiversity and taking care of the soil is very important to us. We have a number of composting projects, some started recently, including vermicomposting, hot-composting and bioreactor composting. We make compost extracts to add beneficial microbes and boost the life in the soil.
  
  Next to the farm is a small oak forest that we use for materials, and we manage this and our other common areas with respect for biodiversity.
  
  The daily work is done voluntarily by the villagers and by our full-time farmer Anders, and of course by our volunteers, whose help is very important to us.
  
  We generally encourage you to stay for a couple of months or longer. The longer you stay, the better you can get to know our village and how it functions, and you can learn much more about regenerative agriculture.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Every week there is some activity in here This could be yoga, sauna sessions, mending classes, small festivals or dancing events, or day trips to see the surrounding area, which are all free for volunteers.
  There are many possibilities for meeting people when we are working and eating together and at informal or organized social events. As a volunteer, you stay in our common buildings, which is the area where people meet.
  
  Volunteers are mostly young people who come from all over the world and have many different backgrounds. We welcome people of all ages. There are many interesting conversations taking place during the day and volunteers here often become friends during their stay.
  
  We consider ourselves a “learning organization”; we don’t have all the answers, but we’re trying to find them as we go along – and we hope that our volunteers will take part in this.
  We prioritize teaching volunteers about regenerative agriculture and sustainable living so that you can take what you have learned with you and help spread those ideas in the world.

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  Help

  We primarily need help in the vegetable production. It is physical work and takes place outdoors.
  
  The core tasks are planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting.
  
  The tasks vary with the seasons:
  In spring, we get the soil ready and put thousands of plants in the soil, and we take care of the beds by weeding and watering.
  In summer, we start harvesting (and eating!) the crops, and everything grows like crazy so we have lots of weeding and watering. There are still some plantings done.
  In autumn, it’s all about getting the big harvests in and processing them for storage so that we can feed the village during winter.
  
  Other tasks include:
  Sowing seeds and tending to seedlings
  Preparing beds for plantings
  Composting and recycling of nutrients
  
  The longer you stay with us, the more varied the tasks can become. Long-term volunteers will also receive more training and be able to handle more advanced tasks. Overall, we think that long-term stays are more enjoyable for everyone.
  
  Workdays are usually Sunday to Thursday.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Danish: Fluent
  English: 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

  Our hostess Helle will look after you and make sure you have a good stay with us. She is the one who welcomes you when you arrive.
  
  You will stay at the first floor of our common building, in rooms for one or two people. If there are many people staying with us at once, you may be asked to share a room with someone else. Volunteers share a kitchen and also have access to laundry facilities.
  
  Please note that we only use organic/biodegradable soap/shampoo at our place. So please don't bring other types with you :)
  
  On weekdays, there is a communal lunch and dinner together in the main dining hall. There is always a vegetarian and vegan option available. In the weekends and during the summer holidays (from late June to early August), volunteers cook for themselves.
  
  You receive a cash allowance during your stay, which is higher on days where no food is served.

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  What else ...

  Our place is in the countryside but still only about an hour away from Copenhagen. It is easy to make a day trip (or longer) there to enjoy what the city has to offer.
  
  We are also close to the sea and Stevns Klint, a chalk cliff which is a Unesco World Heritage Site renowned for the its fossils.

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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

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

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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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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