Living off-grid in the woods and sustainability in the Alps, Italy

  • Favourited 111 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hi, this is Angela and Gaia :) We live in a tiny farm with our three dogs, Luz, Aeon and Nuni, and two cats, Lilith and Ulisse.
    Our farm is in an enchanted wood at 850 meters of altitude and here we take care of a little bit more of one hectare of land. Our house is a former barn made of stone that we renovated using only natural materials like clay, straw, sheep whool and lime. We did two mass heating stoves for cooking, heating the house and hot water.
    We are off-grid (photovoltaic panel and, when necessary, a generator).
    Our garden is no-till and organic and we grow as many different species and variety as we can. We use hay for mulching and do our own compost.
    We prepare sourdough bread, and make our fermented vegetables. We preferably eat what we produce.
    The workawayer will be hosted in a caravan in our property with a composting toilet outside and outdoor shower and kitchen.

    We are aiming to have the smallest impact as we can on our planet, therefore we buy as less animal product as we can, we are not alcohol free but we definitely drink it rarely in special occasions. We honour food keeping a balanced diet and avoiding excess, surely we don't waste anything. We appreciate that the workawayers help us going this direction.

    Since we live at the end of a dirt road, if you come by car, you can safely park in the woods about 500 m away from it, it'll take 7-minute walk to get to the farm.
    Please be aware that this place is quite remote and the only entertainment is Nature, depending on the period you can see deers, foxes, common buzzards, and griffons. Also bears and wolves were spotted close to here even if we haven't seen them...yet.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Carnia (this area) is a mountain region in the Alps, rich of possibility for hiking in the Nature. You can visit museums (geological, etc) and find typical food or all kind of fairs.
    Angela is a teacher of natural building materials, and would be happy to share her knowledge on sustainable building.

  • Help

    Help

    Activities include gardening, doing hay, wood chopping, building a greenhouse and fences.

  • Languages spoken

    Italian: Fluent
    English: Intermediate

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We'll host the Workawayers in a caravan on our land. If you have a tent and you prefer, you can camp in it. The accomodation is therefore a kind of camping site accomodation with outdoor composting toilet and an out shower with hot water. Please take with you your sleeping bag and towels.
    There is also a small stove in the caravan.
    We'll provide fresh vegetables and fruit (depending on the month) from the garden. Workawayers are in charge of preparing their meals in the caravan that has an outdoor kitchen.
    We appreciate when Workawayers keep the caravan clean also during their stay, not only at the end of their experience here.
    The caravan is totally off-grid and there are 2 USB plug for charging the 24V-DC appliances (e.g. mobiles), there's not the 220V-AC grid (e.g. the one for hairdrier) availability.
    Please be advised there's no WiFi. By the way, internet coverage with mobiles is granted using the Italian phone companies TIM and Vodafone.

    Smoking is not allowed in any space.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Helpers in their time off can relax, hike in the wild nature or go cycling. Our place is one kilometer (20 minutes walking) from the closest village where there is a caffee. Transport is by bus.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Since we live at the end of a dirt road, you can safely park your campervan in the woods about 500 m away from it, it'll take 7-minute walk to get to the farm. Please note that there's no water and electricity in the "parking lot".

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    We can possibly accept you with your pet, we just need to have a chat and try to see if they match with our pets ;-)

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 854636831923

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