Czech Republic
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Volunteers needed for herb harvest and making fences for sheep!!
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
We are a family farm located in Central Bohemia - Diana, Standa and Nikola (11) and Krystufek Robin (7) - we are nice, friendly, openminded a hardworking people. We make our own bread (usually), preserve food for winter (jams, preserves, chutneys, sauces, ketchups, pickles etc.), we try to bring up our children in tolerance and love. We welcome all nationalities, ethnics and religions. We eat everything but we are able to provide vegetarian food, but not vegan, or raw. When we are busy then lunches are usually cooked by grandma:-) (So some very traditional Czech meals are always eaten:-) We usually have some beer or wine at hand for the evenings. We really try to provide our own food, or buy or exchange from friends and shop as little as possible in supermarkets etc. We also have some plans for waste limitation of the farm:-))
WORK:
Work regarding family can include general house help - washing dishes, cleaning, hanging loundry etc.), babysitting, teaching the kids English (highly welcomed!), teaching Diana French or forcing Standa speak Russian or German:-) We would like everyone of our volunteers to cook at least one traditional meal of their/his/her country - it is a marvelous thing:-)) (But if you cannot cook no-one is going to kill you for not making it - dont worry)
The Farm
We are completely organic. We focus on growing vegetables (field and polytunnel), fruit trees and herbs (garden and orchards). A lot of work the whole season for people interested in gardening and fruit trees. We also keep bees, ducks, chickens and cats.
The work required can include feeding animals, helping with catching and accomodating small ducklings/chicken, weeding, harvesting, cutting wood, helping with construction work (carpentry, masonry etc.), planting veggies, and drying herbs.
The house and production
We are currently moving our production from nearby town to the village. We make chutneys, herbal sirups, jams, sugarfree preserves, which we sell at local markets, in small organic shops as well as in regional project of one supermarket. To establish the production we used so called "crowdfunding", where our customers gave us money in advance to pay the equipment and renovation. The canning facility is under operation so if you are a person interested in how to make strawberry jam with chocolate or squash-tomato-pepper chutney, then we are the best place.
The work required can include helping with cleaning and chopping of veggies and fruits, packing orders, labeling (actually a lot of hand labeling), going to market or fair with us etc. The house might need painting of rooms, some basic masonry and repair. Making a tile mozaic (Diana can show how and teach) or making some paintings on the walls.
Accomodation and number of volunteers
Since we moved to a house at the edge of the village, you will be accomodated in our house in the office or packing room or in case when prefered and during the warm season in the mobile home. The house can now take four people and the mobile home two to four people (we rarely take so many volunteers at once). If you want to come off our season please note we can host only one to two people!!
Internet in the house is available (wi-fi) - unlimited data over DSL.
FREE TIME
Trips to Prague, Kutna Hora (20 min by train (for aprox 3 Euro return fare, very nice UNESCO city, we send all our volunteers there) and Caslav possible. We can lend you a bike and maps for some trips around. There is a beatifull nature around including natural swimming lake just 4 km away, a lot of forests (mushroom picking is regularly on program), we also welcome our volunteers to partake in our pastime activities or visit our friends with us (or going to parties - which is rare).
LANGUAGES
Diana speaks fluent English and basic French. Standa speaks decent English, some German and reasonable Russian.
What do we expect from our volunteers:
Only non-smokers (if you smoke three cigarettes a day, we consider you a non smoker), no animals, kids of age suitable to our kids are ok (ie. approx. 5-12 years - negotiable).
We'd love to share some insight into your culture (including food as stated above), your hobbies, work or field of education. We expect nice and openminded behavior and willingness to do some work. We work a lot and very long hours sometimes. But we do give free days:-) - we actually usually force people to have a free day:-) Please count on becomming part of the family for the time of your stay!
Gardening
Babysitting / child care
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Farmstay
Help in the house
Animal care
Language practice
recipes and canning info, sightseeing, herbal healing, organing gardening etc
Mainly farming chores, help with construction and family. Garden. Orchards. Preserving food. Packing. Labeling.
English, Russian, some German and French
In the house or in the mobile home.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
5
