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Host rating
85 %
Last replied
6 Jul 2021
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Description
Here in the LAND OF THE BLUE LAKES, as we call Latgale, Latvia's lake district, we (open-minded internationalists of both sexes) are on the way to building a place of "simple life" in harmony with the surrounding ecosystems (near-natural meadows, open water, swamps, forests).
The right balance between family, community and individuality is our credo. Come and share hard, idealistic work, but also individual peace and an example of how theoretical ideas about a sustainable and truly independent life can be put into practice.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Farmstay help
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
Animal Care
Art Projects
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Latvian / Russian language, culture, music & architecture;
Baltic States incl. Riga, Daugavpils, Vilnius, Kaunas & a lot of nature;
Living in the rolling hills (forests), natural water-systems & rural getaways of Latgale (Latvias Lake-district) near the border to Russia & Belarus;
activities like hiking, swimming, fishing, picking mush-rooms & berries, horseback-riding, forest-cabin-nights, biking, boating, wintersports, Sauna, viewing tower…;
nature workshops in the National Park Center possible;
acquisition of priceless knowledge of how to implement an offgrid self-catering project and eco-farm project with simple means;
gaining contacts on site;
re-awakening / supporting the actual, essential wellbeing needs of the body and mind in traditional ways while conserving natural resources while at the same time breaking out from consuming money cycles ('healing', 'down-to-earth', e.g. with sauna, wood heating, sun shower, compost toilet, swimming pond, vegetable-garden & orchard, natural fridge ...)
Learning / consolidating simple manual/practical skills (woodworks, earthworks, clayworks, gardening, hydraulicworks);
theoretical further education (construction-structure, damage analysis, marking systematics, local Latgalian construction and craft history); official internship certificate by engineer possible;
Help
this season:
clean buildings from old furniture, scrap and dividing walls; dismantle small, broken wooden houses;
help with repairing the barn, garage, earth-cellar and sauna;
care / harvest of the orchard;
help with the creating/repairing of the media supply (well, solar system, compost toilet, clay oven, internet)
every year (long term stay):
help with the renovation and care of the farm, the buildings and the implementation of independent nature activities by young people in Latvia;
interior and object design (works of art, painters, clay work, designing);
help with cleaning / restoring a swimming pond including a sandy beach;
help with the construction of a pizza and pottery oven and a sweat house;
optional: renovate wooden boat or caravan, build a tiny house, simple medical or veterinary help; If desired, other activities can be added
desired characteristics and skills:
will to get your hands dirty and to work hard physically;
willing to live under simple circumstances right in a nature-near place (sleep, wash, eat)
If this will is there, you can learn everything else, i.e. previous experience or special manual skills are not mandatory;
esp. for the longterm-stay (to live on the place):
reliability, continuity, friendliness, diligence, self-reliance;
Prioritization of freedom, own daily or life rhythm and physical / mental health as the main comfort over super-convenience and consumption;
willingness to live in simple circumstances, in harmony with nature and like-minded people away from 'civilization';
driving license helpful (longterm-stay), but not mandatory;
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Latvian (Lettish): Fluent
Russian: Fluent
German: IntermediateThis 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
fairytale-9ha-farm with hilly wildflower-pastures in a forest-clearing on a lake;
embedded in it: traditional Latgale farmhouse ensemble in log house construction;
in the first days / weeks you live either on a simple hayloft or in a simple room or in a tent; later planned own helper house;
hiking trails, swimming lakes and places of power in the vicinity;
cooking on gas or wood stoves;
we provide simple basic-food and eat mostly individually;
1-2 times per week we prepare/eat the warm dinner together
sanitary conditions in the simplest, traditional Baltic way: dry toilet, well water (must be fetched yourself)
wash in the old Latvian way in the sauna or with a simple outdoor sun shower or while bathing in the lake
free parking on the premises (also for your own mobile home / caravan / tiny house)
temporarly 220V for charging the smartphone / led light;
4G available (for your own sim-card, that is available as prepaid-card very cheap in Latvia);
What else ...
what you should arrange or bring with yourself:
working-gloves, tough footwear, seasonal clothing; sleeping- or yoga-pad, towel; personal belongings;
special, fresh or luxury food (if necessary);
if possible: headlamp with charging option
arrival;
Lipuški, Rāznas nationalparc, region Latgale in Latvia;
via longdistance-bus or flight to Riga (LV) or Vilna/Kaunas (LIT);
via bus or train to Rēzekne or Daugavpils/Krāslava;
from there via bus, taxi, bike or (hitch)hiking (~30km) to Lipuški
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
prepaid sim-cards are available for very cheap money in Latvia; 4G is available on the farm; if you want, you can help to install a router / external antena on the farm to make to internet even faster (general coverage in Latvia is one of the best in Europe); we ca create a space with chair and working-table for you;
Space for parking camper vans
this is the perfect place to stay with your campervan, tent, caravan or tiny-house; gravelroad-access, lake-view, pastures and forests around; very quite and nature-near place (no pass-through-roads, nearly no planes); the farm-buildings and the area to stay with your mobile home are divided with a hill, what brings a lot of privacy for all; it's also an idea to build a community of tiny-house-people on the 9ha farm, living individually, but sharing/exchanging some facilities & possibilities; But please make shure, that you -like us- live an 'giving-taking-philosophy' (exchange of help and cultural values). People who look for a place to use the opportunities only while not giving back something - please look somewhere else.
Can possibly accept pets
paradise for animals; e.g. dogs love the wide fields and the water, cats will find enough to eat and to play; also keeping of horses, sheeps, goats, alpacas, lamas or chickens is possible, there is enough of very healthy grassland (no pesticides in the whole surroundings at all) and you can also make hey in case, you want to stay over the winter; one building could be reactivated as a shelter for animals;
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
