Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
18 Feb 2025
Reply rate
95.8 %
Usually responds within 1 day
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Details
Description
Dear All,
Each year, spring and autumn, we reach out to the Workaway community to offer a meaningful cultural exchange of helping us out with a variety of rural land based projects . We are looking for self motivated, imaginative and creative people to join in. We are very open to new methods and original thinking. Experience is not necessary, enthusiasm is all that we are looking for !
The location is a spectacular - an ancient dry stone walled olive grove on the lower slopes of the Monte Pisano over looking Pisa, The Leaning Tower and The Mediterranean Sea. This location provides a wonderful backdrop for truly meaningful cultural exchanges with fun and original people from all over the world.
We will be asking you to help us out in the olive grove with tasks such as olive tree pruning, path clearing, allotment planting & gardening, fence setting . On rainy days we will concentrate on other tasks such as basic woodworking. We will teach you about pruning techniques, the life cycles of the trees and the important history of the olive tree in human cultural evolution. We adhere to the Workaway exchange guidelines of 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, so there is plenty of time to hang out and see and experience this magical part of the world.
Hi, we are Colin and Luisa and our son is Max and he's 22 years old and at university. We've lived here for 23 years - we love it ! We upped sticks from London to start a new life and don't regret that for a minute. We love life, we love people, we love what we do. We harvest olives on a small non commercial scale - completely organic - of terraced and tree covered hillside. We have an allotment. We have fruit trees. We have water from a mountain spring. We are surrounded by forest above and fields below. We love to play music - we've built a cool recording studio in an old animal shed - this is freely open to you. We run a holiday business during the warmer months which helps to pay the bills.
We love the land and we love to share this beautiful place. Being a beautiful place it needs love and attention and we ask for hands from time to time to help out. In exchange for the help you'll learn some cool skills which will help you in your travels and more and you hang out in an amazing place meeting amazing people from all over the world ! We do not ask you to help us out in the business related activities and please note that the olive tree maintenance is non commercial - it is a duty to history and culture which, for us, is important to keep alive.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Movies & TV
Farming
Charity work
Events & social
Culture
Writing
Plant care
Photography
Music
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Books
Carpentry
Winter sports
Yoga / Wellness
Team sports
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Cycling
Camping
Beach
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Travellers benefit from a cultural exchange by spending energizing and life affirming time in a beautiful place, surrounded by nature, meeting people from all over the world, learning lovely skills like olive picking and pruning, responsible fire making, path laying, fence setting, pizza making & Italian cooking and great conversations around the dinner table - all beneficial skills that can help them travel and offer worthwhile help on the way! If there are any musicians - we have a cool recording studio - great fun laying down a live track after a day in the olive grove. If you meditate, there is a cave - sit inside the mountain and get in touch with yourself. There are great walking trails in the hills above with fabulous forested countryside, abandoned castles and nature on all sides.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Hi, We own a terraced hillside site, recording studio and hillside olive grove in Tuscany on the hills just outside Pisa called The Monte Pisano. It's divine, it's paradise! We need some light help in the autumn and the spring to harvest the olives, clear land and pathways, plant trees, prune the olive trees, cut the grass, paint a few fences and some light general maintenance tasks here and there. We like to host teams of people so if you traveling with a mate or two, even better! If you have any of these skills - cool - if not - no problem - we'll teach you. Get in touch - thanks!
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
German: Intermediate
Spanish: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
I speak English and Italian, as Italian is similar to Spanish, it would interest me to have the opportunity to learn some Spanish !
Accommodation
Very comfortable. We offer travellers two beautifully restored and very well equipped farmhouses that are used in later in the holiday season for guests the world over. You get to stay in your own farmhouse which has two big bedrooms, two bathrooms, large kitchen, spacious lounge. You share the bedrooms. Females in one room, males in another. Everyone gets their own bed. Outside we have an original wood fired stone build pizza oven - learn how to make top pizzas - very cool. The place has Wifi, Smart TV, gorgeous views, amazing location - we can see The Leaning Tower of Pisa which is 10 kms away from here and The Mediterranean Sea. We're close to Pisa & Lucca, an hour from Florence and 30 minutes from the beach.
What else ...
We follow the Workaway guidelines of no more than 5 hours a day 5 days a week, so there is plenty of time out and loads to see and do both on the doorstep and further away. We are just a 20 minute bus ride from Pisa and Lucca and an hours train journey to Florence. We are 30 minutes from the coast and the beaches are fantastic. All of these are amazing places - must sees - absolutely! We are located on the Monte Pisano - great hillside walking - old castles, birdwatching, nature trails - right outside the door!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Hi, we’ve got stable cable based internet about 16 Gig a second. Good for videos and some smart working. Heavy files get sent overnight.
Space for parking camper vans
A small VW type camper van works fine, big ones no. You’ll have access to running water, electricity and a safe parking place - you’re welcome!
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (44)
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:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.9)
The team of… read more
They were both very warm and inviting. Their farmhouses were very comfortable, clean and well maintained. The view of the village below was breathtaking!
We ate well-the olive oil, bread, pasta was delicious!
I was able to travel on the weekends to Lucca, Florence,… read more
During my week there I had the opportunity to live with five other solo travelers and get to know them living together in our own little home. It is a very special workaway and social experience that you can find on that hill. Between the… read more
We would happily welcome Brandon back anytime.
I cannot fault my workaway experience. The people were amazing, the food was delicious, the location was superb… overall a 10/10 week.
Colin and Luisa were very generous and let us use their music studio. Many good jam sessions were had (the soprano sax will be dearly… read more
Ahlia is both a natural leader and a great team player.
I would absolutely recommend her.
Ogni giorno di lavoro erano nuove esperienze, nuove conversazioni profonde e nuovi apprendimenti di vita.
Senza dubbio mi hanno insegnato che tutto è possibile e che l'energia… read more
We wish him well and is always welcome here !
Thanks… read more
The work was varied and interesting, I had no previous experience with any of it but Colin was amazing at teaching us how to do the tasks and guiding us through them with patience. Over 3 weeks we pruned many olive trees,… read more
The work didn’t feel like work as it was always done in a good mood and with an amazing view of the region. This is indeed such a magnificient place to… read more
Thank you Colin, Luisa and Max for a… read more
We were expecting to learn more about… read more
Colin prepared delicious lunches for all of us and dined together with us every… read more
Work was pleasant, thanks to the beautiful view around Toscana and precious advice from Colin. I… read more
The working days were organised according to the weather, and we were mostly involved in olive trees pruning and carpentry/painting works helping the local… read more
We had a problem and Colins and his family did not hesitate to help us.
We live together with other Workawayers, we always have lunch together the delicious food prepared by Colins.
The house is beautiful, an incredible view, the rooms are… read more
Colin and Luisa are some of the most lovely people I have ever met, with a lifestyle that seems to make them truly happy. Being taken in as part of their friendship circle and adopting their way of living made me… read more
The accommodation is great and beds super comfortable, I was sharing a room with 2 other girls who felt like sisters to me… read more
Learned a lot how to build walls , maintain the historical olive farm, why is it important and keep it in original conditions. Honestly the work was sometimes hard: digging, picking, moving rocks, pruning trees, but with… read more
Right from the first day, there was a super friendly vibe that continued throughout the whole time I spent there. We all made pizza in the pizza oven together, and Colin was interesting and fun to talk with.
Colin is a very driven man (he sure kickstarted a… read more
