Join our self-sufficient family home in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, Spain

Details

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  Description

  We live in a self-sufficient farm house (cortijo) located about 2.5 km from the village of Fernán Pérez, in the area of maximum protection of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, within the municipality of Níjar, in the province of Almería.
  The building is enclosed by the park’s characteristic rounded hills and marked by native vegetation including shrubs, pine trees, old olive trees, fig trees, cypresses, carob trees, and dwarf palms (palmitos).
  
  We have no immediate neighbours, and the only structures visible in the distance are an ancient aljibe (water cistern) and a goat stable.
  From time to time, señora Lola, who lives about 3 km away, passes near the property by car or comes for a visit.
  
  The cortijo is surrounded by olives as well as by other trees, including three large pine trees, an araucaria, and two false pepper trees.
  
  Our farm is a peaceful place with minimal noise and light pollution, where it is possible to disconnect from city life and reconnect with nature and with oneself, by observing the night sky or listening to the silence.
  
  The cortijo is home on a permanent basis to our three cats, as well as chickens, roosters, and ducks. We are often there too: Fabiano and Barto.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Charity work

  

  Sustainability

  

  Pets

  

  Farming

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Culture

  

  Writing

  

  Plant care

  

  Hitchhiking

  

  Languages

  

  Gardening

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Animals

  

  Team sports

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Camping

  

  Mountain

  

  Beach

  

  Hiking
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Our guests could benefit from the experience by living in a privileged place: the area of maximum protection of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. They will have the opportunity to connect with the surrounding nature and with themselves. They will be able to learn how a self-sufficient facility works, based on solar panels, batteries, a well and a water storage system. They could learn pruning techniques and be introduced to permaculture. They could learn how to take care of chickens and ducks, including aspects related to their coexistence, growth and egg laying. They could improve their hands-on skills in building wooden structures or renovating ancient dry stone walls. They could also enhance their skills in creating and managing social media profiles, as well as in video creation and editing.
  
  They may improve their Spanish, English or Italian and their cooking skills by learning from us how to cook traditional local food.

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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

  We want our helpers' activities to have a positive impact on their growth and learning. We want also that their personal satisfaction is high at the end of the experience, so we'll work with them to develop a shared program before confirming our collaboration.
  We generally recommend a program with diverse tasks for our Worakayers, creating different learning opportunities, a dynamic and varied daily routine.
  
  Workawayers won't be helping with any business-related tasks and they support is not for profit.
  
  We offer the following activities, but we are open to adding or replacing them, based on the suggestions, wishes, and skills of our helpers:
  
  - Help us with the care of the animals and the management of the olive trees.
  
  - Create or manage the social media profiles, a logo for the cortijo, make videos, pictures and post them.
  
  - Management of local non-profit social events for the local population
  
  - Restoration of ancient dry stone walls: Our collaborators may support us in the restoration of historic dry stone walls, local and UNESCO heritage sites. They will receive training on the necessary techniques. The work involves reassembling sections of the walls that have been damaged by wear, rain erosion, and abandonment.
  
  - The creation of a new small wooden chicken coop and the attached enclosure to protect the chickens and ducks
  
  - The creation of a synergistic vegetable garden, including the irrigation system and the protective fence

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  French: Beginner
  Portuguese: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  We are fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian. We speak a little French and Portuguese and we would love to practice them with our guests or make language tandems.
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  Accommodation

  Workawayers will have their own private apartment within the farmhouse, featuring a private room each, bathroom, and kitchen/dining area.
  
  Our helpers will eat with us: we will cook for them or they will cook for us (as part of their daily tasks).
  In case we will not be at home, we will leave some food for them.
  We will consult with Workawayers about their dietary needs and allergies and we will choose appropriate food.
  In case they want to go for a 2 days trip somewhere else, we can provide food for packed meals. In case they prefer to eat at the restaurant, they need to pay it by themselves. We don't plan to give money to our helpers.

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  What else ...

  Several hiking trails start directly from the cortijo and lead to other areas of the natural park.
  We would like to help our helpers discover the coastal village of Las Negras, Rodalquilar, and its beach as well, other wonders of the park, such as the beaches of San José, the bay of San Pedro, or other small coves that are difficult to reach.
  
  We can meet our Workawayers in Campohermoso, which they can reach by bus from Almería.
  When we go to Fernán Pérez, Campohermoso, or Las Negras, we can give them a lift by car.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  The internet connection is provided via satellite. We have never had any issues with video calls or using online illustration programs, but the connection to streaming platforms or gaming may occasionally experience interruptions.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  If our helpers have a camper van, they can park it without any problems in front of the cortijo. There are no restrictions on the size of the camper. To reach the cortijo, it is necessary to drive along a 2.5 km dirt road, which is in fairly good condition.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Yes, we can accept pets, but they must be well-trained: they must not damage the furniture, soil the cortijo, or attack our animals, which often roam freely around the property.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  Diana, Silvestra and Milagrito (9 months)

  Our 3 cats born in 2025 are the queens of the Farmhouse

  Patrizia, La Rouge and their friends (11 months)

  Since february 2025 , 5 hens and 2 rooster are living with us

  Khaki Campbell ducks (2 months)

  At the end of 2025, 5 Khaki Campbell ducks were born in the cortijo.

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