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Independent travellers or couples to help restore a family farmhouse, Live in your own tinyhouse, Hoogerheide , Netherlands

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: at least 3 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Are you a couple/ two friends or an independent solo traveller who like to help us to renovate our house and to help us taking care of our 8 acres idealistic piece of land in the south of the Netherlands .... please reach out! Next to those hands and positive attitude we need your laughs, positive mindset and humour to enjoy this rebuilding journey with.

    We are a family of 5 (Julius and Anoek and our three small kids) living on an 8 acres property. It is a beautiful place with a house, horse stables and a garage, but there is a lot of deferred maintenance. When we bought this house years ago we turned the garage into a loft where we lived for 2 years and with the arrival of our oldest child we decided to rebuild it into a real house. We have done all of this ourselves, next to our job (including plumbing, electricity, masonry, carpentry) and with the help of friends and family. It meant a lot of hard work, a steep learning curve and heaps of fun. We have made some mistakes along the way, there are some things that we would have done differently but we have enjoyed the journey and are very proud of the result. We believe that’s all that counts.
    Along the building we of course started our own vegetable garden and a
    orchard, build a chicken fence, planted trees and chopped loads of wood (with a log splitter, no worries), but also went on holidays and spend weekends in nature with our 35 year old campervan.

    We are now ready for the next challenge: rebuilding the original farmhouse. This means that we can finetune everything that we have learned so far, however we still have only two hands each to use and with all the kids running around and gardening that needs attention; we therefore are looking for some extra hands to help us out. Basically everything, and more, that comes to your mind when renovating a house.

    Since we have 8 acres of land to look after, including grass and blackberries that grow faster than a blink of the eye, there is plenty of gardening work. We also have painting work around the house and stables. We do not only look for those extra pair of hands, we also are looking for good companionship! People to exchange experiences and stories with during the stay, someone to have a good laugh with while digging the floor and someone to drink a beer with after work. With your help we do not only hope to go twice as fast but also to have someone to enjoy and share the project journey with in a fun and positive atmosphere.

    We look forward to share our place with the enthusiastic, open minded and hardworking exchange helpers.

    We have recently renovated a tiny house in the backyard with a kitchenette, bathroom and a bed that can be transferred into a bunkbed or a double bed. There is electricity, internet and water, heating comes from the woodburner. You can call this your home while you are at our place. We will provide you with money to do your groceries so that you can buy and cook whatever you prefer to eat. It should be a perfect fit for the people that like to have their own space and to be independent!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Farmstay help
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We both speak fluently English. Anoek has spent a year as an exchange worker in New Zealand and Australia so she knows the importance of exchange and learning opportunities very well. We want you to feel welcome at our place and love to share experiences and stories with you. We will pass on the building skills of Julius if you are interested, so you might even become as handy as him after a while. We will make sure there are two workawayers so that they can interact as well.

  • Help

    Help

    We ask 5 days of help (25 hours) in exchange for food and accommodation for 7 days. We require a minimum stay of 3 weeks.
    Tasks can vary along the phase of the restoration but you can think of
    - Tearing off the wood of the walls
    - Giving a hand pouring concrete
    - Moving window frames

    Tasks can vary along the season for gardening help, but you can think of
    - Weeding in the aple orchard
    - Cleaning the paths with a high pressure sprayer
    - Painting around the house

    Depending on the weather, personal agenda and your preferences we will plan the hours a week ahead. So sometimes you help 3 or 4 longer days and are off 3 to 4 days, sometimes you will help just the mornings or just the evenings. You can spend time exploring the area, lending our bike, mountain bike or canoe, or enjoying the peaceful environment.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Dutch: 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.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We have recently renovated a tiny house in the backyard with a kitchenette, bathroom and living area with a bunkbed. You will share this tinyhouse with another workawayer and call this your home while you are at our place.
    You can cook your own meals in the kitchenette.

    It is also possible to pitch a tent or campervan if preferred.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Our property is situating at the ridge of the Brabantse Wal, an area known for its rolling hills, woods and polders and driving distance to the National Park Oosterschelde. In other words a great area for hikers, cyclists and waterlovers. All of which we are. So whenever you are looking for us and you can’t find us helping around the house or garden we are probably walking in the woods, kitesurfing and canoeing on the water or mountainbiking the various elevations. We do have a mountainbike as well as two canoes which you can use if you are a watersport enthusiast.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

Host ref number: 484166498647

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Photos

The image depicts the interior of a small, cozy cabin with a lofted ceiling, featuring a bed, kitchenette, and dining area, all crafted from wood.
The image depicts a cozy room with a kitchenette, two purple chairs, and a TV, featuring a wood-burning stove, wooden floor, and white walls, with a door leading to the outdoors.
The image depicts three men standing in a grassy area, surrounded by stacks of lumber, engaged in conversation. The men are dressed in casual attire.

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