Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
24 May 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
15
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Badges (3)
Details
Description
Ciao :) here is Bea & Lino. We are an Italian-German couple learning and practising permaculture in Sicily. We are 34 years old and happily settled on our land since three years, after many years of city life and travelling the world. We speak italian, german, english, french (and a bit of spanish). Thanks for taking the time to read our introduction!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We live a slow life in contact with nature. We grow and forage as much food and medicine as we can ourselves and try to source most of the rest from small local producers. We ferment a lot food, make liqueurs, sourdough bread, different types of preserves and forage for wild plants.
We do our best to produce little waste and try to leave any place we go to a little bit cleaner than we found it. We are curious to learn a bit more about ourselves everyday and the world around us.
We are happy and rooted in our territory, and as much as our background is very international, we now feel very connected to the Sicilian culture as our own. We would be very happy to show you how life is done here :) If this resonates with you, feel free to contact us and we would be very happy to have a video call to get to know each other!
Help
Our land is in the mountains of Custonaci, overlooking the beautiful sea of Monte Cofano ;)
The plot is 17000 beautiful sqm in the foothills of a mountain at 350mt above sea level, right by a natural oak forest, with sea view and no neighbours. We own the land since two years and have been implementing a full permaculture design for an off grid self sufficient homestead, where to grow food, have animals and build our house.
As the project is in its first years of development there are many things to do and we couldn’t be more excited to share this journey with some lovely people, to get inspired by other perspectives and work together on our dreams coming true. We have been helpers in different European countries before settling down in Sicily, now it is our turn to host volunteers!
Below you will find an outline of the upcoming projects and important information. We keep this up to date regularly. Nevertheless there can be other spontaneous projects coming up and we are also open to the ideas and input of the volunteers. We always learn together :) General gardening/basic construction/carpentry are ongoing projects so we don't put them in the list. Please note that for certain projects we cannot accept volunteers without previous experience. If you like to cook that's an extra point!
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PLEASE NOTE THAT IF OUR CALENDAR IS RED WE CANNOT HOST VOLUNTEERS!
UPCOMING PROJECTS FOR 2024:
- November: olives harvest (see pictures)
- set up of a new VEGETABLE GARDEN with Hügelkultur raised beds
- DRY STONE WALLS. This is a very ancient building technique that only uses stones and no pollutants or harmful materials for the environment. Attached are some pictures of the first wall we built with other volunteers
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
Accommodation
We offer accommodation to our volunteers either in our big campervan (double bed) or in tents on the land. The setting is off grid but basic facilities are available (electricity, compost toilet, cold shower, a nice chill out space and a kitchen). Please make sure you are comfortable with this kind of natural off grid living before applying :) We don't live full time on the land yet, we have a rental flat in the village (8km away), so we spend some time on the land and some time in our flat. This means we will not always be living in the same place and some days you may be on you own on the land. You are welcome to use the warm shower/washing machine in our house in the village when you need.
Our working schedule is very flexible and so is that of the volunteers who help us, so do not expect a regular routine with us, we go with the flow :) we like to agree the working schedule with every volunteer individually and according to the specific project. We are happy to do things together with the volunteers when possible in the free time, also together with our friends.
We cook fresh meals everyday, mostly with local products. If you enjoy cooking it's great! We eat animal products but we can happily switch to vegetarian/vegan diet.
If you have your own car/campervan it is a great advantage to move around in your freetime.
What else ...
We are located very close to the sea (8km), next to two amazing natural reserves, Riserva Naturale Monte Cofano and Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro, so most volunteers enjoy their time off at the beach or taking hikes in the mountains. You can reach most of these places with a public bus. We also have an e-bike available. Many volunteers move around here hitchhiking, it is very easy. The whole area is a very famous climbing spot (and a good friend owns a climbing school if you need to rent equipment or take classes). Trapani - the nearest big city - can be reached by bus in less than one hour.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Feedback (10)
They have been the most attentive hosts I have ever met. The work there was not necessarily easy because we were involved in a natural building process and the Sicilian summer was at time complex to deal with, BUT we were always working side by side… read more
Photos
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
They have been the most attentive hosts I have ever met. The work there was not necessarily easy because we were involved in a natural building process and the Sicilian summer was at time complex to deal with, BUT we were always working side by side… read more
For my first workaway experience it could not have been any better.
I came for the Olive harvest. We were a very happy and harmonious Team. We also helped with the almond harvest, learned a littlebit about fermentation and gardening; we often spent the evenings… read more
I went to Bea's and Lino's in different occasions. As I was living near their place and could only go on weekends, they were totally flexible with me and encourage me to do my first workaway experience. I felt very welcomed from the first time we met and each… read more
I spent about a week with Bea and Lino. I was kind of stranded in Palermo and they quickly answered and kindly took me in. Communication was absolutely no problem as they speak so many languages.
We worked together on their plot of land a few kilometres away from their house, doing things like reinforcing the fence, gathering… read more
