Ireland
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21/10/2020
We are setting up our smallholding: we have 2 Dogs, 12 Chickens and 1 horse, so far!....we plan to add other animals as we go along e.g. goats, sheep, pigs. We also have 10 mini raised-vegetable-patches/flowerbeds ready for planting.
We live in rural scenic location on 6 acres of land in a solid, warm, dry two-storey farmhouse that needs plenty of TLC.
The house is welcoming and full of love but it is cluttered and busy and is begging for a good clean. Mum, Dad and 4yr old son live in this house. Dad has two other adult children who belong here but live away.
We are striving to create a therapeutic sanctuary smallholding that will sustain a small family. With the possibility of expanding our dream and offering a safe space for marginalized young people and men who feel ostracized in the community.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Farmstay help
Help around the house
Animal Care
Teaching
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Anyone who comes to work and stay in our family will be welcomed with open arms. The man of the house enjoys lively debates in sociological, political and legal issues, He is gifted with woodwork, mechanics and general maintenance skills.
The mum in the house is educated up to PhD level in Humanities and Social Sciences (Criminology) and has a specific interest in working with the marginalized and disenfranchised in our community.
We live in rural Ireland where community is key. Workaways will be exposed to a myriad of cultural experiences from traditional Irish crafts (breadmaking, cheese making, baking and cottage crafts e.g. spinning wool) to meeting neighbours from other countries and all walks of life.
Educating our child is an important aspect of our everyday. We find that we ourselves are learning as he learns. We live in a very beautiful and scenic area and utilize this as an important teaching tool. We are introducing our son to our traditional language, music, stories, myths etc and the Workaway would benefit from hearing these too.
We need help both inside and outside the house,
OUTSIDE:
walking the dogs,
feeding the chickens and horse (and other animals),
helping to build a poly-glass house,
weeding and planting vegetable patches and flower beds, as well as
INSIDE:
painting walls inside,
doing laundry,
washing dishes,
washing floors
other housework
child minding.
Finally, we are "unschooling" our child (home education without a set curriculum). Our educational ethos is learning by doing with a preference for learning outdoors. He attends a woodland based kindergarten until June 2019 and will then be learning at home. We would be delighted if our workawayer was willing to drive/collect to/from kindergarten and do some night time babysitting and occasional early morning activities (approx 2 mornings a week from approx 6.30am).
If you are an easy going, energetic, non-judemental, alternative thinker who loves children and animals and does not mind getting mucky then we are the host family for you!
NB: This house would not suit someone with OCD, a phobia of spiders, or a dust allergy!
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Irish: Beginner
The Workawayer can choose between a large recently refurbished bedroom and a comfortable, well equipped camper van.
The bedroom is on the ground floor of the house and has tea/coffee making facilities, a fireplace, a comfortable double bed and semi-hard wood floors.
The Campervan has two double-bed-sized sleeping spaces is warm and cozy, one of the sleeping areas doubles up as a sitting/table area for during the day, it also has a gas fired hob and a toilet on board.
There are two bathrooms in the house. A power shower in one and an electric shower and bath in the other.
One bathroom doubles up as the utility room. There is a washing machine, dryer and chest freezer in here. This is where we store our clothes.
FOOD:
We eat good, wholesome food (with the occasional take away thrown in!). We bake our own sourdough bread once or twice a week. We eat organic meat, real butter, drink goats milk and use our own eggs. We hope to be eating our own vegetables very soon.
We eat breakfast at our own leisure. This is usually porridge oats, home made sour dough toast, scrambled egg or cereal.
Lunch varies but usually consists of a sandwich/Soup/Salad some days we do not eat a formal lunch but there will always be an option for the Workawayer to help themselves if they are hungry.
Our main meal is in the evening at approx 6pm and is usually something like a hearty stew, a curry, a bolognaise or a roast (etc.)
Sunday is our family day and we encourage our Workawayer to organise a trip away or to rest in their room on this day. Workawayers are responsible for preparing their own meals on a Sunday. Supplies will be provided.
We live 25 miles from Sligo Town. Sligo is a beautiful coastal town where sea-surfing, mountain climbs and forest walks are strongly encouraged.
Train and bus services are a short car journey from our house and we will advise the Workawayer of the most interesting places to visit and explore in the North West of Ireland.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
