Building a sustainable life in Galicia, Spain

Details

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  Description

  We are renovating a house in Galicia, northern Spain, with the idea of being as self sufficient as possible. We are 60 ish years old with family living in England, ride triumph motorbikes, renovate Range Rovers bur are passionate about EVs. We LOVE love all things edible!. We need help with our food growing, harvesting and preserving, and Roy needs help with building projects. Come and help us with building and labouring, building gardens, hugelbeds and a food forest and we promise you good food in fantastic surroundings, including a beach only 8 kilometers from the house with a lovely bar and restaurant on a bend in the river Mino.
  
  Previous workawayers have helped to repair dry stone walls to keep in our two insane boxer dogs and chickens and keep out jabali, deer and hunters, restore and develop our pig field and tiny wooded area, and develop our wildlife pond and surroundings. We are preparing more areas for the growing of beans for canning and drying, and areas of three sister plantings, along with other plants to develop a polyculture to keep us all supplied with natural, nutricious food.
  
  We have a garden suitable to camp in, a large caravan for the less adventurous and space for a motor home with electric hook up, although be aware that, because we are completely off grid, we are strict about the use of power. We are not vegan but eat a plant-based diet 90% of the time so vegetarians and vegans are very welcome.
  
  We offer help with English if that is not your first language, help with Spanish if you wish to learn the basics and walling and gardening skills along with knitting and canning and sewing slow fashion if your passions tend towards self reliance.
  
  We have included art projects as we want to make pieces for sale and also knit and sew accessories for the home.
  
  Ask us for google maps link. People in the past have said they'll come only to not arrive cos its further than they thought!
  
  We're waiting for your messages!
  Un saludo, Mandy and Roy

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Life here is very rural and learning to chill out and cope without supermarkets and nightlife is essential. You will learn country skills and self reliance skills, including prepping. It is a Spain that few travellers know about, and once seen, they usually want to stay! Previous workawayers have come to live here...For learning other skills, Roy is a rabid handyman and Mandy is a permaculture nut so pick a side!
  We will take you to local markets and museums, nearby towns, the river beach as well as hold bbqs at home with friends for company.
  If you would like to join us, please leave details of what it is about our project appeals to you and how you will be travelling in your message.
  Ciao!

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  Help

  As we head into spring and summer there is a great deal of planting to be done, and as we move forward, more help is needed than ever on making sure there is enough food to keep the finca going all year round in these uncertain times. We are aiming for a high level of sustainability for ourselves, our animals and our guests! Having said all that, we would welcome anyone prepared to get stuck in and have a go at whatever is going on! Our only conditions are up and start early, (so we can work in the cool and finish after lunch) and no discussion of politics or religion! OR BREXIT.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  Roy needs to learn basic Spanish! I can teach beginners Spanish but Roy needs to learn from someone he is not married to.....!
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  Accommodation

  We have a large caravan which has a double bed, sitting area, cooking facilities and storage for clothes and other belongings with a cassette toilet and hot shower, as well as a solar shower for hot days.
  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT VOLUNTEERS HAVE SOME FORM OF TRANSPORT due to the isolated nature of our finca, even if it is just a push bike.
  Use of internet for general messaging and keeping in touch only as we have limited bandwidth, but the local towns have libraries with good internet.
  3 good meals provided on work days, Breakfast on days off but meals with us if spending free days on the finca.
  BOXER DOGS HAVE NO BOUNDARIES. Just sayin.....

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  What else ...

  There are wonderful walking trails to follow, local towns to visit and one of the Santiago caminos runs past the end of our driveway and the rivers offer good fishing and beaches. There are many churches and monasteries in the area - really just come to relax, read and go wildlife spotting!
  PERMACULTURE ENTHUSIASTS PARTICULARLY WELCOME!

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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

  We have satellite wifi which would be ok for an hour or so a day . Can be slow. But there is a bar with exellent wifi in the town 6 km away

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We can squeeze a large campervan in and may be able to supply minimum power if our solar is working hard enough. Gas bottles are super cheap compared to UK and are easy to get hold of.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We are happy with dogs if well behaved (ours aren't) and could fit a horse in the field for grazing with water and possibly shelter too.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  5 per day. 5 days per week

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