Establishing a small eco-friendly and self sufficient farm in Gamleby, Sweden

Details

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  Description

  Hello!
  
  Welcome to our home; a picturesque little farm, perfectly located near the coast yet comfortably nestled next to a quiet forest in south-eastern Sweden. Our farm is situated in an idyllic rural area, close to several nature reserves, and offers a peace and quiet that we would like to share with you. This peaceful environment provides the perfect backdrop for reflection and relaxation, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
  
  We are Jan and Angéla, civil engineer and sustainability consultant by profession, soon 54 and 52 years old. We have recently started a new chapter in our life by moving to this beautiful farm, complete with three barns and a few other log houses in varying condition. We live here with both part-time children and grown children that visit from time to time, and a bunch of lovely animals both domesticated and wild. Right now, we have two adorable and social cats and a small group of sheep, chickens, ducks, hens and cows. Outside the farm, wild animals such as deer, foxes, badgers, hares, owls, swallows, cranes, and more can be spotted almost daily.
  
  While we are deeply engaged in farm life, we also have regular jobs that often take us off the farm during the weekdays. This means that there will be moments when you may need to work independently or together with other guests. We value resourcefulness, creativity, and self-initiative – qualities we are also trying to develop in ourselves as we continue to learn and grow on this journey toward self-sufficiency.
  
  Our vision is to create a welcoming haven for old friends and new acquaintances alike – an 'in-between' the well-trodden path and the path less traveled. A sanctuary where you can pause, catch your breath, and rejuvenate; a vibrant place where life is celebrated, doors are always open, and friendship and understanding can flourish and ripple out into the wider world. We invite Workawayers to join us in this endeavor and help realize our vision.
  
  Looking ahead – Year Two on the Farm!
  
  After an amazing first year with inspiring guests, we are now planning for the upcoming year. To make the most of our shared time and projects, we will welcome Workawayers during three specific periods in 2024. Each period focuses on unique activities, offering opportunities for learning, contribution, and connection:
  
  Spring (around April): A time to kick off the growing season! We'll focus on gardening, planting, and preparing the grounds for upcoming projects. Perfect for anyone who loves working with soil and getting their hands dirty.
  Summer (around May–June): During these months, we’ll focus on building and renovating. Our main project will be continuing the construction of our guesthouse. If you have experience with tools or an eagerness to learn, this is a great time to join us!
  Autumn (around late September–early October): This is the season for harvest and preservation. We’ll be gathering fruit, preparing food for the winter, and celebrating the abundance of the land. A perfect period for those who love working with nature's bounty and sharing meals together.
  
  Who We Are Looking For
  
  We are excited to host max 4 people during each period and warmly welcome families or groups of good friends. (If you are traveling by yourself or in pair we will try to combine with more work-awayers.) Previous experience with self-sufficiency, rural living, or simply a keen interest in learning about these topics is highly appreciated. Whether you are skilled or just curious, your enthusiasm and willingness to be part of our farm life are what matter most.
  
  Why Join Us?
  With a rich history of travel behind us, our eagerness to meet new people and build meaningful connections is a big part of why we turn to Workaway. Our home provides a unique setting for collaboration, inspiration, and growth. Joining us is not just about helping with tasks; it's about contributing to a lifestyle rooted in community, connection with nature, and turning dreams into reality.
  
  We extend this invitation with open hearts and hope you will join us on this journey. Together, we can create something truly special. We look forward to welcoming you!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Natural building. Permaculture. Food forest design. Re-wilding in Nature. Perennial garden design.
  We hope that we will have visitors from abroad so that we can learn both languages and cultural ways from each other. We do believe that some weeks by us would offer both swedish culture and language, knowledge in perma culture, perennial garden, animal care and traditional renovating and log-tasks/painting and animal care.

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  Help

  Natural building, painting, Permaculture. Food forest design. Re-wilding in Nature. Perennial garden design. Wild swimming. Helping and shared laughter is our vibe, and afternoon relaxing in the sunshine.
  
  Our home - the small farm holds three log-barns and some extra log-buildings that are in need of restauration. During the summer of 2024 we will renovate and together learn more about how to renovate in traditional way.
  Both Jan and I have experience from living in the countryside and renovating old building but no-one of us is an expert and want to learn more together with you.
  During the summer of 2024 we will take our first steps towards being self-sufficient. When this will be - we are not sure. During this summer we are going to start preparations to build a large a green house and establish a new garden. As for now the pigs are preparing the ground. As ou can hear there is a lot to do and much joy and laughter to share at our place.
  
  Vegetarian happily accommodated.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Danish: Intermediate
  English: Intermediate
  Norwegian: Intermediate
  German: Beginner

  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

  At moment the accomodation will be in the main house where we have two extra double rooms and one single room.
  The rooms are nice decorated and with good sleeping amedities. Bathroom and kitchen will be shared. We will normally cook our food together, sometimes in the house and sometimes in the open.
  There is also room for your own camper van, caravan at our place or tent or hammock during beautiful summer nights if that is what you prefer.

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  What else ...

  We are close to cultural areas as the Glasriket where you can visit and take part in creating your own glass objects. Just 50 min away is Astrid Lindgrens birthhouse and also the amusement park "The world of Astrid Lindgrens värld" where all the stories are played as live theater in the summer time. There is also only a short bike ride to the coast where you can enjoy the Swedish east coast and vast archipelago of Tjust, St Annas and Gryt. There is also a lot of nature reserves for hiking and biking close by.
  There is bikes and a car that is possible to use from time to time. Look further & ask us for the link for more information.

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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

  We have good internet access, a room with two extra screens that are available part-time.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Normal size campervan can be parked at our farm.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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