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31 Aug 2024
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Description
My name is Ruggero and I live in a country house 15 km north of Padua with my wife Marta. We have 2 daughters: Anna, graduated in fashion design who lives in Switzerland and Valeria who is attending the last year of the university course in nursing sciences and lives in Padua.
Marta still works as a teacher in a primary school; I am a retired chemistry teacher and I manage a small organic farm of 2 hectares of arable land plus 1 hectare of woods, a large vegetable garden and some fruit trees. The farm produces wheat, soybeans, sunflowers, alternating with cover crops according to the rules of organic farming. In the vegetable garden we grow salads, tomatoes, aubergines, cabbages, cauliflowers etc. according to the season. The woods is made up of numerous tree species, such as oak, walnut, ash, alder, maple and allows us to observe different types of birds.
Our house is equipped with a solar thermal system, a photovoltaic system and a reverse flame wood boiler for winter heating. The house is located in an area called Graticolato Romano, characterized by streets that intersect perpendicularly forming squares of 750 m on each side.
Marta and I are very passionate about mountain sports (like skitouring and hiking) and cycling and are always active during the weekend.Types of help and learning opportunities
GardeningDIY and building projectsCreating/ Cooking family mealsHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceInterests
FarmingBooksDIY & craftsGardeningYoga / WellnessWinter sportsHikingMountainNatureCampingCyclingUN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
They can benefit from cultural exchange by participating in a vision of nature that involves aspects of ecology and energy saving; they will learn techniques of water and agricultural soil management, plant breeding; but also preparation of food using traditional methods, preparation of bread with sourdough,
Help
The workawayer will help me with farm work and house maintenance. In particular, we will cut and stack wood, sow and transplant vegetables, clean and tidy the agricultural equipment areas, paint the house internally, repair and paint windows, prepare food, prepare vegetable preserves and fruit jams.
In autumn I will have to plant a hedge with 200 plants of local essences and a flower meadow. I will have to start preparing the soil for the young plants in time.Languages spoken
Italian: Fluent
English: Beginner
French: BeginnerAccommodation
The workawayer will stay in a large room on the ground floor with a double bed, a table, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. The bathroom is next to the room and can sometimes also be used by the host, as there is a washing machine. The wi-fi internet connection is guaranteed. The food will be prepared together, preferably using vegetables produced in the farm's garden or purchased directly from local organic producers or in specialized shops. Sometimes we will also eat meat produced by a local organic farm or fish.
Smoking is not allowed in the house.What else ...
in the sorrounding area there are cycle paths along the numerous waterways such as the Brenta river, the Tergola, the Muson and other smaller canals. At 8 km there is the train station where you can take the train to Venice or Padua. 1.5 km to the west there is a bus stop for Padua (from 6.30 to 18.30 every hour). 1.5 km east of my house there is the bus stop for Treviso/Padua (from 6am to 9pm every 30 minutes). Venice is well known throughout the world, but Padua is also a city full of splendid monuments (the Scrovegni Chapel, the Basilica of Saint Anthony, the Caffe Pedrocchi etc.). From our house it is possible to reach the Dolomites in 1.5-2 hours by car; if you prefer the sea, splendid beaches such as Rosapineta or Jesolo can be reached in 1.5 -2 hours by car .
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week