Experience, learn and help out on an off-grid farm in the wilderness of Tuscany, Italy

Infos

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  Description

  ***latest update***
  Workawayers welcome for July, August and September 2026! Please get in touch!
  
  Hello!
  We are George, Sophie and our kids Caio (9) and India (7). We are a young family living completely off-grid on a mini farm in the Casentinesi National Park in Tuscany.
  
  We're passionate about off-grid homesteading, self sufficiency and everything that comes with it; building things, gardening, looking after animals, and the endless woodchopping is forever satisfying. We enjoy the peace and the relatively slow pace of living close to nature and the commitment to the continuous but rewarding work. There's a sense of purpose to everything that goes on here and it's amazing to have the opportunity to meet so many interesting people from all over the world using this workaway platform.
  
  We have been hosting volunteers on workaway since 2012. The development of this place, and our lives, would not have been possible without all the many helping hands from all the lovely people we've hosted over the years, many of whom are now friends. Workaway in many ways has shaped who we are today. Sophie and I even met via workaway...but there'll be plenty of time to tell you all about that when you're here :)
  
  Years ago we used to host an almost constant stream of volunteers, but nowadays it fits in better with family life to host small group 'work camp' events when we host around 3/4 volunteers at a time. These usually last just a couple of weeks in spring and summer. However, recently we have also become open to hosting individuals for long-term stays for periods of a month or two, also outside of the spring/summer season. This is ideal for anyone looking for a deeper experience of the day-to-day life on an off-grid smallholding and it's also a chance to fully embrace the routine of the life here; not just helping out with projects but also being involved with routine tasks such as milking and feeding the animals for example (if this interests you).
  
  So please get in touch if you'd like to join us! It will be a pleasure to meet you and we would be very grateful for your help!
  
  A little bit about us....
  George is a high school dropout who found his life purpose at a rundown farmhouse in Tuscany where he's been hosting guests and volunteers since 2005. He loves cows, shoveling gravel, digging ditches and drinking cheap local wine. He can play classical guitar, bang on a djembe and play a few tunes on the Irish whistle.
  
  Sophie has a degree in fine art but she now spends most of her time moving cow manure around the vegetable garden and cuddling baby goats. She is obsessed with gardening and whenever there's a spare moment she enjoys running, wood chopping, writing and drawing.
  
  Caio is 9 and he loves spending time in the workshop drilling random holes in bits of wood and grinding bits of metal on the bench grinder. He loves spending time outside helping out with stuff and talking about trees. If he's in the right mood he loves an epic game of Catan.
  
  India is 7 and likes dancing, laughing and running around in the rain. When she grows up she wants to be a professional treasure hunter and a part time clown. She loves terrible jokes and (unfortunately) hates playing musical chairs.
  
  When we're not working we like going on walks, reading, hanging out at the waterfall, jumping on the trampoline, playing board games, painting pictures and having bonfires.
  
  We use entirely solar power for our electricity, heat with wood and we source our water from a natural spring.
  
  We grow organic vegetables for our own consumption. We have bees so we produce honey and other bee products. We have a milking cow, several goats (currently 3 milking), chickens, cats and a dog. We also make our own yogurt, fresh cheese and sourdough bread.
  
  The farmhouse is in the middle of a forest 3km from the nearest asphalt road. We are about a 45min drive from the nearest town. Volunteers sometimes reach us independently by getting a bus to the nearest bus stop which is about a 1h30min hike away through the forest, but pick ups from the nearest town can be arranged. We are very isolated so it's a perfect place to enjoy the solitude and peace that this place offers and experience an authentic off-grid life in the wilderness.
  
  Even though sometimes staying with us can be quite a social experience, most of the time we just host 1 or 2 volunteers at a time. So it's important that you can also be adaptable and self-contained when necessary.
  
  All meals are home cooked and eaten together and we eat from the garden as much as possible. If it's during school term then we might sometimes have breakfast separately so it's easier to get the kids off to school in time, but otherwise we'll have lunch and dinner together.
  We invite volunteers to help out with the cooking and cleaning. When there's a few people around it's a great excuse to fire up the ancient pizza oven and have a pizza session. We appreciate it when volunteers get involved with the cooking and baking of cakes etc. So if you love cooking please help yourselves to the kitchen! It can be super helpful when volunteers cook because it's one less thing for us to think about!! (but if cooking is not your thing that's also absolutely fine..no stress!)
  
  On your days off there are many beautiful hikes to do. For example...to the Monastery of Saint Francis (La Verna), the abandoned village or to the many waterfalls and natural pools (the nearest is 20mins walk away)..
  Please be aware that we are literally in the middle of a forest about 1.5 hours walk away from the nearest shop or bar.
  
  We offer the ideal opportunity to experience an authentic and rustic off-grid life in the nature.
  
  We look forward to meeting you and sharing this experience with you!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Pratique d’une langue

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général

  Garde de maison et d'animaux
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Animaux de compagnie

  

  Ferme

  

  Histoire

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Musique

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Art et design

  

  Langues

  

  Jardinage

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Dessin et peinture

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Animaux

  

  Nature

  

  Camping

  

  Sports d’hiver

  

  Montagne

  

  Danse

  

  Plage

  

  Sports nautiques

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Randonnée

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Sports d'aventure
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Although we are in Italy we're very isolated so it's not the best place for volunteers to come expecting a Italian cultural exchange, although we do speak (and cook!) Italian.
  We offer the opportunity to learn many life skills from cooking and baking bread to gardening and fixing the roof.
  We live off-the-grid and practice organic gardening and self-sufficiency. So our cultural exchange would be an exchange of lifestyle and knowledge rather than an authentic Italian cultural exchange.

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  Depending on your skills such tasks could be....
  
  Collecting firewood from the forest
  House maintenance and general DIY
  Helping to improve the 3km long road to the house (cleaning ditches, filling holes, clearing the verges etc)
  Fixing tools and machines
  General gardening and landscaping
  Fence and gate building
  Cleaning out the animals stables
  
  A certain points in the year there could be times when we are focusing on one specific project...for example like a house renovation project, working on the road or collecting firewood for winter.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Italien: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Although we speak Italian fluently it's definitely not perfect so we would love the opportunity to do a language exchange Italian - English
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  Hébergement

  The type of accommodation can vary depending how many other volunteers or guests are around. But you will either stay in one of our private guest bedrooms or possibly in a tent during the summer.
  There is a separate bathroom for guests.
  
  The house is off-grid, which means we are not connected to the mains electricity. We only have a small solar panel system - not a problem in summer but it can mean we have limited electricity supply in the winter months. Our water, comes clean and natural to the house from a nearby spring.

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  Autres infos...

  About the place and your stay...
  We are in a very remote part of east Tuscany called the Casentino. In contrast to the rolling hills, vine yards and the olive groves of what you imagine to be the classic Tuscany, here it is very wild and mountainous and we are surrounded by lush forests. The house is literally in the middle of the woods within the National Park of the Casentine forests. The house is reached by a 3km old stone track, which is in a constant state of improvement. The house is 100% off grid. Our electricity comes from solar and water is sourced from a natural spring. Hot water is supplied from a wood burning stove. It is an exceptionally peaceful place of untouched natural beauty. The nearest neighbor is a 30min walk away and there is no light pollution, perfect for stargazing. This is a very special place just to be and experience nature.
  
  Places to visit during your stay....
  
  La Verna - the medieval monastery of Saint Francis of Assisi. Perched high on a cliff face at the top of the mountain this sacred place is surrounded by some of the oldest and largest trees in the valley in a forest known as the sacred forest. It is here where the Saint retreated in his cave and communed with the wildlife and nature and eventually received his stigmata. It is clear to understand why even to this day many pilgrims still visit this sacred wild place for prayer and meditation... or perhaps for some, just simply to enjoy the view!
  
  Also nearby is the 'abandoned village' of San Silvestre. This once thriving village was deserted in the 1960’s and since then it has been left open to the destructive forces of nature and has slowly been eaten up by the wilderness. Here trees grow from the middle of the ruins and the only signs of life are the sheep loitering the old lanes and grazing the overgrowth. Beautiful place for sunset!
  
  There are several waterfalls and pools in the valley.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Cet hôte a de la place pour les vans.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Mes animaux

  1 Cow

  7 Goats

  Goats

Sécurité du site

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