Sweden
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Hello!
We are (currently) three people of international origin (German/English) living and working on an old farm located here in beautiful Värmland close to the Norwegian border. There is a lot of water and forest around, the property is situated beside the longest river in Scandinavia, the Klarälven, and nestled between two creeks.
The farm is in the process of being brought back into working order, with the ultimate goal being for it to become fully self sustaining, generating its own power and producing it's own food.
Please note that we are at the very early stages of this work, so the conditions here are still relatively primitive in comparison to what you might be used to at other hosts or at home, meaning access to electricity and other common place modern conveniences are limited or not as readily present.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
You will get to experience a real off-grid, close to nature way of living.
Here you can see such wildlife as moose, deer, bear, bats, foxes, beavers etc. The northern lights and the milky way are visible too at this time of year.
We also have a wood fired sauna and hot pot that you can enjoy.
AT THE MOMENT,
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020
1) Help to establish a wolf proof sheep and horse fence on the meadows of river Klarälven
2) Upcycling and storing reclaimed construction wood
You should be prepared to work in all kinds of weather, cold, wind, rain, snow etc.
We work mostly in the afternoon and early evening, so mornings are typically free.
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Swedish: Beginner
You will live in simple volunteer rooms in the house or, if you like, in a simple caravan alongside the river or creek.
There will be access to: kitchen, beds, wood burning stove, well water, flushing toilet, electricity from generator or solar - the generator we use once or twice a week for powering the washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner etc, for the rest of the time we rely on solar, though, to be perfectly clear, at this time of year it is only enough to charge smart phones/head torch and some lamps for the house, so please be prepared for this. If you need to charge something that requires more electricity such as a laptop we can offer the limited use of a converter to be hooked up to a car battery.
Washing is undertaken via sauna/hot pot or with a bucket. We do not have a shower at this point in time and are not connected to the main municipal water supply.
The provided food is simple and basic staple foods such as pasta, beans, cereals, potatoes, a little cheese or milk, some fruits and locally foraged plants and berries etc. (These will not always be what is exactly available, but it gives you a general idea of what we commonly provide.)
Sometimes we cook and eat together, other times separately.
There is a small family run shop in the village where a variety of further provisions can be obtained if you feel that you require them.
For internet: there is a good 4G connection here, but you will have to be able to provide it through your own cellphone.
Transport to here is by bus/train. Good connections from Oslo and Stockholm (or elsewhere in Sweden) can be found through SJ and/or Värmlandstrafik.
Some items that we kindly ask you to bring for working/general living: sturdy footwear/boots, clothes that you don't mind getting dirty or destroying, work gloves, pre-charged headtorch (ideally with the option to use batteries with), waterproofs, sleeping bag, towel, a mattress sheet.
(It is difficult to frequently wash sheets/towels here and, moreover, we have only a limited amount available to distribute amongst helpers, so it is crucial that you bring your own - the same applies to the other items listed above.)
For your free time there are a lot of hiking possibilities in the area.
We have nearby (for example) a sizeable WW2 bunker complex, some small waterfalls, nature reserves, viewing towers, a hydro electric dam...
We also have a bicycle that you can use.
The 'corona-situation' is very safe here as this is quite a remote and rural place. Moreover, at present Sweden in general has very low infection rates and no immigration/quarantine restrictions are in place.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
This host can provide space for campervans.
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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