Help me sustainably restore an olive grove and it's buildings while enjoying life in the heart of the Siracusa Area in Sicily

Details

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  Description

  I am a social entrepreneur who came back to his Sicilian roots after a burnout, needing to find a place closer to nature allowing a balanced life and contributing to more sustainability.
  I discovered Palazzolo Acreide by chance, it's one of the "most beautiful villages in Italy" and is listed on the world heritage list for its late baroque.
  I fell in love with its beauty, but not only. Here it's all about slow food, 0 km, slow life. Fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, etc. have a different taste. You can find low gluten foods thanks to ancient varieties of wheat.
  
  Palazzolo Acreide is also a famous place for gourmets, we have 35 restaurants/bars for less than 8.000 inhabitants! There are also an incredible number of spectacular popular festivals, many cultural events during the summer season, many museums, an archaeological area (the ancient greek city of Akrai) and the ruins of a medieval castle. We are about 40 minutes from Siracusa and the sea.
  Below Palazzolo is the Anapo Valley, which has one of the greatest biodiversities in the world and is a wonderful place to have a walk and a bath.
  
  Working until now to change the way we work, experiment and learn. I adopted the place as a remote point to work from I would share with other digital nomads.....and eventually in the process of it, found a new passion in the in restoring buildings in the historical center and surrounding rural areas; contributing as much as possible to the rehabilitation and economic revival of abandoned territories.
  I need help at the moment with workawayers to continue to renovate an abandoned olive grove in the nearby territory of Buscemi, a baroque hidden gem . The olive grove is nested in a lovely and peaceful place where you can camp under the olive trees shade.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  linguistic exchange in French, Italian and English.
  You could learn also under the direction of a local Maestro in Italian, depending of the artcraft and their availability. Most probably learning to restore/do the traditional and famous Sicilian "muri a secco" together with constructing from scratch a traditional wood oven to cook delicious pizza and "empanate"!
  Could also be for wooden art crafts as renovating local antique furniture, often in liberty style
  
  I can cook Italian pasta or French meals or we could do barbecues but I would prefer it to be a shared time and a co-creation as a convivial cultural exchange .we will probably have the vegetables from the garden ( seems to grow well so far !). I have no competence on cooking vegetarian or vegan, but feel free to bring in your knowledge and creativity!
  
  I can have you visit the city and surroundings as well as meet local people, craftsmen and their antique workshops. Some could even mentor you on their art craft as mentioned above.
  
  During summer Palazzolo is incredibly vivid and animated with all sort of (cultural) events you can enjoy, most of them being free.
  the countryside is fabulous to do yoga around the pool or on the "lenze" under the olive trees. If you want to practice or share your yoga knowledge, you're welcomed!
  
  
  We are at about an hour drive from Catania airport and there are some buses to get to Palazzolo, but I would do my best to come and pick you up at the airport

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  Help

  I would need help in the following areas and tasks:
  
  Maintenance and Landscaping:
  
  Clear dead wood.
  Clean cave.
  Install solar electricity in cave.
  Reactivate cave well.
  Implement irrigation system.
  Manage vegetable garden.
  Repair dry stone walls.
  Landscaping the grounds.
  
  
  Construction and Woodwork:
  
  Construct outdoor wooden furniture.
  Build tent platforms or small houses.
  Construct wooden pergolas and canopies.
  Set up workshop in garage.
  
  Planting and Gardening:
  
  Plant fruit trees.
  Create inventory of medicinal plants.
  Establish medicinal plant garden or trail.
  
  Collaborative Projects:
  
  Build a crowdfunding campaign.
  Form sustainable building community.
  Assist with olive grove maintenance.
  Seek collaboration with architects or designers.
  
  in mid September, you can come and help for the olive harvest! (week-end)

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  Spanish: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  In the olive grove, located in Buscemi, in tents.
  there are nice bathrooms for guests on the terraces and an oven, BBQ and soon an external kitchen on the side.
  There is also a swimming pool next to the kitchen area

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  What else ...

  During your free time, you can relax in the countryside, trek, visit museum, places, have a drink at our numerous and fabulous bars, attend an event, etc.
  You can also take a bus and go to Siracusa, Noto, etc. depending on you interest I will be able to make some suggestions and give some directions.
  You can also simply stay and relax in the historical center or countryside

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  Internet connection available, please let me know before your arrival, especially if your mobile connection is not European I'm also opened to organize boot-camps in the olive grove, especially if it's about sustainable building or renovation.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  in the olive grove, should be the place and access for 2 campers.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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