Help at a beautiful farmhouse in the Triglav National Park near the lakes of Bohinj & Bled, Slovenia

Details

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  Description

  Hi I'm Frances, a British woman living semi off grid in a beautiful 2 storey farmhouse with land and forest, near the lakes in the Triglav National Park in Slovenia. I exchanged my career driven city life in the UK for a rural country existence living more off the land and in tune with nature as people do in Slovenia and in this area in particular.Ive got chickens now and I process my own wood from the forest. Its just me here well plus the chickens and then a cat and a dog. And maintaining this lifestyle is a lot for just me! So I've always got all sorts of varied and interesting stuff that needs doing around the land, forest and barn: working with trees, creating firewood, digging, growing and harvesting vegetables, cleaning out the old barn of old stuff, I'm slowly fixing it up mainly cleaning off and repairing the old stone walls of the barn. I got an award from the Slovenian cultural and heritage organisation for restoring the house using the old traditional techniques, rather than 'renovating' it to be more like a modern house. Techniques I am now applying to the barn.If you like repairing things, and like to work with wood I have a little workshop inside the barn and there is always little things to fix , or create... like for example on the chicken house, making a manger for hay for the deers, bird house, previous workawayers made a new swing, and one wanted to create an outdoor sofa made of pallets so we had somewhere to sit to and have sundowner cocktails in the evening.
  So basically . I will give you tasks which suit your skills and preferences, and I can teach you new skills, hopefully you can teach me skills too! And most of the time I will work with you. I love the company of new people and working together as a team and not just me on my own! I love to hear about you and your life and what brought you on your travels to Slovenia. I love to cook and I aim to learn from you at least one or two of your favourite dishes , so that I can make them myself and remember you when you are gone ! Ahhhh ;-)
  For our free time.... I like to have fun in my time off and make the most of it! I love to visit/ swim/ paddle board on the lake most days, and walk the river with my dog most afternoons. We can also go hiking, there are many trails up into the mountains. It's beautiful around there all times of the year ! I really do like to make the most of my free time and so you will get to do a lot if you want to join me.
  More about me... I am a photographer and videographer by profession. I'm also a Wim Hof Method instructor. I enjoy sailing and snowboarding, swimming and paddle boarding. I guess that looks like mainly stuff involving water!
  I rent part of the downstairs of the house, mainly in the summer, as a tourist rental, so there might be other people (normally a couple), in the house with us while you are here, but separated by a locked door. If I clean that part of the house and change the bed ready for new guests it won't feature as something I would ask you to help me with.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Winter sports

  

  Events & social

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Self development

  

  Pets

  

  Writing

  

  Photography

  

  Animals

  

  Water sports

  

  Adventure sports

  

  Mountain

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Sailing / Boating
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  At home you'll experience very rural life... peaceful, away from it all, in nature, semi off grid, getting eggs from my chickens every morning. No shops nearby , but two local bars. You'll see nights full of stars and gorgeous dawns and sunrises.
  What could you learn ? Well hopefully a few skills! From what others have said you'll become more present , getting into the rhythm of of dawns sunrises and sunsets, deers, stars and chickens.
  Away from the house and in out time off .... you will experience the best of the national park.... best local swim spots at the river and the lake and the good (non tourist eateries and bars) local rural Slovenian food and local wine. And if you want to experience hiking in majestic Slovenia Triglav National Park mountains.
  I am also a Wim Hof Method instructor so you I can guide you into cold water immersion and breathing exercises and mindfulness.
  I'm also a photographer and videographer by profession, so there's also that... and I do love sharing tips and skills. I'm hired mainly for projects in the green/ ethical/ sustainability realm.

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  Help

  So I've always got all sorts of varied and interesting stuff that needs doing around the land, forest and barn: working with trees, creating firewood, digging, growing and harvesting vegetables, cleaning out the old barn of old stuff, I'm slowly fixing it up mainly cleaning off and repairing the old stone walls of the barn. I got an award from the Slovenian cultural and heritage organisation for restoring the house using the old traditional techniques, rather than 'renovating' it to be more like a modern house. Techniques I am now applying to the barn.If you like repairing things, and like to work with wood I have a little workshop inside the barn and there is always little things to fix , or create... like for example on the chicken house, making a manger for hay for the deers, bird house, previous workawayers made a new swing, and one wanted to create an outdoor sofa made of pallets so we had somewhere to sit to and have sundowner cocktails in the evening.
  So basically . I will give you tasks which suit your skills and preferences, and I can teach you new skills, hopefully you can teach me skills too! And most of the time I will work with you. I love the company of new people and working together as a team and not just me on my own! In the winter it becomes difficult to work outside because the ground is covered with snow and there's no heating in the workshop in the barn. But autumn, and spring I always need help! And sometimes in the summer.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent

  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

  I live in a two storey farmhouse. The downstairs is quite traditional and stone built and the upstairs is the old roof space which has been converted into liveable space. There is a big traditional fireplace downstairs which keeps the whole house lovely and warm in the winter. I have a super kitchen, dishwasher, washing machine etc. About half of the year , the summer mainly, I rent part of the downstairs to tourists, as many people in this area do.... sustainable integrated tourism in peoples homes, saves the National park from large hotels, yeyyy! So depending on the week/ season etc you could be staying in the bedroom downstairs or staying in the bedroom upstairs. The bedroom downstairs is a normal bedroom, the one upstairs is a mezzanine style loft bedroom with slopes roof hence restricted headroom and a 'fence', so it is visually private and very cosy but it is not sound private if you see what I mean. Both upstairs and downstairs bedrooms have double beds. If there are tourist guests staying downstairs while you are here, and if these guests change for new guests, I will clean that part of the house and change the bed etc, ready for new guests, helping with this won't be part of the things that you will help me with.

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  What else ...

  You can walk/ hike in any direction and it's gorgeous! There are waterfalls rivers and mountains! But I imagine you'd like to spend most of your time enjoying the lakes; Bled and Bohinj. I have a SUP(s) you can borrow. And I have a car you can borrow if needs be. But you can also come with me and we can do stuff together; I like that. I go to either the lake or river or sometimes both every day. Public transport is only a few times a day to my village and shops are 15 minutes drive by car away. There are two bars in my village one does traditional Slovenian food in the summer.

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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 slow. You can stream a movie in SD but uploading large files takes a long time.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  A camper van can easily park here.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Yes! I have a dog who gets on with other dogs. If you bring a dog thats brilliant, they can be friends, but it would need to get on with free range chickens because you know, being free range they run around free every day.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  12 chickens

  

  Diego

  

  "Kat"

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