Profile information
Host rating
85 %
Last replied
15 Mar 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
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Details
Description
We Paolo (italian) and Frauke (german) live on a secluded, 320 metres hill - called the "Montebamboli" which can be translated as "doll hill". We are surrounded by primeval mixed forest that reaches through the natural park to the sea. Our farm called aims to be as self-sufficient in food and energy as possible. We have wood heating, solar panels for hot water and eletricity, solar dryers, solar cooking and rainwater recovery systems. The house is fully insulated with green building criteria that allow a very low energy consumption. Every year in october we harvest our own 140 olives trees all by hand from which we get finest, high-quality biological olive oil. There is also a young orchard, a small vineyard and a vegetable garden where we experiment with organic farming methods and food forest. In the ground there is a forest and a pine forest.
The farm is also the headquarters of an association which since 1999 has been working on dissemination, training, application in the fields of environmental protection, renewable energy, energy and water saving, rational use of energy, change of lifestyles. Throughout its history, the association has carried out hundreds of activities, including technical and non-technical training courses and seminars, public events, participation in trade fairs, organisation of conferences and meetings, travelling exhibitions, environmental education modules, training trips abroad, drafting of articles and information material, awareness campaigns, planning and implementation. There is a well-stocked library of texts on the themes dealt with by the association.
To get here there are bus connections from Follonica train station to Massa Marittima. The farm is not directly connected by public transport but we can take any guests to Massa Marittima which is 10 km away or to the railway stations of Follonica or Campiglia Marittima which are 30 minutes away by car. There is the possibility to use the bicycle to move around the surroundings. Vegetarian food and accommodation is in the house. There are four cats on the farm, that also live with us in the house sometimes. We speak italian, german, english and a little spanish. The farm does not welcome the use of any drugs, alcohol abuse or the presence of dogs.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
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
As we are half italian, half german there is always a cultural exchange. We are interested in every culture and open for any lifestyle that respects everyone for who they are. We focus our way of life on an alternative approach in relation to the future and the communal life. Specifically you can learn something new relating to the climate change which is a very important subject especially in matters of our harvest and the heat in the summer.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are looking for warmly people that are also truly interested in our work and main focuses. We like to live together as a family with the workawayers and supplement each other in any possible way.
If you decide to live with us, you should be independent, open minded and also flexible in relation to the tasks. Truth and Trust is very important for us as a base to live together.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
English: Intermediate
Accommodation
The workawayers will sleep either in the house together in a seperate room, in a caravan (as big as a truck) or in a tent in the woods or between the olive trees. Another possibility for adventurers is to sleep freely under the stars in a self constructed bed hangig on a platform between two pine trees (don't worry: it's only 1 meter above the ground) - or on a bed between the olive trees protected by a mosquito net.
Outdoor we have a shower that is provided by solar collectors and an outhouse, but you can also use this things in the bathroom inside the house.
The predominant part of our food is from the garden and we are vegetarians but also can cook vegan if wanted. If you need to eat meat or fish you have to bring it with you but it's not allowed to cook with it in our kitchen. We love to cook, eat and afterwards do the dishes together as a family, also like the cleaning in the house.
In addition you should know that we share our kitchen/livingroom with all of you due to the fact that we only have that one room to use during the day.
What else ...
In dependence of the season we will work together in the morning until it's lunch time and afterwards you have the rest of the day for yourself. Sometimes we work for several days and you can enjoy your freetime after that also for multiple days, for example during the olive harvest.
While your time off you can visit beautiful etruscan citys like Massa Marrittima or go hiking or mountainbiking in the virgin forest and in the mountains. Moreover you can go swimming in the sea besides the long beautiful sandbeaches opposite the island "Elba". There is also a lake made by nature whose water is coming from a natural spring.
It's about 40 min by car to get to the sea near Follonica or to the lake. To visit cities like Rome or Florence you will need 3 hours by train or car and 2 hours to Pisa.
To get to this beautiful places you will need your own car or use the pubblic transport.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
The size of the caravan doesn't matter, our place is big enough.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximal 4-5 Stunden am Tag, 5 Tage die Woche
