Help us on our small farm and with our non-profit associations, relax, bushcraft in Dranouter, Belgium

Details

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  Description

  I am Piet, 49 years old. I live in West-Flanders on my own with my three children (22, 18, 16 years; week/week), a dog (Border Collie), a cat, sheep, chickens...
  I live on a small farm in a small village, right on the border with France.
  
  We share our farm with several (non-profit) associations and several sustainable and ecological projects take place there, such as from the non-profit association 't Goeie Leven: connecting people around the authentic wood oven and baking together, creating and maintaining a edible forest, organising walks, processing ripe fruit... or from the non-profit association Borelle: preparing the annual Germanic spring walk, making our own wine with grapes from the vineyard... or (together): offering camping pitches in nature near the food forest, back to basics...
  There is also a cosy building where other activities take place, like yoga... Some rooms are also offered for a short or longer stay in nature.
  Everything is still in its infancy and we still have a lot to learn.
  
  The various activities are not intended to make profit (in the literal sense of the word), but to maintain the farm and keep the associations alive.
  
  My co-residents and I live in/with nature, overlooking the hills and fields. In the village there are a few pubs and restaurant. Also a centre with weekly folk music performances and others.
  
  I like to be in the nature, to bushcraft, studying edible plants from nature, walking in the woods (alone or with friends), swimming in a dark lake, travelling (to nature, big cities with different cultures...) and taking a sauna. But you can also find me at a (folk) festival or in a pub with a good beer and nice friends.
  I love to eat, but also to fast for a few days... I am passionate about eating strange dishes and tasting everything that is pure or that I can find in the wild. I like to cook with fire, but I also like to go to a good restaurant (from an eatery to a Michelin restaurant).

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Unwind in nature, walking, hiking... visiting Belgium and France... Near Lille and Bruges, Ghent... and also near Ypres, to discover the battles of the first war.
  The station to all the cities in Belgium is accessible with a bus near the door. There is a connection straight to Ghent, Antwerp, Brussel.
  The station is French is 5 km from our door and is accessible with our (electric) bike. There is a connection straight to Lille and Calais or Dunkerque.

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  Help

  We are looking for one or two people to help us for a 20 hours a week, at a leisurely pace. The rest of the time you are free to relax and explore the beautiful region. For a longer period we prefer a couple, because some days you will be alone (we work some days outside the house or during holidays...), if all that is not a problem, of course you are also welcome alone...
  
  What we expect: We are looking for handy people who like to work outside.
  
  - You will help on our little farm (depending on the season ): trim hedges, cut grass, prune grapevines, create a flower meadow, process food, work in the edible forest, make wine from fruit... small repairs to fences and buildings (also painting), cleaning buildings (inside/outside), cleaning up our yard, feeding animals,
  - If you find this fun to do, you will be pleased to add various creative touches to our farm with willow twigs, paint, signs…
  - You also have the chance to improve your cooking skills: you can (try to?) cook foreign food, food on the fire... then we eat together and the rest is for in our shared freezer. I pay for the ingredients, of course. Or we can have experiences together.
  - If you want, you can also teach me English and French during your working hours. By talking to each other about all kinds of things.
  - Once every two months, I go for a week to walk somewhere. Then you are house- and animal sitter: feed the dog and the cat, take the dog for a walk and play with him.
  - If people are camping in our edible forest or meadow, you help clean up in the morning or/and welcome the new visitors.
  - Depending on the week, you are on your own (or with a friend, or with another worker) and you can do what you want. You can plan your own time.
  You help for about maximum 20 hours on the farm. Two or three days a week we have lunch and dinner together. The other days you cook yourself (of course I give you all the ingredients you need to pay you) or you cook together with another guest. I cook for you or you cook for me your favourite dish or a typical dish from your country. And of course I offer you one (or more) of my best Belgian beers or wine from our farm (from the region).
  - Of course, if you are interested, I would like to teach you bushcraft techniques (knive, fire, wood, edible plants…; with pleasure.
  
  Remark: the days that you specifically help with organised activities of our associations, we pay you an official volunteer's fee (€ 35,41/day)
  
  Note: We love life and eating good, honest food and drinking a good glass of local wine or beer is important, especially with our visitors. We are not vegetarian (but we like it), so we cook a lot with meat and fish. Our meat usually comes from our own chickens or from a farmer in the region. If possible, we eat organic or fair trade meat, vegetables and fruit.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Dutch: Fluent
  English: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  I’m very interesting to upgrade my languages: English and french.
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  Accommodation

  UPDATE: we only accept people with a campervan for the moment!
  You can live in your own private house: one big fairground wagon, with a magnificent view. You have a living-room, kitchen, dining table, bathroom (shower and dry-toilet), 1 bedroom (double bed). You have your own little garden with a fire-bowl, but you can go and sit everywhere on the farm. Also a sauna near a small swimming-pool.
  When it’s freezing, there is no tap water. I give you big bottels of water and you can douche in my home.
  We have a sauna at the small pool that you can use at any time.

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  What else ...

  You can go everywhere with bus next door and the train.
  Perfectly to unwind. You’re on your own (or you can bring someone with you), two or three times in the week we are together (eathing, drinking, working or walking...). No obligations towards each other.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  We can give you a nice spot on our property to install your campervan.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  in consultation.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  maximum 20h/week

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