Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
25 Feb 2025
Reply rate
51.1 %
Usually responds within 17 days
Feedback
21
Facebook verified
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Greetings! We are a creative couple in our 30's (Janne and Ruben) living in the fjords of the Norwegian west coast, where we have wonderful nature close at hand. We love to make everything around us beautiful and like a fairytale, and we try to live as sustainable as possible (we love the principles of permaculture). We bought this house and 1 acre garden 7 years ago, our property is located by the fjord with a couple of small beaches close by, as well as the forest and the mountains basically at our doorstep. We have a homestead lifestyle and we grow mushrooms, various fruit trees, berry bushes and vegetable patches. We have various winding woodland footpaths on our property, to balance the tame and the wild. In the summer we like to think of it as a fern sanctuary. We live here with our 2 cats and ducks. We have our own cozy campfire place. And a row boat if you like the sea or fishing.
We have a son which is 5 years old and a little daughter which is 1 :) If you're comfortable with children we're also looking for someone who want to look after them a bit, like taking them for short walks in nature, or play with them. (We have a huge collection of gorgeous wooden toys, and we are inspired by Waldorf homeschooling.)
For winter 24/25 Janne would love to invite a workawayer for doing sewing projects, baking and help around the house. If you are good company and can sew, let me know!
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
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House sitting
Interests
Writing
Music
Blogging
Winter sports
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Camping
Adventure sports
Books
Architecture
Art & design
Cooking & food
DIY & crafts
Drawing & painting
Gardening
History
Photography
Culture
Self development
Sustainability
Van life
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We love to talk and teach about a wide range of topics, like permaculture , ecovillages , self-sufficiency , foraging and edible plants and herbs , mushroom farming , sustainable living , homesteading , organic gardening , arts and crafts , music... as well as myths, stories and old norse culture and so on. We are certified permaculturists and mushroom experts, and our main goal in life is to create a fairytale ecovillage, when we acquire more land.
We used to travel a lot and volunteer at interesting projects in the past, so we have some experience and many stories to share.
We live quite remote and rural, but there is a small museum and art gallery 5 minutes walk from our property and sometimes conserts at the little fjord hotel, where they also have spa and a restaurant. Being here is a nice opportunity to get to know the typical Norwegian countryside/life around the fjords.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Life here requires physical and practical work and therefore we really value hardworking and self-motivated people. It is important to us that you really want to be here and that you are interested in what we do, and if you include that in your message we are more likely to answer.
We need help for various tasks, here are some of our current projects: Help with growing mushrooms (involves tasks both outdoors and indoors, most of the year), help in the garden making more vegetable beds, herb spiral, collecting seaweed for mulching/manure, mulching around trees and shrubs, cutting trees/forestry, carpentry, fishing, foraging, house renovating, building gables on the roof, housekeeping, cooking and cleaning, taking our child for walks, pruning fruit trees, gathering eggs and feeding the ducks, weeding, converting old wv beetle into an electric vehicle, building a yurt, making rustic fence for garden bridges, making garden portals and other creative projects in the garden etc... We can talk about what you would want to do, and what we most need help for at the moment.
Carpenters and builders are needed at the moment. Among other things, we want to build a rustic reciprocal roof building in our garden (roundhouse), so if you know something about that you will be instantly welcome. We also want to build a treehouse for the kids.
If you have some relevant skills, we are also looking for someone who want to create an enchanting playground for our children in the garden. And/or make wooden toys for them ;)
Do you know how to sew or to mend clothes? Be sure to let us know, for Janne would love to have a sewing partner. (Making fairytale/viking/medieval clothes.)
We have 2 cats, the mother Zelda and her kitten Ori which is now twice her size.
We have 4 ducks which is also an easy job, just let them outside every morning, and close the door to their house in the evening (and at the same time feeding them). They usually give us eggs in return every day. And they bring a lot of happiness.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Norwegian: Fluent
Accommodation
The house is a 100 years old log house, which we have renovated and it is now warm and cozy and have modern standards, so everything is quite comfortable, although not very big. The kitchen is new. While staying here you will be part of our home. We just built a brand new guestroom (with a single/double bed and a desk). If you want to, you can also sleep in a tipi in the garden.
If you are a minimalist you might not thrive here, because we love decorating and everything is quite whimsical, with antique furniture and many treasures all around. (As well as toys!) It is however perfect for you if you are open minded and like it romantic, creative, alternative and unique, especially if you (like us) love Lord of the Rings or good fantasy stories.
We are unconventional, but kind-hearted. We don't really fit in anywhere, we are a mix of subcultures like hippies, goths, fairycore, cottagecore, steampunk, metalheads, bohemians... trying to function in this weird world and in a quite conform society. We listen to music a lot, like celtic and norwegian folk, fantasy soundtracks, metal, goth, psy, medieval etc.
We would love to host likeminded people, but what is most important to us is just that you are friendly and positive.
We live in a rural setting with nature all around. But no worries, there is a grocery store 10 minutes walk from here, and also some other houses and farms, a little school and a small fjord hotel. In summer all the leaves on the trees shelter us from the outside world, but in the winter we are a bit more transparent. Please note: this is not a farm, just a house with a big garden.
As we live in the fjords of western Norway, the nature is green, lush and humid. We advice you to bring some waterproof footwear and clothes. A lot of the work here will be outdoors, regardless of the weather. A Norwegian saying: There is no bad weather, only bad 'leather' (clothes).
Our diet consists mostly of organic or local produce, wild meat, sheep and fish, vegetables, we cook from scratch,
we bake sourdough bread and eat traditional and try to follow the seasons. If you are vegetarian we'll probably have to cook separate meals, which have worked fine so far. We do not eat sugar or drink alcohol. Please note that workawayers are expected to do their share of cooking and cleaning during the week, it is generally not a part of the 5 hour workday, although there can be exceptions.
We have wifi connection, but no tv. We do have lots of board games.
What else ...
We live quite close to some really gorgeous places, especially if you have a car. There are not a lot of buses going here (a few times a day from Molde, no buses in the weekends). Our fjord is called Sunndalsfjorden. We live within one hour of the towns of Molde, Kristiansund and Sunndalsøra. In this area you can find Innerdalen, by some named the most beautiful valley in the world. Eikesdalen with Mardalsfossen and other valleys like Grøvudalen and Sunndalen with some of the highest waterfalls on the planet. The epic Sunnmøre Alps. Romsdalen, the Troll wall, troll road and the Troll church. The Atlantic Road. Even the famous Geiranger fjord is not super far away. In June we also have a beautiful viking market in the area.
We look forward to hearing from you! :)
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have good wi-fi and a table on the guestroom.
Space for parking camper vans
We have a nice private spot for a campervan close to the fjord, surrounded by trees.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (11)
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
