Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
15 Apr 2024
Reply rate
94.1 %
Usually responds within 6 days
Feedback
3
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Details
Description
In May 2023 we moved from The Netherlands to an old monumental farmhouse in beautiful lush Las Ubinas La Mesa Nature Parc in Asturias, Northern Spain. We are Rob and Elvira from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Rob has extensive experience in renovating houses, and Elvira is a startup entrepreneur focused on sustainable innovations. It is our wish to live in a more sustainable way, closer to nature, and discover new and old ways to tackle issues.
The farmhouse is like a museum; it has typical Asturian wooden grain sheds called a horreo and a panera, an area to smoke meats, fish and other products, a big cider press to produce apple cider and more. It is our plan to restore all these elements, and include some modern features (kitchen, bathrooms, solar energy) while respecting the layout of the house. The house is on the edge of a small village, and there is a big community of off-grid / permaculture people in the area.
There is a big finca with pastures for animals (no farm animals yet), and an orchard. We want to create a proper vegetable garden for next year and a greenhouse. Water is not an issue in this part of Spain fortunately!
Besides the restoration we need help setting up our website where we want to showcase new and old techniques for solving issues on our farm. The focus will be on sustainable, organic solutions and practices, and this will require some experimenting...
There are hiking paths behind our house, and the whole area is an outdoor activity paradise (hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, climbing, swimming a.o.). Oviedo is the closest big city, and the beach is not very far either. We are about 40 min. from the Camino del Norte (Santiago de Compostela trail).
We speak Dutch, French, German, English and we are learning Spanish. It would be wonderful if you could help us with our Spanish while you are staying here!
We have a guest room with a double bed, and hot running water. The bathroom and kitchen are functioning but need to be modernized. Internet is super fast, we have fibre connection and 5G.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Our farmhouse is like a museum; you will learn with us about historical ways of life in Asturias. There is a lot to discover. Oviedo is the closest city with its beautiful historical centre. This is also an important city on the Camino del Norte (Santiago de Compostela route). If you like hiking, climbing and mountain biking in unspoiled nature you will definitely enjoy your stay.
Help
Although the farmhouse was in a relatively good state because it has always been lived in, it needs full restoration. Work that needs to be done in and around the house: renovating bathrooms & kitchen, painting, cleaning out old outbuildings, and there is lots of chestnut wood that needs to be cleaned and restored (windows, doors, bits of flooring, historical wooden objects like carts, kitchen and farm equipment, the horreo and panera). For the renovation of the kitchen and the bathroom some DIY skills are necessary, for the woodwork dedication and patience!
Do you have gardening skills, or know how to set up a permaculture garden? We would also want to start making plans for our vegetable garden (including greenhouse, which needs to be built). Also we want to draw up a plan for solar energy.
We don't have farm animals yet, but maybe you know which ones will fit our permaculture plans best?
Also help is needed building and filling a website dedicated to finding the best sustainable technique - old or new - to solve the issues we encounter on our path to creating a sustainable, self-sufficient farm. This will require IT and multimedia skills, and a lot of curiosity.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
German: Intermediate
Spanish: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
We need to learn Spanish!
Accommodation
You will stay in a private double bedroom with access to a sitting area on the first floor. The bathroom is shared for now. There are 3 toilets in and around the house: A 'normal' one in the bathroom, and on the ground floor a sort of normal toilet (flushes with a bucket of water), and a compost toilet (in the former chapel). We are looking to turn the horreo in a place to stay as well, completely private with beautiful views of the valley, but this is for the future (unless you feel like making this your project!).
Breakfast is yoghurt or bread and tea or coffee, lunch is normally at 13.30 or 14.00, dinner around 20.00. We normally have bread and salad or fruit for lunch and a hot meal at night. This can of course be switched (so hot meal at lunch). We can cook vegetarian, but we are not strict vegetarians. You are welcome to teach us more vegetarian recipes with local products!
What else ...
Be aware that work on the farm requires physical labor, so make sure you are in a good shape.
In your time off you can go hiking to the villages close by, you can rent a bike to ride the Senda del Oso to Proaza or Teverga, you can go rock climbing, swimming in the river, visit Oviedo or go to the beautiful Asturian coast. Also the Picos de Europa are close by, and Leon is also worth a visit (especially when it rains in Asturias).
There is a bus that goes to Oviedo, the closest train stations are Trubia and Pola de Lena. We have a car and go to Oviedo at least once a week, you are free to travel with us, or maybe it is possible to drive there with somebody else from the village or the permaculture whatsapp group.
We keep the alcohol level low during weekdays, and we don't smoke.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have super fast glasfiber internet, and 5G phone connection.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (2)
Unfortunately I was still recovering from a sickness and so cut my stay short as I wasn't recovering as quick as I had hoped, and needed to take the time to rest.
They have a great sense of humor and are spirited in their work, as well as being… read more
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Unfortunately I was still recovering from a sickness and so cut my stay short as I wasn't recovering as quick as I had hoped, and needed to take the time to rest.
They have a great sense of humor and are spirited in their work, as well as being… read more
