Gardening and maintenance for our house in Central Sweden

Details

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  Description

  I am retired, my wife works and we live in central Sweden. We have a 17 yr old son living at home, and an older daughter in Gothenburg. 12 years ago we emigrated from UK, so we are a part English/ Swedish family. Our home is in a tiny village amongst dairy farms. We live a simple but rather cluttered life in a former vicarage, and have a very large garden to maintain. I (John) with one artificial joint and other bits of me aging away find I now need a pair of helping hands.
  
  I do not need help personally and I'm reasonably fit and active: I need to be as I am house-dad and "at home" parent providing for a teenage son. My wife has a semi away-from-home job.
  
  We have several pets set in a large wild garden with patches of civilised flower beds. There is lots of grass to maintain.
  Sadly the chickens in some pictures are now all dead.
  
  After showing you around, the work will be almost entirely garden based and maintenance, but varied. "Escape" is by car or motor scooter(moped). There is no bus or shop in the village, the nearest facility is 4 km distant, so work-awayers need to be able to occupy their spare time and evenings. Fiber WifI broadband is available all the time.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  You will certainly "escape from it all" in our rural family home. We offer the experience of living in a small village of mostly farmers and forest owners. Walk and cycle in solitude. Enjoy Sweden's "right to roam" without prosecution for trespassing. Go wild swimming in local lakes and rivers.
  
  I love where we live and the nature around: I want to share my enthusiasm with any volunteers that come and work. I will wherever possible show you ancient Rune Stones, medieval Burial mounds and vast stone tombs where the covering soil has gone. There are also historic sites of 1000 year old churches and church ruins. I will arrange visits to local towns and places of interest, either with our family or on your own. Maintaining my health requires regular walking and if interested your company would be welcome combined with working days.
  
  All in all enjoy a slower pace of life, and its joys and occasional frustrations.
  
  Note that much of the week my son and I live alone and I spend time most days as his "taxi" to school, clubs or friends.

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  Help

  I, John, the dad, have undergone hip replacement surgery last autumn and I require an extra pair of hands to care for our land as I regain my strength and flexibility. Tasks will include lawn leaf clearing, weeding and cutting back flower and vegetable beds, simple carpentry projects repairing animal pens, and garden structures. Some pruning bushes. Outside house painting. Digging. Driveway renovation.
  
  Spring time in Sweden can be a mixture of sunny days and wet cold days. Frosts can continue at night through to early May. Volunteers will of course be mainly outside so should be prepared and have clothing for cold rough work!
  
  A driving licence for a moped/motor scooter or car would be useful but not essential. We have bicycles for your leisure use.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Swedish: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  English spoken (John) and Swedish (Ingegerd, Hannes)
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  Accommodation

  You will occupy a downstairs Guest bedroom in the house, with separate toilet and shower, partly shared with homeowners. Join the family for all meals. No personal cooking facilities. The house includes several cats and a fluffy boisterous dog.
  
  Sewerage is partly sustainably treated and all water is direct from our own well, and drinkable un treated. We endeavour to live simply and as sustainably as we can, making some compromises.
  
  We are very much part of a farming community and although I (John) have been 90% vegetarian all my life it is natural to eat local and support local sustainability so milk, eggs, some meat and even hunting are bound into our way of life.

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  What else ...

  The house is in a village 4 km from the nearest bus route and 8 km from the nearest shop. There are no other local resources. Volunteers need to be able to be content for long periods such as evenings when they will be left alone. Unfortunately we have no communal TV however fiber broadband and WiFi are strong signals and reliable. Mobile phone networks are occasionally unavailable.
  
  Note: that much of the week my son and I live alone and I spend time most days as his "taxi" to school, clubs or friends.
  
  I love where we live and the nature around: I want to share my enthusiasm with any volunteers that come and work. I will wherever possible show you places and things that I love.
  
  I am a keen photographer and love to record the daily life and landscape around - I am happy for work-away volunteers to share these mini adventures with me.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  Yes space for a mobile home or campervan or use of a simple stuga - but very basic cooking facilty and a caravan-toilet which campers would be expected to maintain and service every 2 or 3 days.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We have our own 3 cats, and a dog, so any guest pet should be quiet and tolerant to fit in.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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