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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
23 Apr 2024
Reply rate
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Details
Description
Hello! We're Jenny & Luca, a young couple who for the last years have been taking care of a piece of land in Sicily and looking for a simple way of life.
To begin, a few words about the place that we live and will happily share with you:
The garden has about 15,000sq meters, mainly populated by blood-orange and olives trees, together with other fruit trees and a few vegetable gardens.
At first glance, we felt in love about the place due to its panorama. We're at the foot of the volcano Etna and near to the Simeto valley (the biggest river in Sicily!). For the last two years, we've been experimeting on live simpler, working to transition according to natural farming, permaculture and agroecology principles, and designing sustainable ways to provide your home with water, energy and heating.
Other than that, we built a local small community of neighbors that share the vision of natural agriculture and live really close by. We developed some activities together as an opportunity to gather and share experiences and resourses, at the same time that we keep each other motivated. You'll have the chance to meet and share some work days together. The marjority production of the land are for us, family, friends and neighbors.
About us:
Our story together begins in Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America, where Jenny (31), from Brazil, meets Luca (33), from Palermo, Italia.
Jenny completed her studies in Nutrition and Luca in Architecture. In those years, however, we struggled to find connections between our studies and the practical life. So, we both have decided to pursue a PhD in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jenny in the Sociology area, where she studies peasant social movements. While Luca debates indigenous Amazonian thought in the Philosophy faculty. When we have reached the last years of their studies, we decide to put their theories into practice.
After almost an year being hosted in a local permaculture project, we have decided to fix our roots in the Simeto valley. In 2021, we find a place to call home. There we having been letting ourselves be transformed by the land and its fruits.
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General information:
The nearest town is 5km away. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation. At your arrival and departure, we'll arrange to get you at the nearest bus or rail station. There is no public transportation on Sundays.
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There is no wi-fi. However, it is possible to pursue digital activities and work with personal phone bills. For instance, we are still developing online activities with our universities in Brazil.
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When you write to us, please take your time to introduce yourself. Tell us why you would like to come, tell us about your skills and knowledge and if you have any personal projects.
Please specify when you want to come and for how long you would like to stay. We truly encourage you to stay for a minimum of 2-weeks - in this way, you have time to get to know the place, get used to the routines and specially enjoy yourself.
Feel free to write in English, Italian or Portuguese.
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Worth to say: We hope that you'll be able to feel at home at our place, we'll not tolerate any types of prejudices (gender, race, sexuality, so on).
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Excited to exchange experiences,
Hope to see you soon.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Simeto valley is a special place that is home for the biggest river in Sicily, affluent of the waters of Etna and Nebrodi mountains, that holds a wide range of native animals and plants. For us, sharing this place with others is a part of our dream to also increase human biodiversity in our project. We do believe that share this experience with us will be an unique opportunity to see Sicily countryside life through different lenses. We have different backgrounds and interests, other than that you'll be able to live, volunteer and experience a share routine of a community of neighbors.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
You will be able to live and experience an daily routine in natural small farming.
There is no special need for previous experience. We will be along the way with you. However, people with previous experience (at the specific tasks, and also living in communities) are specially welcome to co-design and dicuss ideas together.
Activities and expectations:
Our activities are seasonal and vary according to our available resources, personal energy and skills.
For the next period, some particular activities that we intend to do are:
- Design and experiments of self-building (if it's possible with natural, renewable and/or recycled materials) - compost toilets, small greenhouse
- Agroforestry - planting and maintenance of new native and exotic trees, annual pruning of fruit trees, regeneration design according to microclimate zones
- Summer vegetable garden
- Working the brunchs from the annual prunning and preparing wood for the winter
- Food picking, processing and cooking experiments: jams, liquors (limoncello, for example!), fermented food, bread, pizza, etc, etc.
- Bio-lake and spring waters management - working in progress!
There is also the general maintenance of the place, which is important to mention because it takes a fair amount of time. Other than that, we expect that everyone is able to feel at home, and for this reason keeps the place tidy and as or even better as they found it. We love to cook and share good meals, so the idea is that we'll take turns at the kitchen to make specially vegetarian meals with the ingredients from the garden.
We expected to work together 5 days a week, with 2 days off (once we're together we can define the details). Daily, we will have some activities in the morning and afternoon, composing around 5 hours.
The minimum stay is 2-weeks - we encourage you at least to dedicate this period, for you to have time to get to know the place, get used to the routines and specially enjoy yourself.
It is worth saying that you might be developing activities on your own, in a couple or in a small group.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Portuguese: Fluent
Accommodation
We have a caravan with two double beds available to host workawayers. It is possible that you share the caravan with another guest depending on the moment and requests. Other than that, we have a simple, but spacious shared kitchen; and also a shared bathroom.
If you have your own camper, we'll be happy to host you as well.
What else ...
People who have previous experience in farming and outdoor life are especially welcomed. Other than that, we really appreciate workawayers who feel good when with plants, animals, and in a natural environment, being sociable and happy to share, cooking and eating together, building with wood or other materials. Latin americans and people who enjoy the region have a big space in our hearts.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
We will be happy to host you and your camper.
Can possibly accept pets
Currently, we share the land with 4 cats - Panda, Cacau, Pandino & Mamma. We've hosted guests who have others cats and worked really okay. Write to us and we can discuss it.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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