A farm without animals, a newborn syntropic forest garden waits for your help in southern Sicily, Italy

Infos

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  Description

  Update October 2023 help needed for harvesting olives around 19-26 October. Lots of fun guaranteed! Preferred two people traveling together since they will share a cozy caravan :)
  I will accept host until early November. After olives harvest, we will plant new trees, prune the old ones, and collect wood.
  Hello, I'm Anna, aged 61 and live in a beautiful countryside near the baroque Unesco cities Modica Scicli and Ragusa. In my land there are old carob olive and almond trees, plus dozens of baby fruit trees, figs, apricot, vines, etc and aromatic herbs lavender rosemary thyme, oregano. My project is to rise an edibile forest, and live a simple and sustainable Life. In winter, I also grow a synergic vegetable garden. I am studying permaculture, organic regenerative agriculture, dryland agricolture, syntropic agro-foresting. My long term aim is self sufficiency. At the moment, I am not totally self sufficient. My project includes hospitality for tourists or travellers with sensibility for environment, slow travelling, enjoy the countryside. There is a small apartment attached to the house.
  Volunteers are a great help for me, in many ways: in the Land, in the house, in projects. In the Land there is weeding, pruning, mulching. Planting new plants and herbs. Repairing drystone walls, collecting wood for the stove. Harvesting olives, carrobs, wild plants like capers,, safran, berries. Taking (small) stones out of the ground.
  This according to the season.
  In the house, there is some repairing, maintenance, building.
  
  I would like to have people with a minimum of experience with gardening, or a eager desire to learn, flexible, easy going, not watching the time when they are working, in any case all efforts are recognized and balanced with adequate resting time and good food.
  Food will be mainly vegan, sometimes vegetarian.
  I am a good vegetarian cook, I will be glad to teach you typical sicilian recipes, and to learn those of your country. You would be accommodated in a nice caravan near the house, or in a tent, if you prefer. The great news is that we have electricity at last, hurrah!! Be prepared to use a compost toilet, and a shower outside You will also be asked to save water. Saving water means also no unnecessary washing, so consider It if you are a very hygienist person :)
  There is no wifi!
  
  According to the season, we will work outside about 5 hours a day, for 5 days a week, usually in the morning. Your days off will not necessarily be on sunday, we will decide it togetheter to meet our plans.
  In addition to working hours, we share household duties, cooking, washing up, cleaning etc.
  
  You will be treated and considered as part of the family, and I will do my best to make you feel at ease. This does not means that you should forget the whole experience is about working, and that you are not on holiday!
  This can be misunderstood, expecially by young and unexperienced volunteers, so please consider what your expectations are, and if what you want is cheap travelling, or just an 'experience' because you are bored, this is not the place for you!
  On the other hand, if you enjoy country living, nature, silence, slow rythm, if you can spend time on your own without getting bored, if you are really interested in small things surrounding you, then you will really enjoy staying here. We are in a quiet nice spot in the middle of the countryside, 4 km from Scicli and 6 from modica.
  
  And now, something about the surroundings: you will be staying in one of the most beautiful corners of Sicily. Long sandy beaches, with shallow clear waters, rivers and ponds hidden at the bottom of amazing canyons of white stone, with caves that were inhabited until a few di decades ago. Baroque villages and cities, natural reserves, good food, wine....and much more, all within 5 to 30 minutes drive.
  If you do not have your own vehicle, It will not be easy to use your daily spare time to go visiting around. There is no bus stop in the neighborood, and in any case dont rely too much on public transport! I suggest you keep a few days before or after your stay to go travelling around. You can also choose to work full time a few days, and then have some day off.
  Usually I take guests to visit Modica and Scicli, very nice baroque villages, if this meets with my plans, and at the seaside once or twice a week in Summer.
  I am part of a group of people that gathers every second week for a mutual help in the farms. These meetings are very important because we are experiencing a way to help each other grow our projects, and to build strong community relationships. Moreover, we have a lot of fun and music and fantastic food. You will love our MAI (mutual aid ibleo)!
  You can get here from the main cities by bus or train, the stop is in Modica, then I pick you up. The closest airport is Comiso, or Catania. Bring with you good walking shoes, a hat, gloves, sunscreen, a Torch, your sleeping bag or sheets, a towel.
  Please feel free to ask anything you need to know before coming here. I am looking forward to meeting you!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Aide dans une ferme

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  travellers can experience a project started from zero only 6 years ago, and learn from my experience, if they are interested in it. they can put their creativity at stake or just decide to work hard without responsibility , and someone else telling them what to do. Both attitudes are positive and can find their place here. Please tell me what you prefer.
  I would be grateful to meet people that have curiosity in what I am doing, skills that we can share, creativity, good will to do jobs that can be sometimes hard or repetitive.

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  Aide

  Help vary according to the season. From September there will be a lot to do with cutting the wood.
  Generally, the help I need is for planting, weeding, pruning, mulching, restoring stone walls, cutting wood, building. I would love someone that can build simple structures like a new compost toilet, a gazebo, a table for the summer kitchen. At least a Little bit of experience in country living is required. As I often travel, I need house and dog sitters for Short periods. Volunteers applying for this opportunity, should stay at least two weeks before my departure.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Italien: Courant
  Anglais: Intermédiaire

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  I would like to improve my english
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  Hébergement

  There is a cozy caravan that can host two people. Three is they are close friends or a family. A lot of nice camping spots for tents under the carrob trees . I have two tents available for volunteers.
  There is no hot water, the shower is outside.

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  Autres infos...

  We are surrounded by a typical mediterraneal landscape, made of olive and carrob trees, drystone walls, hills and caves for lovers of excursions. Long sandy beaches, baroque villages, the cities of Ragusa, Modica, Scicli a few kilometers away. we are 150 km from Catania, 70 from Siracusa, 30 from Noto. you can spend your spare time enjoing nature and history.
  
  . please be aware that I live in a quite isolated area, that is fantastic if you love nature, but there are no pubs, restaurants and social places within a walking distance.
  The next village , Scicli, is 5 km away. There you can find shops, buses, internet access.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  I can host a small van in the fields close to the house

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Average 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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