Germany
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Hi
We are family Mitchell; Peter and Silka, Leonard 16, Edgar 14, Erik 7 and Parker 2 dog years! We share this rambling place with a brood of chickens, a hutch of bunnies and a nesting falcon family.
After twelve years of living in East London, we decided the time was right for a complete change of lifestyle and some 'fresh air'! So here we are living in a remote farming village by the wild woods of Upper Franconia in northern Bavaria. A decision also prompted by the arrival of a new member of the family in Nov 2011. Erik was born in London but won’t remember much as he was only there for 40 days!
Our mission is to turn this dilapidated farm into an inspiring place for events and creative output. It's a fairly big task, which is why we're looking for help and enthusiasm.
The place includes 3 acres of garden and woods with five buildings in various states of condition. We're looking for help with both the land and buildings, ongoing artworks and help round the house such as cooking, cleaning or playing with the boys. Jobs on the land include building ‘natural fences‘ through the woods and stocking firewood for the winter, restoring the vegetable garden, clearing the small beck, or unwanted trees from the woods and much more...taking the boys to the pool! If you're interested then we're the 'green heart' on the satellite image of the village: Weissenbach. We could probably do with some help organising the new website!).
The area has a big scale about it, large wild forests, rolling hills and ruggedly beautiful landscapes. Weissenbach is a small active village (approx 120 inhabitants) situated at the end of the road, so there's no through traffic. The area beyond is forest and fields, other than the Buddhist monastery, which is about a 30-minute walk through the woods. The nearest shops and bar are in Wirsberg, 3km down the road.
We're an open minded, well travelled family who love to work hard, eat well and have fun and we would like to offer volunteers the same in a beautiful place with good air and a wonderful array of bird song.
We have bicycles to lend for fantastic on and off-road cycling, including a lovely cycle path to the historic town of Kulmbach, famous for the Plassenberg Castle and the largest lead soldier collection in the world! We're surrounded by wonderful woodland walks and there's a great outdoor swimming pool and water slide nestled in the tree lined valley about a 15 minute bike ride from our place.
This is a great place for anyone who wants to hear themselves think. The air is wonderful, the area is charming and I'd like to think we are a positive and fun bunch to work with.
ps. we love music.
Gardening
Building
Babysitting / child care
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Other
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Art project
Help with Computers / internet
Anyone interested in design and art can benefit from our experience of over 25 years working in this field. They can be part of the journey of developing a project aimed to benefit the local community and attract tourism to an area once well populated by visitors. We speak both German and English in the home and have travelled, lived and worked in a number of other continents.
Works to beautiful old timber barn
Cutting dead trees out of woods
Preparing firewood for winter
Caring for the vegetable and fruit garden, chickens and rabbits.
Building living fences through woods
Preparing barn & studio for next events
Cooking & helping in the house
Playing with the children! Going to the pool, table tennis etc.
English and German
One double bedroom in main house
Three bedrooms in small house
Two ‘Hay hotels‘ in main barn
Wide range of other tents and camping equipment
Use of own kitchen, bathroom and toilet
The local area is full of beautiful, unspoilt walks through sweeping valleys and huge pine forests. There is also a very small Thai buddhist monastery nestled within the nature, approximately 25 mins walk from our home.
Kulmbach is our nearest town, a one hour cycle away with a picturesque historic castle, beer museum and cobbled back streets. Bayreuth, famous as the birth place of the composer Richard Wagner is a 15 minute train ride and worth a visit for shopping, the Wagner museum, Ermitage park etc..
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
5 max (25 hours per week)
