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Help on our smallholding near Ballydehob, West Cork, Ireland

  • Favourited 675 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are Lucy and Aimi and our daughters Maeve and baby Síofra. We are looking for help with our vegetable plot, caring for the animals and some land management. We are also looking for someone who would be able to watch over our daughter occasionally.

    We run a plant nursery from our home and focus on plants for pollinators and herbs and edibles, we grow everything following organic principles. Apart from that, we have a large, organic food garden from which we try to be as self suficient as possible and sell any excess veg from a roadside stall. We live on an 8 acre site and part of our project is re-wilding our land, we have planted many trees and hedgerows and have plans to dig ponds and plant more to create a wildlife haven. We have pet dogs, pet pigs and chickens and occasionally grazing horses from a rescue sanctuary. .

    Aimi has been growing and selling chemical-free veg for 13 years and Lucy has worked for many years with animals, so between us we have a font of knowledge ready to share.

    We live in a secluded valley and are visited by deer, foxes and a plethora of birdlife.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Volunteers will learn how to grow vegetables without the use of chemicals and learn about garden plants that are nature friendly, ie, good for pollinators, birds and other types of wildlife, They will get to watch the project evolve from the beginning stages and learn how to apply a permaculture model .

    They will eat fresh organic vegetables everyday and feel the benefits of clean, fresh country air.

    We are nestled in a secluded valley in beautiful west Cork, between the musical hub of Ballydehob and the beautiful Bantry Bay and within striking distance of both the Mizen Head and the Sheep's Head peninulars so there will be lots nearby for you to explore.

    We work hard but like to enjoy ourselves too. As our guests we will be sure make you feel welcomed and included. Hopefully we can take you to one of the local gigs that Ballydehob is famous for. We have traveled extensively ourselves and also volunteered so are sympathetic to the needs of our guests. We enjoy meeting people and sharing experiences with them. We would like our volunteers to get as much out of their experience as we get out of them, so will do our best to aid them in any journeys or tasks they wish to embark on.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    we need help with a variety of projects. There is plenty for you to help with depending on your skill set.

    Caring for our toddler daughter and running a business leaves us with very little free time for garden projects. We are looking for someone with gardening experience who can help us prepare, plant and maintain vegetable beds as well as some land maintenance. You must be physically fit and capable of prolonged physical work.

    If you have experience with children it would be really handy to have someone who could watch our 3 year old daughter for a few hours occasionally so we can get some vital work done together, we do not necessarily need childcare so you must be wiling to help with the land maintenance and farm work that is always ongoing.

    We always have a number of different projects on the go which are often weather dependent so what needs to happen could change daily!

    Creative types are welcomed here, as well as those who are interested in becoming more self sufficient and learning how to grow their own food. Most importantly, a good working attitude is essential.

    It would be advantageous to have your own vehicle (but not vital) as you cannot walk into town from our farm.

    We invite open minded, respectful souls to our home. We are lbgtq+ friendly and welcome all religions and ethnic backgrounds.

    Volunteers must be over 21 years of age.

    When applying, please tell us something about yourselves and why you would like to help us, we are more likely to accept people if we can get an understanding of what kind of people they are. We will be inviting you into our lives so it is important that we share common values. We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Beginner

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Depending of time of year we have two possibilities for accomodation. We have a wooden cabin at the bottom of our land with compost toilet for our guests. It sleeps two and is very basic but comfortable. There is no Wifi in the cabin, though you can connect to ours in the house at times. Cooking facilities are provided so you can make your own food, we will sometimes take lunch together and the occasional dinner, but you will be responsible for all other meals, we will of course provide the food. If the weather is good you can cook on an open fire outside.

    If the cabin is not available then we have rooms in the house for you. If staying with us in the house, we hope you will be happy to share meals and take your turn to cook and wash up.

    We eat mainly vegan food with vegetables and eggs from our farm. We provide you with the raw ingredients for you to cook from scratch so anything outside of this diet you will have to provide yourself. What we don't grow ourselves, we buy from other local, chemical free growers. If you are not comfortable cooking from scratch or eating plant based foods, then you may struggle with this diet.

    We are in a rural location so volunteers must expect encounters with wildlife. There are bugs and the like, but we all share this piece of land without conflict.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We are 3 miles from the nearest town so it is not possible to get to any amenities by foot. If we are able, we can give you lifts to town, however, for the more adventurous, hitchhiking is relatively safe in this area. We go to market 3 days a week (Spring-Autumn) and you are welcome to come with us to see the nearby towns if you are able to wake in time! We are close to the Sheep's Head walking trail, and nearby many spectacular coastal sites. The farm it's self is in a beautiful secluded spot with a stream at the bottom of the land near the cabin, so you may enjoy just chilling out there with a good book!

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    Dogs are welcome here, but we will need to have a conversation about whether your dog would be compatible with ours.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 184659546945

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