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Hi, I’m Giuseppe,
I’m 45 years old, originally from Milan, but I’ve been living in Sicily for almost ten years. I work as a bank employee and my wife Germana is a psychologist and psychotherapist. In our free time, we take care of our beloved small countryside land near Santo Stefano di Camastra, a beautiful coastal village between Messina and Palermo.
Every autumn we do the olive harvest. The olive oil we produce is only for our family and to share as small gifts with friends – it is not for sale and there is no commercial activity involved. This year we decided not to do it just by ourselves, as usual, but to share this beautiful experience with others through Workaway.
Dates
From October 10th to October 25th, 2026 we are looking for six volunteers to help us with the harvest and to enjoy an authentic Sicilian experience.
What the work involves
You will help with the main tasks of the olive harvest, up to the oil mill:
making the olives fall from the trees with a small electric rake
spreading and arranging the nets under the trees
collecting the olives and filling the boxes
bringing them to the press, where they will be crushed and turned into fresh olive oil
Accommodation
You will be hosted in a large newly renovated villa in the mountains, where the climate is cooler and perfect for resting after a day in the fields.
In the olive grove (by the sea) the climate is mild and more humid: jeans and a short-sleeved t-shirt are fine.
Bring a rain jacket (K-way), your swimsuit and a towel if you like swimming, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and hiking shoes that won’t get soaked in the morning when the grass is wet with dew.
In the mountains, evenings and nights are cooler: you’ll need a sweater, a jacket, and a warmer pajama (we have heating).
We will provide towels, blankets, soap...
We have the wifi in the accomodation but not in the countryside.
Food
We offer full board and lodging.
We will all eat together, enjoying typical Italian meals cooked by my wife, with fresh local products. It’s a great chance to taste Sicilian cuisine in a family atmosphere.
Free time
Weekend and evenings are free: you can relax, chat, listen to music, read or go for a walk. I recommend getting enough rest, because while working in nature is very pleasant, it is also physically demanding.
If the weather is good, there is also the chance to go to the sea and swim — the olive grove is right by the coast!
The olive harvest will take place in the countryside just 5 minutes by car from Santo Stefano di Camastra, a seaside town world-famous for its traditional ceramics.
During the day, when you’re not working, you can relax in the countryside, walk down to the sea, sunbathe on a deckchair, or simply enjoy the Sicilian nature.
In your free time you can also explore the surroundings:
Santo Stefano di Camastra, with its ceramic workshops and views over the Tyrrhenian Sea
Mistretta, a mountain village about half an hour away, where we will return in the evenings and where the villa hosting the volunteers is located
It will be an experience that combines outdoor work, community life, and the authentic discovery of Sicily.
What we offer
An authentic experience in the Sicilian countryside
Sharing family life and local culture
Accommodation in a comfortable villa in the mountains
Nature, sea, delicious food, and freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Farmstay help
Interests
Sustainability
Gardening
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are happy to welcome people from all over the world and share with them a unique experience: the olive harvest, from which one of the most appreciated delights in the world is produced — organic extra virgin olive oil.
As a special gift, each volunteer will receive a 5-liter tin of our olive oil.
If it is not possible to carry it in your luggage, you can arrange to ship it to your home country — so you will always have a taste of Sicily with you.
You will also enjoy:
An authentic experience in the Sicilian countryside
Sharing family life and local culture
Accommodation in a comfortable villa in the mountains
Nature, sea, delicious food, and freshly pressed olive oil!
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Looking for 6 volunteers for the olive harvest in Sicily, in our seaside grove
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Italian: FluentThis 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.
Accommodation
Accommodation & Daily Life
The villa where you will stay has three shared double bedrooms, so you will share a room with another volunteer. There are two bathrooms for the volunteers, plus another bedroom for me and my wife. The villa also has a kitchen and common spaces where we will spend time together.
Breakfast will be adapted to your taste: a typical Italian breakfast (coffee, milk, biscuits) but also eggs, bread and more if you prefer. Lunch and dinner are included and will be prepared with fresh Sicilian products by my wife, who also takes part in the olive harvest.
Every day we will drive by car from the villa in the mountains down to the olive grove by the sea. My wife and I will take care of the transport. In the olive grove there is also a small house with a bathroom where you can rest if you need a break.
Wi-Fi is available only in the villa in the mountains, where we sleep and return in the evening.
Since we will work in shifts, the group that is free can enjoy walks in the countryside, time by the sea, or simply rest. Life will take place mostly in the countryside, except in the evenings when, if you wish, you can go into the village of Mistretta (where the villa is located) to enjoy a coffee, a bar, or just spend time as you like.
We will provide sheets, towels and blankets, and we will do our best to host you as comfortably as possible.
What else ...
If you are coming from abroad or from far away, we recommend flying to Palermo airport on October 9th. From there, we will travel together by car to the countryside.
If you are already in Sicily, you can also reach Palermo by train or bus, and we will pick you up there.
For your departure, we suggest leaving from Palermo (airport, train or bus station) on October 25th.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (2)
She used both the electric olive comb and the manual one with surprising speed and precision, always calm and… read more
She used the electric olive comb with remarkable ease and skill, as if she had been doing it forever. She worked with attention,… read more
We spent the weekends in Palermo, where three of us volunteers shared a beautiful flat. Germana often hosts dinner parties with… read more
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She used both the electric olive comb and the manual one with surprising speed and precision, always calm and… read more
She used the electric olive comb with remarkable ease and skill, as if she had been doing it forever. She worked with attention,… read more
We spent the weekends in Palermo, where three of us volunteers shared a beautiful flat. Germana often hosts dinner parties with… read more
