Come to meet our fun family and experience the Finnish summer in North Karelia, Finland

Details

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  Description

  We are now Marja and two kids Leo (born 2014) and Luna (born 2016). We live in the countryside in North Karelia 20 km from Joensuu center.
  
  Our project has been to build a straw bale round house to be our home and it is (nearly) completed now. We have moved into the round house in May 2023. We also have 5 hectares of forest of our own and very close is an organic farm Pikkunuppu where I, Marja have grown up and where we now grow all our vegetables.
  
  The round house project started in 2016. The whole project was done with a small budget trying to use as much as possible natural and recycled materials from local resources.The house has a natural stone foundation, post and beam structure, as insulation in the walls is straw bales and on that there is a clay plaster. Also the ceiling and one interior wall is from plaster. The house has been painted with natural paints. It has a brick chimney, oven and stove and that is how we heat the house and cook food. We have only solar power but in the summer there is no shortage in electricity because there is so much sun. We have an outside sauna where we wash ourselves. Inside there is no running water, we carry our water from a well in the yard.
  
  We had our first helpers in year 2017 and since then we have had them every year. In the beginning of the project we had up to 20 a year, now when the house is nearly done and I´m on my own there has been only one or two a year. We are very happy how things go with helpers. That is why I am continuing this great way of sharing: we get help and we are able to show them our way to live and give them a great experience in the Finnish summer. We get to meet interesting people and learn from them.
  
  
  
  Welcome!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Pets

  

  Culture

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Farming

  

  Plant care

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Books

  

  Photography

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Carpentry

  

  Animals

  

  Nature

  

  Camping

  

  Winter sports

  

  Beach

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We live by a lake to swim in, we can give you bicyckles to go for a cycle and you can cyckle to Joensuu, you can do berry and mushroom picking later in the summer, walks in the woods, we have regular sauna.
  When you come here you are included in our family. We 3, specially the kids are social and happy to have company.
  We have two dogs that live inside with us and spends lots of time outside. They are kind and happy to have company as well.
  You are also included in the lovely organic vegetable growing group where us 3 and 4 other families grow vegetables in a shared field.

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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

  Type of help needed:
  I am looking for a person who is happy to work with me but also independently. I am looking for help to tidy up the yard, finish up little tasks here and there, about once a week help me in the field looking after the vegetables, looking after the garden here at the house, and also help me making fire wood. I will be helping and showing you what to do and also how to do things if needed.
  Time when help needed:
  2025 all May and first 3 weeks of June. Any amount of time within that time.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Finnish: Fluent

  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

  We have a lovely guest house in our yard with two beds, a table and chairs. In there you have your own peace and privacy. It is about 2,5mx4,5m big and it has a little sleeping balcony. It has lots of natural light in it and it is clean and cozy.
  Our meals are nutritious, filling and vegan. I will cook but I ask you to help to cut vegetables etc. I also like to bake cakes ect. :)

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  What else ...

  We like playing board and card games, we like being outside most of the day, we like going to local beaches to swim. Our place is surrounded by forest and close by is a a lake where you can swim every day.
  Ps. our internet access is only from a land line, no wifi available.

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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

  Internet access only on a line, no wifi available. We have two dogs. Campervans ect. fit in our yard.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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