Helping in our organic vineyard and eco farmhouse in beautiful Le Marche, Italy

Details

• 

  Description

  ****Update End April start May 2023****
  
  Due to a very last minute family emergency, our lovely workaway couple have to return home urgently to take care of family.
  
  We have an opening starting 5th May for 1 couple or 2 singles.
  Lots of gardening work, vines, olive trees, veg plots etc.
  If you are free and ready to roll, then give us a buzz. Thank you.
  
  
  Thanks to all the lovely workawayers who helped out during 2023. We would not be where we are without you and we are very grateful for all your help.
  
  Update for April. With the beautiful weather we have right now, we are ahead of our outside garden work for the spring, which is great, but there's still loads to be getting on with. We are currently covered for April.
  
  Next slot open will be May for 1-2 people, and then a 2 week house, puppy, gardening sitting gig in June.
  
  As requested by the workaway platform, we would like to mention to all our workawayers, that we only host during the spring and autumn months and all help needed is out on the land, either attending to planting food, looking after veg plots, the vineyard, olive grove or maintaining the surrounding land.
  
  We do not host while there are other guests, friends or family staying in our house and all work we do with workawayers is land based only.
  
  Due to the demands of our farm and the set up of our home, we're accepting mostly couples, preferably with their own transport, as this gives us all maximum flexibility. However, single travellers are also very welcome when there are more workawayers here, as this ensures good company and companionship for everybody, at all times.
  
  Most important for us though … if you love to laugh a lot, enjoy music, and have a real zest for life, then it will work out just fine here!
  
  Any couples out there who are close to setting up their own smallholding, land share or Eco building projects, or are looking to relocate to Italy for a new start, we would love to hear from you so we can share as many of our experiences as possible with you and maybe develop our projects together.
  So if you are looking to get out of the rat race and into country living, then let's get it on!
  
  We (Graham and Saranne) make high grade olive oil, natural wine, write books, grow our own food, play music, and try to get the best out of every day, from sun up to sun down. We live and work according to sun time, no watches! However, we do keep a tight schedule throughout the day in order to keep organised, but in general its quite relaxed. We also live in this area of Italy mainly because of its similarities to our home country of Ireland - from the landscape to the outlook of the local people, which is very organic and agricultural. We love everything that Le Marche and its people represent: the Marchigiani are hard-working yet have a very relaxed approach to life, which we follow, a deep-rooted sense of tradition and a strong community spirit. Above all, they are warm and friendly people who love their food and a story over a glass or two. And so do we! (Sometimes more than 2 glasses depending on how long the campfire keeps burning in autumn and spring.
  
  We are always looking for fun-loving, easy-going, artistic or musical people to help with getting the best out of life. Our work ethic is simple … "The day will give you back what you put into it!"
  
  If you're interested in learning, or have skills and love a challenge, send us a message and let's get it on! Here's some more about us......
  
  We moved here to take advantage of the beautiful peace and quiet that both this house and the surrounding area offers and to provide our children with a safe and yet also challenging place to grow up. It was our dream to find freedom and happiness and it is now a wonderful reality. That's not to say it isn't hard work - it is a farmhouse after all! We spend most of our free time from our careers tending to the land and the house. (Graham, when he's not busy on the land or making wine, hes messing around in the veggie patches or the wine cellar, Saranne's career is divided between a love of theatre, writing and being a full-time mum.) Our olive trees, veggie patches and vines need constant care and, of course, when the time comes to harvest it is all hands on deck! September is time for grapes and making natural wine, October/November is olive harvest and the veggie patch supplies us with delicious produce all year round which naturally means we are also planting most of the year to ensure a steady flow of food. Then there's making jams and preserves to make use of all the fruits growing on our land - figs, persimmon, pears, apples, elderberries, blackberries, walnuts, almonds, peaches to name just a few of a wide variety!
  
  There are many ways to describe our interests and passions in life – but no specifics quite fit. We share a deep interest in wine, theatre, history and culture, slow food and the wonders and adventures of the outdoors and that’s why we live here as they are all in abundance in this area of Le Marche. It's funny - we love living life on the slow side but there's always so much to do! if you are not worried about time, then this is the region of Italy for you!

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
• 

  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

  ×

  ...

  ...

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  What's this?
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  If you are keen to downsize from the ever stressful lives that you live in, then this experience will be very beneficial to you.
  We have downsized from successful high pressured lives and careers to what some people call "living the dream"
  Let me tell you, "Living the dream" is a lot of very hard work but well worth it at the end of the day.
  It was a long, difficult journey and we like to share our experiences of this journey with like minded people.
  The personal impact of downsizing is something that is very seldom spoken about, therefore we share the story as much as possible with all our guests, friends and family.

• 

  Projects involving children

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

• 

  Help

  Over the years, it has been our aim to manage this farmhouse using a mix of traditional methods and permaculture systems. We have completed a natural swimming pool, restored an abandoned olive grove, planted a vineyard and built a wine cellar, got raised veg plots up and running, chicken coop, pathways, outside playing areas, alongside outside cooking and grilling areas with shower, compost toilet, an upcycling project with a caravan and extention and further paths, and other small to medium building projects. The grounds are fairly extensive, therefore there is always something that needs attention.
  
  Please bring good working boots, a hat to shade you from the sun and gloves, we got the rest.

• 

  Languages spoken

  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  French: Intermediate
  Gaelic (Scottish): Intermediate
  Italian: Intermediate
  Spanish: Beginner

• 

  Accommodation

  During your visit as a workawayer, you will be given a private room with a separate bathroom, and you'll be welcomed as part of our family.
  
  We fell in love with this farmhouse the minute we saw it as we emerged from the windy avenue of trees just above it. Blossom was growing just outside the front door and it all looked so welcoming. Once I went inside, I felt like a child again because of all the nooks and crannies there were to explore! Of course, at that time, it was a true 'rustico' without any kitchen or bathroom. It did have water and electricity but at a very basic level so our portable solar shower came in very handy for our first few visits! After many years of renovation, our home is warm and comfortable and retains the spirit of the original house and owners.
  
  The house is made up of three different, yet connected buildings which have been restored by an amazing team of local builders and a fantastic geometra (surveyor/architect/planner and, in our case, now also a great friend). We live in the bottom third of the house and the top two thirds are rented out as holiday accommodation. We have tried to recreate the original spirit of the house and as a result there is a little bit of ducking to do! On the ground floor of the first house, the original cowshed, woodstore, olive oil and wine rooms have been renovated into a self-catering apartment including an ensuite double or twin bedroom, kitchen, dining and living space as well as a private terrace with beautiful views. On the first and second floors there are three separate bedrooms linked by a central staircase with an additional bathroom. Each has its own character – one has stunning views of the Sibillini mountains, another was originally the kitchen with an open fire and intriguing cubbyhole and the attic room, which was originally used for storage, is now wonderfully cosy and romantic. However, most importantly for us, is the fact that the previous owner, who tends his land on the opposite side and whose family had lived in this house for over 300years, is happy to see the house modernised and cared for and his approval means more to us than anything else.

• 

  What else ...

  Our farmhouse is in a rural setting - the nearest town is 2.5km away and public transport is very limited. However, we drive into the local village almost every week day and, at least once a week, into the nearest city. In any case, the travel limitations are more than made up for by the spectacular, rolling hills of Le Marche scenery - punctuated by beautiful rivers, valleys, dramatic mountain ranges and over 150 km of coastline. Sublimely tranquil, the historical hilltop towns and stunning cities of this area are awe-inspiring. For those, like us, interested in art, history and culture, the churches, museums, galleries, theatres, shrines and roman ruins in this area are plentiful. It is a meticulously preserved treasure trove of times past. In fact, we find that travelling through this region’s countryside is best done off the beaten track. There is so much more to discover by leaving the map behind and getting lost!

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

• 

  Hours expected

  Flexible hours - we need you to be open to change!! Rain or shine. maximum 25 hours a week

Feedback (55)