Profile information
Host is looking for help immediately
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
22 Jan 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
10
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Description
We are a couple in their early 60's living in the Terra Alta, Tarragona, a remote region of our small country, Catalonia, taking care of our olive and almond trees. We have a background in technology and we are now eco and regenerative farmers. We live 100% off-grid.
We left the big city to come to the Terra Alta where we bought land in Gandesa 16 years ago, got it into production and ended up also rebuilding a couple of houses in the village of Bot and three cottages in the countryside of Gandesa. Note we are not a business, we are a homestead.
Carlota has a law degree (University of Barcelona) and Marc is a neuroscientist (University of California, Berkeley). Both have been entrepreneurs all our lifes, having created several companies. We have two sons, one is an architect now living in Barcelona (after having worked in London and New York) designing and building all over the world and the other is a physicist specializing in data science and data architecture living and working in Berlin.
We love Workaway. So far we have hosted volunteers from France, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada, Latvia, Hungary, Italy and Australia. Wherever you are from, you are welcomed.
Our preferred language is English.
By the way, do read our profile carefully and fully before messaging us. We like to get requests from volunteers that tell us why they think they can specifically contribute to our endeavors and why they want to come to our place / area. Please do not send us a standard message.
Whether we think you are a good fit or not, we will reply to you promptly. Please do so as well.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House sitting
Interests
Sailing / Boating
Politics / Social justice
Music
History
Technology
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Culture
Plant care
Books
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Architecture
Nature
Farming
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are fluent in Catalan, French, English and Spanish. But we would ask workawayers staying with us to speak in English, even amongst themselves if English is not their native language.
We would like to welcome people from abroad to learn about Catalonia (a nation with no formal state) and its heritage and to share meals and conversations with people from other countries.
The area where we live was the scene of the most cruel Batalla del Ebre, a crucial part of the Spanish Uncivil War, where many international brigadiers from countries such as Germany, Norway, Canada, Japan, USA, Mexico, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and many more came to fight fascism and the Spanish dictator. Many died nearby.
We have travelled quite a bit so we appreciate cultural exchanges.
Help
We need help in the outdoors taking care of our olive and almond trees and general help. Farming experience valued.
We are looking for self motivated, organized, handy, resourceful people.
Expect a full 5 hour help day. Windy area and somewhat cold in winter. But the cottages are very cozy, very well insulated and equiped with wood stoves that se will teach you how to use.
Make sure you bring along working clothes and water resistant boots.
Languages spoken
Catalan: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Accommodation
We have available to you two fully rebuild small cottages, one with a kitchenette that sleeps 4 people (2 in a double bed and 2 in a convertible futon) with an independent bathroon 125 meters nearby and another cottage with all amenities in it (this one sleeps two in a single convertible futon). Both cottages have wood stoves. We can provide limited internet access. We are off grid so electricity and water need to be used very very sparingly, with guidelines we will give you if you come stay and work with us.
So you will have your own cottage, with total privacy and space. We only want workawayers that will commit to treat our places as if they were their own, or better. The cottage will need to be kept clean and tidy throughout your stay.
No smokers please. No pets, although we do have 7 chicken.
Our farm is in the middle of the countryside and 5 km away from Gandesa, Tarragona, Catalunya.
We will provide ingredients / food for all meals. We cannot cook everyday and every meal for you so you will have to adapt daily to what we can do and be ready to cook for yourself. We would like Workawayers to cook dishes of their own regions / countries and share them with us. Notice we do not eat meat. We also do not drink alcohol.
What else ...
We can pick you up and or drop you off at the bus station in Gandesa (best option for us) or the train station of Mora la Nova. But whether you come by on a bike, by bus (most reliable public transportation in this area), by car, by train or on your van or motorhome, you will be most welcomed.
There is plenty to do in the area but keep in mind this is one of the least populated areas in Catalunya, so no nightclubs and nightlife.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have an internet radio connection which is decent (aprox 35mbps) but not high speed.
Space for parking camper vans
Plenty of safe space available. We can only host familites IF they come in their own camper
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (5)
Mikelis turned out to be a very very hard working volunteer. He worked very intensely throughout his stay with us. He said he would and he… read more
The stay was very comfortable and very cozy. I had the cottage "Mas de la pedra" all to myself. It was presented to me very… read more
I have spend almost 3 weeks at there fantastic place. I got a small cottage for myself which was very very nice.
It was my first time doing workaway and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the Spanish/Catalonia history, food, living off grid and the whole world 😅.
Marc and Carlota did a very… read more
He will always be "the flying Dutch" after showing us… read more
We had very interesting conversations with them about a very wide range of topics (the Catalan fiscal expoliation by the Spanish state, the… read more
The cottage we stayed in was… read more
Photos
Feedback
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Mikelis turned out to be a very very hard working volunteer. He worked very intensely throughout his stay with us. He said he would and he… read more
The stay was very comfortable and very cozy. I had the cottage "Mas de la pedra" all to myself. It was presented to me very… read more
I have spend almost 3 weeks at there fantastic place. I got a small cottage for myself which was very very nice.
It was my first time doing workaway and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the Spanish/Catalonia history, food, living off grid and the whole world 😅.
Marc and Carlota did a very… read more
He will always be "the flying Dutch" after showing us… read more
We had very interesting conversations with them about a very wide range of topics (the Catalan fiscal expoliation by the Spanish state, the… read more
The cottage we stayed in was… read more
They live off-grid in a remote area. This requires a frugal use of water and electricity. It also means very little socialization. This was a bit challenging to me at the beginning, but in the end I liked it.
The job was physical. It consisted in repairing a path which had… read more
