Help out on our sustainable farm, living life as independant as possible in the French Ardennes

France

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Feedback
12
Last activity
08/08/2019
Reply rate
100.0 %
Average reply time:
within 1 day
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Availability

2019

Min stay requested: at least 1 month

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What's this?

Details

Description
Since 20 years we, Joseph from Holland and Christelle from Belgium, are trying to build a sustainable farm to live as independant as possible.This in full respect with the mineral-, plant-, animal- and human kind kingdom living on Mother Earth.
Type of help
Gardening
Building
Cooking / shopping
Farmstay
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Language practice
Help with Computers / internet
Teaching
Help
We grow our own food divided over several gardens, do the hay for our sheep.
We have a group of ancient sheep wich are standing still close to the wild mouflon and are with mankind over 4000 years.

The wool is used to make skins and other things after they're shaved
We have chicken to deliver the best eggs in the world as they have an entire valley to look for what they need to eat and stay sain.
We admire trees, not so to cut them but because of the beauty they give us while still growing bigger and bigger.
From the 32 species growing in our enviroment, we have a good 25 present.

All life on the farm is supported by the use of classic homoeopathic remedies and what the herbal world gives us.
We try to recycle and trade as much as possible, and do our best to stay away from money things as much as possible.
Freedom starts with taking our own responsability in life as much as possible.
The farm is over 200 years old and we may take care over more than 30.000m²
All this requires a lot of time, work and commitment.

We are looking for people who are:
- willing to learn about farming
- able to work together and on their own.
- in a good physical and mental condition.
- prepared to stay at least 4 weeks
- rather looking for sharing a way of life than having a cheap holiday.

Tasks to be expected.

In the gardens;
- seeding, planting
- removing weeds
- harvesting
- cutting the grass

Farm life;
- repairing fences
- looking after the animals
- hay making
- work on the buildings

.
We can offer a stay in full nature, organic food and a own place to live next to the farm we have a little house,
wich was once the village bakery.
The village we live in has 100 inhabitants, and even during the day you can hear a pin fall...
The farm is situated next to a huge forest where wild game like wild boar, deer etc live in their habitats.
There's no industry nor mass tourism in the area.
The French Ardennes can be noticed as a forgotten part of France.
If all this sounds interesting for you, please feel free to contact us by email, with a motivated explanation why you would like to join us.
After all, it's up to us to make Mother Earth the place she deserves to be, a homeland for all her children, to live in peace, balance and respect for Life.

For season time 2019, we're also looking for someone who would like to stay with us for the period march-november.
Some spirit which likes to live the farm life rather than just a 5 hours/day deal.
If you're interested, please write us your story and motivations. We urge to reply always.
Languages spoken
Dutch-French-English-German.
Accommodation
Next to the farm we have a little house, see pictures, wich used to be the village bakery.
People who like to stay with us, are free to use this as their steady accomodation.
We are planning to add a kitchen, toilet and bathroom to this house in 2019.
What else ...
The forest of 4500Ha wich is close to the farm, is ideal to hike around in the silence of nature. The chance that you meet someone is quite small, apart from wildlife.
We live in a remote part of France, for anything like culture, Reims( 50km) or Charleville Mezieres( 40km) are the towns near by.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Photos

Feedback left by and about host (12)

30/10/2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Mark)

If there's one 'Workawayer to recommend, it's Mark.
As he walks his talk. We passed a very nice time together, eager to learn, open to help with whatever what had to be done, open minded and a great heart towards life.
We feel privileged that he came to the farm as we'd many things to do.
Due to his help we'd a good apple harvest wherefrom most… read more

(Excellent )

30/10/2017

Left by Workawayer (Mark) for host

Hey Jos & Christelle,
Thank you very very much for my wonderful first workaway experience. I enjoyed my stay and learned a lot about the farm life and myself. Thank you for the many inspirations and life changing experiences I made living with you. Working and living with you was always fun and due to the alternating tasks very teaching.
I hope… read more

(Excellent )

02/11/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Diana)

Diana stayed with us for 4 weeks, as agreed.
Coming from town life Milano, she just skidded into country life step by step.
Looking after the animals each morning, and struggling with life when she found one dead one day.
That's how farm life is, men works with nature, so with life and death.
Diana went along Ok with all this.
Doin' the… read more

(Excellent )

31/10/2016

Left by Workawayer (Diana) for host

My experience here has been amazing, Joseph and Christelle made me feel at home since the beginning and they are really open to share their place, their knowledge and their ideas.

I learnt so many things working in the garden, with animals, with the wood and in the kitchen (cooking and preparing food for the winter).
I also learnt a lot… read more

(Excellent )

13/10/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Thomas)

If in the need for real help, sharing the life, Thomas is your man.
We've spent a wonderfull time with him.
Why? Well, he's open to learn, and is not scared to share his own ideas with you if you explain something whiwh has to be done.
So, a win-win situation.
To my point of view, people as Thomas are the people from tomorrow, the ones which… read more

(Excellent )

11/10/2016

Left by Workawayer (Thomas) for host

I was looking for a calm place, in nature, with passionate people, to learn about self-sufficiency, and I found the best host for ! I spend three wonderful weeks with Jospeh, Christelle (and Ivan!), lovely people who give a lot, careful to you, funny and very interesting.. I learnt every days, to do all ourself. I learnt more in 3 weeks than 3… read more

(Excellent )

07/10/2016

Left by Workawayer (Ivan) for host

I was in this beautiful place two weeks and half, definitely not enough for all that you can learn and share with Joseph and Christelle. I worked in the garden, taking care of the animals :) general help and I learned a lot of practical things too like make bread. But the important lessons are always about life, how to take care about our world… read more

(Excellent )

23/09/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Ivan)

Ivan stayed with us for about two weks.
He's easy going, good company to share time with.
The things you ask him, are done with all the efforts, compassion, love and knowledge he has
Compassion and Patience were the first two words I read on a notice he left on the same keybord I'm writing this feedback with at this moment.
I hope he'll come… read more

(Very good )

07/10/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Stuart)

As an introduction, I would say that it's never easy to give a feed-back about someone as it's always a matter of interaction! Our experience with Stuart cannot be the same as the one he could have with someone else and Stuart is probably not the same today as he was when arriving at our farm: we all evolve permanently. It’s also difficult to give… read more

(Good )

30/09/2015

Left by Workawayer (Stuart) for host

I came with an open heart and mind to learn and live more in touch with nature but I came with little expectation except to learn and it was a great experience for me. The land around and their garden is simply beautiful as well at their home that also serves as a great little B&B with passers by that're mostly on Pilgrim walks from Belgium… read more through to Spain! So there's plenty opportunities to talk with outsiders of the neighborhood from diverse backgrounds on a regular basis through-out most of the year if you wanted (and/or to work on your French/Dutch etc.) It's a nice dynamic to a very peaceful quite place to have people come and go too.
Jos and Christelle are truly honest, generous and open people (they even bought me and my friend James that I was traveling with tickets to a great street art/music festival in Belgium after knowing them only 2 or 3 days..) They were caring about our well being and willing to teach what they could. Jos is an interesting man with a deep passion for nature and strong integrity for all things worth thinking and feeling about, I enjoyed listening to his observations on the world and listening/discussing to what they/we can do to stay more in touch with our human sovereignty, morals and rights. Christelle is equally interesting and compassionate and was straight away open to teaching us about making food conserves from the garden for storage in mason jars, making delicious jams and tasty healthy bread. Thanks!
I also helped out a little with keeping their B&B service going such as changing beds/cleaning rooms and preparing flower arrangements to spruce up the rooms which I was happy to do.

I feel I learned more about myself being there and what it takes to take more responsibility of my own life with awareness of the balance of give and take with our world, animals and people. For example at one point 2 weeks into living with them Jos wasn't happy that we weren't taking our intuitive more to get busy and take it upon ourselves to do some more work since me and my friend James (that was with me during my 4 weeks there) were tending to rest quite a lot without asking what can be done and I was sleeping in until 10 regularly. But Jos openly said to us what he felt and we came to an understanding with each other without negative argument that communication and the balance of giving and receiving is key to any sustainable endeavour, so after that honest discussion we enjoyed the rest of our time doing our best.

All in all this is a great place to work with the land, animals and people to learn, build, create and grow. Thanks so much for your acceptance, generosity and care to share all that you did and do! Keep it up, because what you guys do means a lot.

And aye, Stay Human :)

Stu.

(Excellent )

29/09/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Stefan & Vanessa)

And we?
We had a wonderfull time with Vanessa as well, really connected with everything around her, and taking care about all.
If I'd to drink the amount of beers compared to her smiles, I would be drunk for life....
An Ace,

Stay Human baby.

Joseph & Christelle.

(Excellent )

18/07/2015

Left by Workawayer (Stefan & Vanessa) for host

I stayed for four weeks in june and had a great time there! As I was looking for a farm to learn more about sustainable gardening and self-sufficiency it was the perfect place. It is really far away from everything but nature and agricultural landscape but there are so many things going on at the farm that I didn't miss other possibilities to… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 231547377979

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