Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
19 Mar 2024
Reply rate
83.3 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
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Details
Description
Hi there, We are a couple of New Zealanders who are having an adventure in Italy.
We've been developing our place to function as a place to connect with nature, slow down and free yourself from the worries of the world.
We allow people who are referred by friends to stay here for respite. Small groups of musicians, therapy groups and artists can also stay here. We operate on a donation only basis.
We are in the countryside on 2 acres, surrounded by mature truffle forests and grape vines. It's 5 minutes drive to Nizza Monferrato where you can get trains to wherever you want from Monday to Friday.
Although it's usually peaceful here we do have alarm clock roosters, bless him 💗
If you are seeking total silence, remember that the countryside has its own noises.
The town of Canelli is also only 5 minutes away. Bigger towns and small cities, like Aqui Terme, Alessandria, Alba and Asti are half an hour away.
It's 90 minutes by train to be able to swim in the Mediterranean at Genoa or Savona, or to Turin near the Alps, and 2 hours to the Swiss or French borders.
We need help with firewood collection, food gardening, housework, and looking after our silkie chickens.
Mike is installing solar panels out in our field, so we will build more pergolas to hold them. We also want to build a 'state of the art' chicken house that will make the extreme temperatures in summer and winter less worrying.
We ask for 25 hours work per week for your stay.
The trains aren't available from the local station during the weekend, so we are happy to negotiate when you do your hours so you can travel more easily.
We offer you a private room with your own bathroom when we are quiet, but if there are others staying, you may need to share a bathroom. We have 2 double rooms for couples or friends and 2 single rooms.
We ask you to prepare your own foid if you have a special diet.
Mike is a musician and we welcome musicians to play with.
I am a kinesiologist and also help people online. I can do some work with you while you stay here if you wish.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
If you want to learn English it is our first language. We'd be delighted to practice our Italian but we're happy to welcome you from any country.
We go into a nearby villages most days, or often to a town so you can get to experience other places while you stay here.
Occasionally we do a day trip to the seaside. We have an above ground pool at home to cool off in summer.
If you are a musician you may get to play with other musicians. We have guitars, base, a drum kit, mandolin, keyboard etc. here. We now have musicians coming here to jam together once a month.
You will learn how to manage silkie chickens (which are hilarious) and how to grow your own food. We can help you to be earth conscious. We regard ourselves as stewards of this place and do our best to respect nature in all its forms.
Help
We ask for 25 hours work per week. We can sort out a schedule that gives you time to explore the area. There are two bicycles here.
There are usually simple daily tasks that help to keep the place running e.g. emptying bins, sweeping floors, keeping the animals fed and hydrated etc. These daily tasks are divided up between everyone.
The trains don't come to our small local station in the weekend, so if you want to use public transport, best to travel during the weekdays.
You will be helping us with firewood collection, making and planting of gardens, and chicken feeding. Our dog has recently passed away but we now offer dog sitting to friends so you may get to interact with dogs. Some cooking if you like to cook.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Italian: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
We are learning Italian and would love to practice in normal daily conversation. If you are an Italian speaker and would like to learn more English we are both from New Zealand, and lived in Ireland for 20 years before coming to Italy. So we are fluent English speakers.
Accommodation
We provide a private single bedroom for individuals, or a double bedroom with double bed if you are a couple. You may have to share a bathroom depending on how many people are staying here.
We share a kitchen and living room with you, and you can also use the large studio near your room as a space for relaxing, reading, listening to music, doing exercise etc. This can be a space for you to spread out and have some time outside of your bedroom. Then there's always plenty of private spaces outside.
We live in a very large 300 year old Piedmontese wine growers house. We are still working on some parts.
We provide wholesome food. We don't eat much meat. If you have special dietary needs we would ask you to buy things that we don't supply.
Recreational drugs are not permitted here. We may offer a glass of wine with dinner. Any other alcohol consumption should be done at the local cafes.
What else ...
During your time off you can swim in our pool, walk through the forests and vineyards that take you to great views of the surrounding countryside and the Alps. You can take a bike and go exploring.
We can drop you at the bus or railway station if you want to go anywhere further, or catch a lift with us when we go to the villages, towns, cities or seaside.
We have a couple of bikes that you can use to get to the bus or train station. There's a nice cycle lane through the countryside to Nizza Monferrato where the trains are. It takes about 15 minutes to get there by bike. There's a cycle lane also being built in the other direction to Canelli.
Or bike 1km down our road to little Calamandrana for the small markets on Saturday and Monday.
It's a 20 minute walk to Calamandrana where there are 3 cafes, a couple of restaurants, shops and a cash machine. Theres the Almaranto retreat hotel a short walk from there. There you can get nice lunches etc. or pay €40 for a nice lunch and use of their pool for the day in a more classy environment.
Our other close villages, Nizza Monferrato and Canelli have bigger markets on other days of the week. They have more cafes, restaurants and shops than little Calamandrana.
We like to get out and explore and you are welcome to come with us. We used to walk our dog through the surrounding countryside twice a day. S8nce his departure we still go by ourselves.
On a clear day, from the top of our usual walk we get a beautiful view of all the Alps in a big horseshoe. Fantastic.
We are silkie hen fanatics. They are great little characters and always bring a smile to us. They are allowed to roam free on our property during the day.
We love good fresh food, a glass of local wine with our dinner and we are partial to italian Icecream. 🤗
We love people and like to socialise, have fun and make music. Mike is an experienced musician and I like to sing and play percussion. We like to keep our place peaceful and positive. We will want to hear from you if you are concerned about anything.
We look forward to hearing ftom you.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have good internet coverage but we don't have wifi (its bad for your health.) We tether our phones to our computers. As long as you have a plan with unlimited data it works perfectly. If you have an overseas phone, if its unlocked you can get a sim card here for about €30 for the month and that will give you unlimited data.
Can possibly accept pets
Possibly, our german shepherd has recently passed on. Pets would have to be hen friendly.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
25 hours per week.
Feedback (3)
They are very early risers, motivated, organised, intelligent and self driven.
They both worked well alone or in a team. Wyatt and Lindsay helped us to paint my therapy room and created herb gardens.
They also did daily jobs like collecting firewood, animal care… read more
After our daily chores were complete we spent time researching and designing a chicken coop,… read more
It was a pleasure having them here for three weeks.
They took on jobs and needed no supervision. They obviously enjoyed working and were happy to give anything a go.
Their engineering design and practical skills were extremely helpful as we wanted to build a greenhouse and better hen… read more
Feedback
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
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(5.0)
They are very early risers, motivated, organised, intelligent and self driven.
They both worked well alone or in a team. Wyatt and Lindsay helped us to paint my therapy room and created herb gardens.
They also did daily jobs like collecting firewood, animal care… read more
After our daily chores were complete we spent time researching and designing a chicken coop,… read more
It was a pleasure having them here for three weeks.
They took on jobs and needed no supervision. They obviously enjoyed working and were happy to give anything a go.
Their engineering design and practical skills were extremely helpful as we wanted to build a greenhouse and better hen… read more
