Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
18 Feb 2018
Feedback
27
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Badges (4)
Details
Description
We are a middle-aged couple living a block away from the Atlantic Ocean. We have been working a 1.25 acre plot for 8 years, deepening our permaculture approaches to a very large vegetable and ornamental garden. We have A LOT of dogs.
We run a furniture business but our passion is the gardening, so we devote a lot of time, energy and resources to it. We grow many of our flowering plants and all our vegetables from seed and are interested in growing many varieties of everything. We plant a lot of trees at the house and in another property.
We are looking for non-smokers with no dietary restrictions (vegetarians, vegans please abstain) who GENUINELY want to learn about gardening and growing one's own food in the permaculture way, or who have knowledge, applicable skills and a true interest in the field. We're not interested in being just another stop in your trip up the Uruguay coast. Your time at our place should be significant for you and for us. And you must love dogs.
People who have not done garden or physical work - such as construction - may find this kind of work really strenuous, especially in the summer when it's hot.
Although the activity is physically demanding, it is also immediately rewarding, as your lunch will be waiting with loads of delicious produce from the garden that you may have harvested, mulched or weeded hours earlier.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Animal Care
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Garden work includes making/turning compost on a daily basis, using a chipping machine, LOTS of weeding vegetable and flower beds, applying mulches, planting vegetables and other plants and trees, pruning, making new lasagna-type beds for vegetables or flowers, making firewood.
In the summer we harvest a lot of our vegetables and seeds to prepare for the winter, so seed collection, preparing tomato sauce for freezing, etc. are part of the daily activities.
The large dog population means a lot of dog poop so that is another task that requires your help, with the aid of our "pooper-scooper" tool.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Fluent
Portuguese: Fluent
Turkish: Fluent
Accommodation
Our house is not lavish but it is really beautiful, with loads of light, gorgeous views of the sea, gardens, forest and lots of birds. We can accommodate up to three people. There's a lot of comfort, but we require access to the rooms during the daytime as they have specific functions in our home, and we ask that you maintain order and cleanliness in the rooms on a daily basis, that you clean the room weekly and the bathroom once a week per person. There is a bathroom for those two rooms and a swimming pool on premises.
We are really into food, of the fresh, non-processed kind. We are not vegetarians but we eat lots of vegetables daily.
On Sundays, if the weather and our work permits, we sometimes barbeque at home, sometimes go out to an Armenian restaurant that we love, and we may ask you to join us for the ride and meal.
We provide the cooked meals but ask that you prepare your breakfast (we supply basic ingredients) and that you do all your dishes after your meals.
What else ...
We are located a block and a half from the beach and have a lovely outdoor, heated swimming pool on premises. We are only 15 kms away from the town of Piriapolis and 30 kms from Punta del Este. Public transportation is about 3 to 4 kms away.
We have bicycles available to volunteers.
You can drive with us to Punta del Este or La Barra during on your days off.
We have a nice library including many books on garden, food and permaculture-related subjects that you can browse, and many other kinds to read during your stay.
There is a TV with DirecTV that we ask is not used as a soundtrack to daily life, at least when we're in the house. We prefer the birdsong and the sound of the waves from the ocean.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (13)
Harel is a breath of fresh air, a constant laugh and an eager apprentice. In sum, a joy to have around, even in the throes of his mosquito troubles and coming down with a flu. How I wish he could have come at a time more conducive to staying a lot longer.
In any… read more
They welcomed me with open arms, and I had an incredible experience with them. Being in their house enriched me in many ways. listening to their traveling stories and talking about experiences and projects. Being around Margarita is a constant learning experience! I had to keep in mind the things she told… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
Harel is a breath of fresh air, a constant laugh and an eager apprentice. In sum, a joy to have around, even in the throes of his mosquito troubles and coming down with a flu. How I wish he could have come at a time more conducive to staying a lot longer.
In any… read more
They welcomed me with open arms, and I had an incredible experience with them. Being in their house enriched me in many ways. listening to their traveling stories and talking about experiences and projects. Being around Margarita is a constant learning experience! I had to keep in mind the things she told… read more
Her "seriousness" regarding the work is countered by her lighthearted, fun spirit and her happy laughter.
Laura brings a lot to the table: her genuine interest in farming, growing and gardening is… read more
I will always be… read more
A kind, thoughtful, fun and curious young man, Patricio adapted immediately to our home and to the tasks we required of him.
He showed consideration for the household requirements of cleanliness, his presence was… read more
Sometimes it's difficult to forget that they don't know EVERYTHING about working in a garden, because they come with so much knowledge and… read more
He is very skilled with farm tools, he speaks a bunch of languages, he is extremely courteous,… read more
And what… read more
During the little time we spent together Andrey was, beyond his work duties,… read more
We are certain we will meet again at some point… read more
