Help us set up the garden ready to welcome some animals to our new home in beautiful Charente, France

Details

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  Description

  Hey guys,
  
  We are a couple, from Australia, and Uk, after living between our two countries over the past 30 years and travelling a lot in between, we have decided to buy a house and land in France and start life again.
  
  After travelling through 5 states of Australia (I was born there but to be honest hadn't seen much of it!), Vietnam, Bali, Italy, Greece back to Oz to visit our youngest daughter over the past couple of years we are ready now to settle into life in France in our lovely, old ( unmodernisatised but comfortable) ---
  
  As well as renovating our home, building a permaculture outdoors, we will be running 2 small businesses from home. And turning our front field and part of the rear area into a petit field camping site. So there are many projects large and small.
  
  The main projects for 2025 are to get the Vegetable garden up to producing all year, unveil the orchard which is underneath 15 years of bramble growth, build a shelter so we can introduce a few animals to the garden, some fencing, a composting toilet and shaded area for our Caravan extra sleeping quarters for extra workaways. So there is plenty to do and learn.
  
  We look forward to hosting up to 3 people at a time.
  
  Please be aware that a lot of this work is physical so a good level of health and fitness is needed.
  We run an organised timetable so that we get a good days work done, however there is also lots of rest and relax times.
  
  2 days a week off and all evenings are your own 4 hours a day working and learning with us and sometimes without us. Therefore a good level of independence is required.
  If you have your own transport there is plenty of space to park up, if you have your own sleeping / camper we can accommodate you alongside other workaways
  
  We love to spend time with young minded people of all ages who have a passion for life, who see the positive in most situations and are happy to laugh at themselves and the world.
  
  We are a non smoking , mainly plant based, household although we do have eggs from the hens which we give away as we do not eat the.
  If you eat meat you are welcome however will need to cook prepare your own on the BBQ, no judgements here 🙂
  The hens are ex battery farm rescues and help us in the garden.
  
  We are a quite home, with reading / quiet times as a regular part to our days along with the physical challenge of setting up our new life and enjoying ourselves as much as possible.
  
  So if you think you'll fit in with us we would be very happy to hear from you.
  
  Our closest Village is Roumazieres-loubert.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  As a Mental Fitness, Confidence and Wellness Coach for those wanting help to make lifestyle changes and decisions, I am passionate about helping others to get the best out of their goals
  
  We live in a small Hamlet in central South West France, in an area of natural beauty, where through the year there are many outdoor activities to enjoy.
  
  We are surrounded by beautiful country side and are close to the Lacs De Charentes, which are fantastic for swimming and boating during the summer months.
  
  We are happy to teach you English and are happy to receive lessons in French. And other languages and to learn a little about your culture and homeplace

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  Help

  We have just under 3 acres of land surrounding the house including a small woodland area and another small woodland area close by (5 mins walk away).
  We hope to incorporate a large vegetable garden, Fruit and Nut Orchards, Chickens, Geese Ducks, Sheep, and other rescue animals.
  
  We have fencing that needs to be built, animal shelters that need building, a toilet and shower block to be built (Eco and Composting if possible).
  
  We would like to build a fire-pit and gazebo.
  Plant vegetables using permaculture techniques, we will be installing water saving ideas including recycling grey water, water collection butts and possibly build a natural swimming pool / pond.
  
  We also hope to have bees in the woodland area in the not too far future.
  
  However to start we have a lot of garden general clearing and tidying to do so it's all hands on deck to remove 10 years of over growth from the gardens and grounds.
  
  The 2 Wooded /small forrested areas need a complete ground level clearing after not being cared for over 15 years.
  
  Barns to clear out..... Grounds to be cleared and divided into House areas and storing / animal areas
  
  We have a lot of furniture to up-cycle and recycle so that it is once again beautiful and functional, so if you are creative here's your chance to show it.
  
  Lots to do, you can choose what you are happy to do from our weekly list of current projects.
  
  We are also getting plans together to open a Vegan cooking workshop area and will be looking for help in setting up the rooms / Produce garden to supply the workshop students as well as our home
  
  We are very happy to teach the skills we have and to learn from you the volunteer if you have skills we don't!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  We are wanting to learn more French in an everyday context, happy to share English language skills at the same time.
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  Accommodation

  We have available a comfortable spacious Trailer Camper with Awning attached for the warmer months, this allows 1 or 2 people travelling together to stay, during May / June /July / August or September
  In addition to the king bedroom in the house for another couple, or females only to use. (1 king bed 1 single bed)
  Accommodation is on 1st to arrive basis
  However in the colder months there is room only for 3 only you will use the front bedroom of the house, which sleeps 3 people comfortably in a king bed and a single bed dorm style

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  What else ...

  Walking, Hiking and Cycling are very popular in our area and we have bikes available for our volunteers to use during their stay.
  We have many pretty villages, local Chateaux, and interesting sites within a short drive of our Fermette.
  
  We live in an area of France that is proud of it's links to the French Resistance efforts of WW2 and Richard the Lionheart (1157 - 1199). We will organise at least one visit each week to a local place of interest that our volunteers would like to visit.
  There is a local Train station within 5 mins drive that will take you to either Limoges or Angouleme, where you can connect to any other locations within France with ease.
  We are 2 hours from the coast and we are happy to do at least one trip to the beach every fortnight during the warmer months.
  There is a small Plan dau in the closest village (Open air natural swimming pool) which is open every year from July to September.
  Local Villages with bars and cafes.
  
  We have hosted volunteers from other sites and often have back packers come to stay, using us as a paying hostel so we are adapt with hosting visitors from all walks of life, all ages and various nationalities.
  
  We are well traveled, Cherie is from Australia, Ian is British, between us we have traveled to Pakistan, Nigeria, Bali, Singapore, Belgium, Vietnam, Holland, Italy, Greece, Russia, India, Tunisia and Indonesia, before settling in France this year.
  
  Our Eldest Daughter is now living in Perth and our youngest now lives Melbourne Australia Both moved from the UK
  
  We are very happy to collect you from the local Train Station . If you have your own vehicle there is room to park.
  
  We are Vegan and prefer vegetarians or Vegans or those happy to live like this for the duration of their stay with us.
  
  We are happy if you wish to eat dairy products, eggs etc, however we prefer not to cook or purchase these items.
  We have very happy hens that produce eggs, we do not eat these ourselves but workaways, friends and neighbours love them!

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We both run a business from home, have very good Wifi and can set up a desk for you to work from.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  plenty of space to park up here, if you prefer to sleep in your own space thats A Ok with us

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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