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Host rating
100 %
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
24
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Details
Description
Our project is the brainchild of Paul & Yvonne, a Dutch couple (in our late 50’s) who emigrated to the South of France in late 2022, to get out of the corporate rat-race and become self-sufficient in food, water and energy.
We have bought a 5ha 'green valley', surrounded by forests, in the South-West of France, close to Montauban (50 km north of Toulouse), to build our farm/food-forest, based on near-to 100% renewable (solar) energy and near zero-waste!
Based on the concepts and ideas of Stefan Sobkowiak, we are building a permaculture orchard with a large variety of nut and fruit trees and various species of berries and herbs. All our 1-year edible food (salads/tomatoes etc.) is available from our ‘no-dig’ vegetable garden. A part of the valley is be for a small animal-friendly farm with a rare breed of pigs, Dexter cows, some hens, ducks and our 2 dogs.
With almost 20 volunteers in the 1st half of 2022, we have managed to build almost all infrastructure for the animals, the orchard and plant the 1st 100 trees and shrubs.In the 2nd half of 2023 we would like to focus on renovating some parts of the house; we want to paint the exterior and interior (walls and woodwork). Volunteers with experience in this field are highly welcomed! Also more irrigation-infrastructure needs to be made, as well as a large fencing project.
Working on a farm is hard physical work; we expect our volunteers to be truly interested in farming and permaculture, willing to learn and willing to put in the effort and energy to contribute.
It may rain or it may be 30+ degrees, the farm does not stop! We love volunteers that can work independently, take responsibility and deliver an outcome that is of high quality. Our volunteers should come well prepared (in practical terms with clothing/boots etc.) and committed to improve the planet and climate!
Proven experience and/or ratings and/or references are a must!
We hope you will join us on this mission! Paul & Yvonne
Types of help and learning opportunities
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Being experienced in life and international environments we can help with languages, help understanding cultural differences (work and life) and encourage some soul-searching. We are parents to two mid 20-ers so we have seen most of it, first or second hand.
Help
For Autumn 2023 it is mostly:
1) painting walls (interior/exterior; we have 6m scaffolding)
2) planting / seeding vegetables in greenhouse / polytunnel and veg.beds. for wintercrops.
3) and after this a lot of planting (trees, shrubs, vegetables) and weeding the orchard and vegetable garden.
4) caring for our pigs (and later our Dexter cows - from Nov.)
5) building winter-infra for cows
6) build tree drip-irrigation system
7) outer fencing of the whole valley needs to be restored / made dog proof
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
French: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
We are fluent in 3 languages (and Yvon is even a teacher for expats in Dutch-English) and we would love to learn better French.
Accommodation
For our guests we have 2 modern rooms (approx. 24 m2 each) with kingsize beds in each room; a shared bathroom w shower/bath for the 2 guest rooms. All meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner) are shared 'family' meals with a typical French lunch with daily fresh croissants and eggs from our own chickens .... (all free of course).
What else ...
Our eco-farm/orchard is in a secluded, private valley, although only 5 minutes by bicycle to the town of Monclar-de-Quercy (with some basic shops and a small U-tile convenience store). At less than ½ hour are the beautiful medieval cities of Montauban and Albi. Nearby are many towns with lovely farmers markets, with the one in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val being the most famous one. The Mediterranean is a 2 hr drive, as is the Atlantic and it is also only 2hrs to the Pyrenees. We can provide 2 e-bicycles.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a separate room on the ground floor which can be used 'as an office' some hours of the day, the guest rooms are private with adequate seating. The Wifi is high-speed fiber.
Space for parking camper vans
Free parking on site (facilities with water and 220V in-house).
Can possibly accept pets
... depends on the dog ... (no cats as Paul is highly allergic for them).
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
max 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (12)
My stay with Paul and Yvonne was extremely relaxing and invigorating.
There is a great diversity of activities to be carried out around permaculture, breeding or autonomous housing.
I would particularly like to thank you for your kindness and your attentiveness, I hope I have not been a burden for you during this… read more
We felt at home as soon as we stepped into their amazing house, we learned a ton of new things, like painting (outside and inside), building the mediterranean garden and a scaffold. We had so… read more
Photos
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
My stay with Paul and Yvonne was extremely relaxing and invigorating.
There is a great diversity of activities to be carried out around permaculture, breeding or autonomous housing.
I would particularly like to thank you for your kindness and your attentiveness, I hope I have not been a burden for you during this… read more
We felt at home as soon as we stepped into their amazing house, we learned a ton of new things, like painting (outside and inside), building the mediterranean garden and a scaffold. We had so… read more
Their dedication to have a positive impact is very inspiring. I loved the fact that everything was thoughtfully planned and executed. They did an amazing job in transforming their place in a really short time.
Yvonne and Paul… read more
Kindhearted, funny and passionate which is infectious, their passion for the land and the task at hand is noteworthy!
The task/work can be different from day to day, but really nice and rewarding 🤠
I would… read more
In our time there we worked as a team to level the ground, build a polytunnel and greenhouse, build terraced raised beds, assemble a chicken run, put up a tree swing in the old oak, build rainwater collection plus lots of other… read more
Leurs projets sont vraiment géniaux et il y a beaucoup à faire.
Durant notre passage… read more
