Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
19 Sep 2024
Feedback
36
ID verified
Email verified
Badges (4)





Find your perfect host
Details
Description
Welcome to your paradise!
If you are looking to try living simply - feel free to join us on our journey! We are trying to get more self-sufficient in an attempt for a more simplified life with less dependency and a closer connection with nature.
ABOUT US
We are a family of four with multiple furry companions. It's me, my husband and our two children, 11 and 9 years old, our two mischievous cats and wild young German Shepard mix. We are currently on a time out on farm animals, but they will surely be back in the near future.
Apart from the farm we also have normal full-time jobs as well as activities for the kids and commitments in associations for both the island and development of the Archipelago as a whole. So, we have a busy schedule! :-D
OUR VISION
In 2017 we bought a neglected farm on an island in Stockholm archipelago with the aim to make it our livelihood. We want to build a small-scale permaculture inspired organic farm, where our vision is to live a sustainable lifestyle with less stress and more quality of life.
OUR PLANS
To be able to live off the farm we want to start a farm store for the farm’s products, both from the animals, the gardens and the orchard. The farm store would preferably have a kitchen for taking care of the different produce from the farm, such as dairy products from the goats’ milk, jams from the berries, apple cider from the apples and of course the honey from the bees, to name a few. We also want to build a stone oven, so we can bake sourdough breads and pizzas/tarté flambées.
OUR FOCUS
In addition to the daily care taking of the animal on the farm, our focus right now is to give the farm a ton of TLC in order to bring it back to its old glory. After more than 50 years of no maintenance, there's a few things that needs done, to say the least. And it’s turned out to be a greater undertaking than we expected. So, we desperately and gratefully need all the help we can get! All the buildings need some major renovations in order to make them functional again. We are also planning on installing solar panels for our energy needs and want to build a system for our water supply, including saving rainwater.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We need help with everything on the farm, so the tasks will be varied. In exchange for your help, you get food and accommodation as well as a beautiful area to explore.
As most of the chores are performed independently you must be comfortable working alone. Though, as we sometimes work together you must also be able to function in a team setting. It's all about communication and adapting to each other. Especially when you also live closely together with others. If possible, we try to accommodate all volunteers in separate rooms unless you are friends or a couple. However, there might be times where you will have to share a room.
We aim for having 2-4 volunteers, but in the beginning and end of the season there might only be 1 and during the high season there might be more depending on rotation overlaps.
EARLY SPRING AND LATE FALL
Our houses were built in the beginning of the 1900's and aren't winterized - meaning they aren't very well insulated. Therefore our volunteers need to be prepared with proper clothing. Since electricity is so expensive, we only heat with wood from our own forest. Room temperature will be lower than what would be considered "normal". This is our reality. Islanders are known to be hardy. Are you? ;-)Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We have a bilingual household, where both Swedish and English is spoken. However, as most volunteers won't speak Swedish the volunteer wanting to learn or improve their Swedish will have to initiate the language exchange.
We welcome all nationalities for mutual cultural and language exchanges. Both my husband and I have travelled a lot, though never through Workaway. We have now landed on our plot of land, which we want to be able to share with others. We are hoping for a mutually beneficial, interesting and enjoyable time.
People who get the most from their time with us tend to have a community mindset, a “get it done” attitude, are self-starting, communicative, teachable, positive solutions focused, reliable and take responsibility for what they are managing. We offer a hands-on experience and will do our best for your to enjoy your stay with us. Though; tasks on a homestead/farm isn’t always fun and it can be both dirty and smelly. All types of tasks still need to get done. In all types of weather.
At dinner we enjoy sitting around discussing ideas and concepts, eating good food and maybe learn something or teach someone else something that makes a difference in this world. We also love board games. We enjoy being outdoors, cooking, eating and entertaining friends and family.
If there is anything you want us to show you or teach you then just let us know and we will do our best to share our knowledge.Au Pair Help
Further details can be found here
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Examples of what we are working on and need help with:
Care taking of the animals; feeding, cleaning, petting. Clearing and cleaning of the buildings. Renovating the buildings. Clearing of the woods, beam making from logs and wood splitting. Painting; both indoors and outdoors. Gardening; sowing, weeding, harvesting. Pruning the old fruit trees and planting new ones. Clearing and repairing paths. Preparing of planting areas. Care taking of the children; play games, prepare snacks, go swimming, go fishing, read books. Build tiny houses, fences and porches. Set up a recyclable station. Beekeeping; hive inspections and honey harvesting. General cleaning of debris on the premises left by previous owners/generations. Rarely any housekeeping for us, but it might happen. You name it! The volunteers are also responsible for the housekeeping of the accommondation in addition to the work performed for us.
We will provide gloves, but you will need to bring your own work clothes and shoes. There may be some to borrow, but it depends on your size. We do have a number of rubber boots in different sizes as they are bulky to bring.
Normally the work would be performed daytime throughout the week on a schedule. Sometimes work during other times might be asked and this will then be planned accordingly and properly communicated. We normally do a five days of volunteering, then two days off. Arrival day and departure day are days off. Flexibility for specific days off or volunteer 10 days with four days off. Tasks are performed regardless of weather and farm work can be hard, dirty, heavy and/or smelly. But it can also be rewarding and interesting.
Example of a normal day's schedule:
1 hour of wood spliting
1 hour of animal care
1 hour of gardening
2 hour of construction
The above schedule is just an EXAMPLE and depends on the number of volunteers on the farm, the season and what is most urgent, along with room for preferences.Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Swedish: Fluent
German: Beginner
Spanish: BeginnerThis 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.Accommodation
Accommodation will be provided in one of the cottages. The cottage is over 100 years old and we have not gotten around to renovate it yet, so the cottage is BASIC with a standard that would be considered lower than normal.
There's one bedroom with a double bed as well as one single bed, suitable for a couple or a small family. And there is one bedroom with two single beds. We can also accommodate families with children. The common areas are the kitchen, living room and the glass porch. We will provide bedding and towels.
There is only cold running water in the kitchen and no septic. The kitchen has a fridge, a small stove, stand alone water heater and a hot pot. Due to the electricity not being totally upgraded some things can't be used at the same time. There is no toilet or shower indoors. There is an outhouse close to the cottage for toilet visits and an outdoor bucket shower. On warm days the sea is just a few minutes' walk away for swimming.
We also have a separate small cabin with a sofa bed suitable for a couple. The cabin does not have electricity or running water, but does have its own outhouse. The cabin would be considered “a bedroom“. The shared areas of the cottage are available for cooking and hanging out.
As there might be multiple people living in the cottages, it's important to keep things neat and not "spread out" too much other than in your room. Cleaning up after cooking and eating should be done as soon as possible.
Breakfast and lunch are eaten independently or as agreed, but dinners will mostly be eaten together and the preparing, cooking and cleaning up will be shared on a rotational schedule; meaning one to two times per week depending on how many people we are on the farm. On days off you will not be on the cooking schedule and you can of course always opt out of the shared meals the evenings you're not cooking.
We will provide a stocked fridge, pantry and freezers as well as hopefully a full garden when in season, so you are free to cook and bake whatever you wish from the ingredients available. The meat we eat is, as far as possible, from the homestead. Sweden has excellent water, so the tap water is drinkable. We normally don't provide sweets/treats or snacks between meals other than the occasional "fika" nor do we provide drinks such as sodas or alcoholic beverages other than perhaps on special occasions. If you would like these foods or drinks, you will need to supply them yourself.
There are no stores on the island and we only do grocery pick-ups about every two weeks and therefore meal planning is important. We believe in trying not to waste food or make extra trips for single ingredients. We therefore try to use what is available and make good use of any left overs.What else ...
During the high season the ferries run on a daily basis, but be aware that specially in the low season (outside of mid-June to mid-August), there are limited possibilities to get off the island.
The area we live in has a lot to see and do. On your time off you can go island hopping, visit Stockholm or Uppsala with all their tourist attractions or for a night out.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
There is WiFi on the homestead, however, currently not inside the WA cottage due to a faulty cable.
Can possibly accept pets
We are animal lovers and can accept all animals that will not in any way harm the other animals, humans or property.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (24)
so Jeanette accepted me and my travel Buddy to stay with her on the lovely Island for a month and it was just amazing.
We were welcomed with open arms and amazing food (Jeanettes cooking is really divine).
we stayed in a cute cabin with everything one might need and such a cozy atmosphere.
The work we had to do was full of variety… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(4.9)
so Jeanette accepted me and my travel Buddy to stay with her on the lovely Island for a month and it was just amazing.
We were welcomed with open arms and amazing food (Jeanettes cooking is really divine).
we stayed in a cute cabin with everything one might need and such a cozy atmosphere.
The work we had to do was full of variety… read more
The work-away cottage… read more
I fed the chicken, took care of the dog, split wood for winter, made dinner from time to time, cut asparagus and different vegetable in the greenhouse...
A couple joined me after two weeks and… read more
-Alessandra-
We would recommend Matthias… read more
The house where we stay is large, each one has its own space.
The island of Edö is really pretty and… read more
They are extremely giving of their time and efforts and feed you like kings! They have plenty of various tasks to keep you engaged whether it's routine animal… read more
Edö is a beautiful place and they are appreciating the work you do. Geoff taught us a lot about construction working and Jeanette about the… read more
I lived with an other worker in a own house, where we spent much time to gether. I was so happy that we got alonge well, if not it could be a little bit boring. Because we spend mostly in dinner time, time with the parents. The kids want to play the full time with you, what was… read more
My tasks were… read more