You want to join us with gardening and small building projects in a stunning setting?

Details

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  Description

  We moved 3 years ago with our 2 sons (aged 4 and 9) to the Semois Valley in the Belgian Ardennes. To a dead-end hamlet with 50 inhabitants... but with some workawayers around in the season!
  For years, we wanted to live closer to nature, in clean air, in a place where we can still see the stars, and even the Milky Way! Coming from Antwerp city this means an oxygen bomb for our system... Before landing in the Ardennes, we travelled a lot, mainly to Africa where Laurence lived for 6 years. Time has come now to settle in a place that allows us to welcome the world in our home.
  
  Our project-in-progress is a micro-farm with different perspectives.
  We have a permaculture vegetable garden from which the family eats from June to March and from which we pickle, dry and process food. We have a 300m2 pumpkin patch that gives us a harvest that will get us through most of the winter and still have a lot to hand out to friends & family. The greenhouse enables a delicious tomato, pepper and aubergine harvest! The harvest is for our own consumption and to make people around is happy.
  
  We also have a production of organic eggs from our 200 chickens that live in a chicken mobile. The mobile is moved every week so the chickens have fresh grass, herbs and worms available at any time.
  In the season, we offer overnight stays for friends & family in tents at the back of our land. Over there it feels like paradise on earth. A place where you feel like if you were in Canada and which is set in a small valley that gives you the feeling of being cut of the world.
  
  Adrien is also working on the eco-reconstruction of our home, this is a solid project we are working on as we are doing almost everything ourselves.
  
  We also just planted an orchard with 100 fruit trees, these babys ask for particular care the coming years.
  
  Laurence is a naturopath and ayuvedic therapist and processes food for the family from the vegetable garden and makes healing preparations.
  
  Together with our 2 children, cat, (silly) dog, sheep and chickens, we welcome you in this beautiful area where nature lovers will be short on time to go out and explore the forest delights which are just at the doorstep of our home.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We speak more languages (English, French, dutch, a bit of Spanish, a bit of German, a bit of Kiswahili, a bit of Swedish) and we love to connect with you about where you come from. As we are passionate about what we do, we are thrilled to share with you on eco-construction, a circular lifestyle, permaculture, and of course on naturopathy and ayurveda. There are often workawayers in our village and staying at friends in nearby villages.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  We have masses of challenges which you can help us with. Depending on your interests and the moment of the year, we have different projects running:
  
  > help to renovate the house;
  > the vegetable garden requires a lot of preparatory help from February to June, from preparing the soil to sowing, weeding,... The same happens in the pumpkin field.
  > help to process food
  > general help with the animals (private chickens, sheep, dog&cat ;-))
  > putting up new fences
  > preparing firewood for the winter
  > general gardening work and maintenance

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  German: Beginner
  Spanish: Beginner
  Italian: Beginner
  Swahili (Kiswahili): Beginner

  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.
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  Accommodation

  You will be staying in a tiny house which is placed on our land with a magnificent view. You have basic accommodation and a small kitchen is included. We are finishing the tiny house at this moment. As the tiny house will be rented out from time to time, you could also stay in our tipi tents which are placed in a small valley at the back of our land which is a true paradise.
  You will have bathroom accommodation in our house, and you could also stay in the spare room we have if the above options are not suited.
  As we live according to an Ayurvedic lifestyle, we have our main meal at lunch time. We eat a lighter evening meal (which can be soup with bread or a vegetable dish or...). For breakfast we let everybody take it at their ease in the own accommodation. Starting the day at your own rythme!

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  You are very welcome to set your van on our land!

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week