Norway
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This farm in Hardanger has not been run for about 30 years.
Tessa grew up in Oslo and moved here 2017, and Ander came in 2019 and is from Basque country.
Now we are preparing to plant apple trees round two. That involves cutting down trees around the fields, setting up deer fence, hitting in support poles, make drainage and roads. We are also rent out two small huts for summer guests and want to produce some vegetables, herbs, berries etc. for the household.We got 4 chickens and Ander keeps bees, and he produces a lot of firewood. We also watch peoples dogs in the summer.
We are looking for people who have knowledge/experience/skills related to carpentry, gardening and farming.
You must enjoy life in the countryside and be enthusiastic about physical tasks, and be able to work independent after being introduced to the work. We live on a hill, and you need to be fit to walk up and down the hill and help in all kinds of weather- sometimes hot, wet or cold. We try to make the work varied, but farming can sometimes be monotonous.
We are looking for people who are thinking of having their own farm or have some skills that they want to share, and people who are interested in country life, self-sustainability, and living close to nature.
We need people who can really get something done.
We will be housemates during your stay, that means sharing the chores in the house.
We expect you show some knowledge and initiativ in chores like cleaning, cooking and other basic daily tasks like carrying firewood into the house and keeping the bathroom/kitchen/livingroom clean.
Housemates should take part of creating a good atmosphere.
In exchange we offer a separate bedroom in the house, healthy food three times a day, hot shower, some home-made cider and spectacular surroundings. We eat a balanced diet of bread, cheese, eggs, beans, grains, rice, local meat and fish, fruit, berries and vegetables preferably in season. We eat most meals together.
It is hard to feed vegans here because local meat (sheep, trout, deer, reindeer) is big part of our diet and vegetables in Norway from the shop is expensive especially out of season.
Tessa has a budget on the food, we try to make the best out of what we got in our surroundings and what we got in the freezer and fridge. That means we never throw food and we eat what we got in our environment.
The farm overlooks the glacier Folgefonna across the fjord.
The fjord offer opportunities for swimming, fishing and boat rides in the summertime, and the hills are full of hiking opportunities.
Tessa and Ander are busy people(Tessa has a summer day job) and spend a lot of time with the workawayers. Sometimes they need time on their own. It is therefore great if the workawayers can be self sufficient in their free time.
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Travellers may benefit from the stay by having a good chance to practice their English,Norwegian or Spanish.
They will also learn about how to start a farm and problem solving. The buildings is full of old farming equipment and tools, so it can be interesting historically and culturally. The work is physical so people might feel they get in good shape in beautiful surroundings and clean air.
Tessa is a student of land use management and ecology. We might share interesting ideas about self-sufficiency, ecology, plants, fishing, wildlife, soil biology, healing art, forests, forest gardening, farming, hiking, skiing, mountains, art and exploring.
Ander is a forest engineer and is interested in trees, plants and animals. He likes playing board games and also keeps bees.
The landscape in Hardanger is beautiful, with waterfalls, fjords and mountains with snow all around. The glacier Folgefonna we overlook across the fjord.
Volunteers with skills/experience/knowledge with any of these fields are welcome:
We are looking for help to prepare and for planting apples from March2021 until June 2021.
We are looking for a person to keep the house clean and other house chores from May 2021 until sept 2021.
Work might also be during summer/autumn
:
Moving logs and branches. Fencing
Help with vegetable garden.
Cut trees with chainsaw.
Cut grass with different types of grass cutters
Hit down support poles for trees
Make ditches. Restoring old houses.
Organising, tidying the barn and houses.
Make compost
Autumn(September, October) Make jam, apple juice/cider, fermented vegetables and dried vegetables/fruits/berries etc.
chop/pack wood
English: Fluent
Norwegian: Fluent
Travellers will be accommodated into bedrooms in the second floor of the main house. Volunteers have their own bedrooms in the second floor in the main house. They share one bathroom and have a dining/living room and kitchen in the first floor.
The building has good internet.
The huts on the property is a bed and breakfast in the summer season.
There is plenty of places to relax on the farm land, in the forest and hikes to do on the surrounding hill. Berry picking in the summer, and mushroom picking in the autumn. All around the fjord there are hiking trails, and the fjord welcomes for a swim, fishing or a boat ride.The nearest town is Odda, a 30 minutes bus ride away, and the village Lofthus is a 10 minute bus ride away. Lofthus has a pub and restaurant, but its not so much socially that happens around so we usually make our own party. The town Voss is a one hour bus ride away with access to the Bergen-Oslo railway line.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
This host can provide space for campervans.
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.8)
