Estonia
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We are Imbi and Andres and we've been living in the countryside with our two sons since 2015. We have a small farmstead and enough land to grow food for ourselves. Our farmstead is in the southern part of Estonia 4.5 km from the Latvian border. The nature is beautiful of course.
Our main goal is to develop our handicraft cottage and be strong community members. Our family is member of Parmu Ecovillage (there's a video where you can see the nature on youtube: Tule kuidas tahad by Tulekuidastahad Valgamaa, concept by Parmu Ecovillage). The members are very friendly and supportive, there's also active village community.
We are experimenting with permaculture and hope to be as self-sufficient as possible. We have vegetable garden, goats, chicken, cats and a German Shepherd. Our food is 70% organically grown (more during the harvesting period, less in the winter and in the spring). We would like our food to be 100% organically grown and most of it from our garden. We use meat (rarely), dairy and eggs in our food.
Besides growing our own food we are occupied with crafts and all kind of dealings with the farmstead. We've been teaching different crafts in workshops for years (e.g. wood crafts, pottery, glass, metal). We study and revive old crafts and other skills. We really appreciate traditional folk music, dance, culture.
Our mother tongue is Estonian. Andres speaks Russian fluently, a little English, understands a bit German. Imbi speaks English fluently, a little Russian, understands very little German.
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Farmstay
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Language practice
Art project
You can learn about Estonian culture, nature, living in the countryside, native crafts. We can teach you some basics in wood and birchbark crafts (e.g. carving a spoon, weaving a salt cellar).
We are looking for short term volunteers and for long term volunteers (preferably a couple because our neighbour can offer one room for long term volunteers). One long term volunteer would be helping mainly Andres (e.g. with building projects, chopping wood, harvesting materials for crafts) and the other would be helping Imbi (e.g. gardening, cooking, housework).
You might like being a volunteer with us if you want to try living a simple life in the countryside, if you like to work individually and with the family or other volunteers.
Bigger projects:
building traditional lath fence
building a little guesthouse by permaculture principles (probably not this year anymore)
insulating the main house
starting with a new permaculture field
new compost toilet
Smaller projects:
chopping, collecting and stacking firewood, harvesting natural materials for crafts, harvesting berries and mushrooms, canning food, smaller repair and building projects
Daily tasks:
taking care of animals, gardening, housework, cooking.
Actually the list is endless when living in the countryside.
English: Fluent
Estonian: Fluent
Russian: Fluent
German: Beginner
Water comes from a well. Dry toilet outside. Washing in sauna.
Long term volunteer/volunteers(if a couple) have a private room in neighbour's house with their own entrance.
Short term volunteer/volunteers can stay above our workshop.
The meals can be arranged together (NB! we are not vegans and the food we buy is not yet 100% ecologically grown; we don't have coffee at home, please bring your own!)
Wifi in the main house.
Fishing, hiking, horse riding lessons, taking part in local social events, swimming in lakes/rivers.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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