Spain
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CORONA: with the current situation we would be willing to take s.o. / couple who is really interested in permaculture / water management etc. ideally with some experience in agriculture & DIY/construction for some extended period.
First 2 weeks would be especially careful until we know it is save.
We are looking for help again: couples preferred - singles welcome, usually the stronger of them for the more heavy jobs like construction and permaculture landscaping, and the other for the less heavy jobs like cooking/vegetable garden ... best for 2 weeks or more.
We are STRICTLY NON SMOKING here !!! No drugs, no alcohol.
In 2016 I took a permaculture design course. And now I am redesigning and reshaping big areas of our property. So interesting times. If you really want to learn something about practical permaculture design this is the place to go
The huge 250000 liter water tank was built 2 years ago.
In June 2018 we have built a huge 3 million liters water storage lake.
So when you are interested in aqua retention landscapes, water preservation, making dry areas green again,
then this might be a good time to help us here.
Now we need water channels to capture rain water. An interesting project. And planting a hundred trees.
Just around 500 meters of terraces have been built. And mango and avocado trees are waiting to be planted. Also about 10000s of Vetiver plants (vetiver.org) to prevent erosion of the new terraces have been planted and will be planted.
We are a German couple around 50 needing help building a small spiritual and ecological center in the mountains of Malaga, Spain about 30 minutes to the sea.
We are inspired by the large spiritual center Tamera in southern Portugal. We are combining practical spirituality with ecological living. Water retention technologies and landscaping, use of solar energy and permaculture gardening will help us achieving this.
Recently we started plant nursery.
Currently there is no seminar program or special daily programs offered besides the occasional meditations if helpers are interested. And actually most helpers are not.
When asked the host also guides some little self exploration exercises or talks about future offerings.
Depending on the group we also had people doing yoga together in their free time.
The 50000 m2 hillside property is about 7 km south of the village Riogordo. A bus from Malaga to Riogordo (about 1 hour) is available. If you walk over the hill it is about 4 km.
We don't want smokers, drugs and consumption of alcohol in our place, as it is not supportive of our goals. TV is also not available.
We like to have people here, who want to contribute, be part of the team and learn something for their lives. We are NOT interested in people who are just looking for a cheap stay on minimum effort. (sorry just had such experiences :-(( ...)
If you like to listen to music please use your earphones, since not everybody has the same taste and we want this to be a quiet and tranquile place.
High bandwidth Internet access is limited. While downloads, skype, Zoom are possible it needs to be shared with all other inhabitants. IF you need this for extended times better talk to us ahead of time.
We live in the campo and around is beautiful nature, great for hiking.
Also not too far are cultural sites like Malaga or Granada with the Alhambra.
If our time permits you can join us on excursions, hikes or visits to the beaches now and then.
During wintertime the weather CAN be cold and rainy for some days. And since our tasks is mostly outside you can then take your off days for a good book or so on the air sofa.
In the summer it can be quite hot. So we might start work at 7:00 am and have a siesta to continue in the evening, when it has cooled down a bit.
We are 'naturist friendly' and expect you to be at least a bit tolerant e.g. if people use the outside shower.
After recent experiences in the future we require a whatsapp or phone interview. To set clear expectations for both sides.
Please respect the system and respond to messages. A simple message will do even if you are not interested in coming.
Everybody who eats/lives here, helps with washing dishes and cleaning the table, these are no working hours, it is a part of how we live.
We are on Workaway since 2015 and have quite some experience. Up to 7 people at the same time.
If your main interest is learning Spanish you should better be looking for a Spanish speaking host.
Our minimum stay is two weeks. After which we can mutually agree to extend if the chemistry is right and both parties agree. First 6 days are work.
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
After my permaculture design course I am redesigning the whole land with terraces, swales, rain water harvesting, rain water storage in a huge 3 million liter lake, planting 100s of trees, using Vetiver to prevent erosion and restoration agriculture to restore a diverse ecosystem - so there is a lot to learn as well.
you can learn a lot about construction with more or less conventional materials but unconventional ideas. Setting up natural stone walls, stairs, pathways. Planting trees and organic vegetables. Using solar energy in active and passive systems. Automating a house/property with the multi core Propeller processor.
If you are interested in personal development and psychology or NLP (Neuro Longuistic Programming) and practical spirituality there is lot's to talk as well.
A big part of the place is still in construction so there is construction help required. Mostly outside. Setting up the permaculture design for water retention landscape, the terraces, planting fruit trees, help in the organic permaculture vegetable gardens.
Setting up nature stone walls, nature pathways on the extended property, rooting old cactus and rotten almond trees, cutting those to firewood for the fireplaces in the house.
We just had a helper coming only in flip-flops to work the above mentioned tasks - this obviously can not work for safety reasons. So please bring some good shoes with you, this is a partly quite steep, stony mountain property.
Do not expect to get only the jobs you like. Since all is in flow sometimes it is construction, sometimes clearing and weeding land, sometimes digging holes for planting trees ... - if you can adapt you can still learn a lot ...
We have a minimum stay of two weeks after which we can decide if we want to extend if both parties agree.
Also we do not have a strict weekend free policy. When you come first 5 days is work, unless we make different arrangements. IF you want to go for special hikes and depending on the weather we are free to adjust the schedule as fits.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
This host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
At the moment several double and single bed rooms with terrace are ready as a guest quarter. The living room and kitchen is shared with us. In addition there are two almost finished rooms in separate building with private terrace as well.
Usually we will have common vegetarian meals or you find food in the kitchen. If you need meat, you can walk to a nearby bar.
In addition we have places for your tent (some with roof) / or you can use one of our tents. And in our wooden cabin there is a camp space as well.
very special hike: El Torcal
culture: Alhambra de Granada
just across the valley: a beautiful mountain village Comares
beaches at Torre del Mar / Nerja
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Internet is ok - but permanent long hours of Zoom needs to be coordinated since the wireless connection can not support multiple sessions
we regularly have helpers in campers up here with several places to stay,
More than two
5 hours a day, 5 days a week on average - maximum 25 hours a week. some flexibility according to weather and work requirements is needed. Also some help with meals and cleaning expected.
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