Give a new birth to our garden on the Gran Sasso mountains, Italy

Details

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  Description

  Hello, we’re a family of two. Irene (born 1957), a costume designer and painter, and Paolo (born 1956), a photographer and web developer.
  We live in the Tuscan countryside, near Certaldo (halfway between Florence and Siena), where we have a farmstead with 90 olive trees, but we spend most of our summers at an altitude of 1,300 metres in the mountains of Abruzzo (Gran Sasso), where the air is crisp and there are beautiful mountain trails to explore.
  When we’re in Calascio, we regularly visit Campo Imperatore, an unspoilt plateau where herds of cattle, sheep and horses graze and roam in complete freedom.
  During the summer, we devote part of our time to our mountain home. The property dates back to the 16th century and we restore it bit by bit every year. It has a large garden which has become too much for us to manage and is now in desperate need of a complete overhaul.
  In Calascio, by the end of September, we need to clear all the overgrown vegetation that has grown in the garden over the last two years. This involves cutting back the grass, which has grown very long, trimming edges and removing weeds. I can help out a little with the grass-cutting using the brush cutter, but due to my age, my energy is limited.
  In Certaldo, around October (dates to be confirmed), we’ll need to harvest the olives, break up the soil and reseed the lawn in front of the house and tend to the hedges.
  In both Tuscany and Abruzzo, we offer a private room in our home and shared use of our two bathrooms.
  Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the table with us, featuring home-cooked dishes, preferably organic. Our home is non-smoking, but if you are a smoker, there is plenty of outdoor space where you can smoke.
  Our mountain house is situated in the heart of an ancient village in the Gran Sasso mountains. The village really comes to life in August. The location is truly excellent: in about 20 minutes by car, you can reach the Campo Imperatore plateau, where there are some excellent hiking and walking trails.
  It is also close to L’Aquila (20 minutes away) and Rome, which is just an hour and ten minutes by bus from L’Aquila.
  The nearest airport is Pescara.
  In Tuscany, we are just a few kilometres from the town of Certaldo, where you can catch a train to Florence (50 minutes) or Siena (30 minutes). The Tyrrhenian coast can be reached in just over an hour. The nearest airports are in Florence or Pisa.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Light gardening
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  Interests

  

  Culture

  

  Photography

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Architecture

  

  Art & design

  

  Nature
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Our mountain home is located in the heart of an ancient village in the Gran Sasso mountains. The village becomes very lively during August. It is incredibly well-located: in about 20 minutes by car, we can reach the Campo Imperatore plateau for our daily hikes.
  Additionally, it is close to L'Aquila (20 minutes away) and Rome, which is just an hour and ten minutes by bus from L'Aquila.

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  Help

  We need to cut back all the weeds that have grown in the garden over the past two years. This involves mowing the grass and pulling weeds. I can help out a little with the mowing using the brush cutter, but because of my age, my energy is limited.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  We offer a private room in our home and shared use of our two bathrooms.
  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served with us, featuring home-cooked meals, preferably organic. We are a smoke-free household.

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  What else ...

  Internet access is provided via a 5G smartphone hotspot; however, due to the high volume of tourists in August, connection speeds may occasionally be limited.

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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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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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