Help our family in creating an off-grid homestead in inland Alicante, Spain

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  • Activité récente: 29 févr. 2024

Disponibilité

  2024 

 Séjour min. souhaité : Au moins deux semaines

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Infos

  • Description

    Description

    *UPDATE*
    We desperately need the help of a couple or up to 4 people (the cabin fits 4 in bunks and a small double, all in the one bedroom so perhaps family or a group of friends) for this years olive harvest. The trees are absolutely laden. Harvest usually begins in the last week of October.



    Hello! We are a family living off grid (yes we do have internet) in the campo and trying to create a homestead for myself, boyfriend and 3 children - 7 year old boy/girl twins and a 5 year old girl.

    Vicente is busy working and I am busy with running the household, working part time and taking care of the three little monsters -so would love to have people around us not only for the help but because I crave community.

    We have a busy schedule so need people who have initiative, can entertain themselves and are respectful of our family time. Generally weekdays are madness with work, school, children’s activities so we tend to get home late eat and bed. The weekends are when we have down time and like to get together. Some evenings work well to hang out and enjoy meals together.

    We have goats and chickens and need amazing Workaways to help us clean the goat shed and chicken coop, feed them and milk the goats: We have 3 dogs: Leo, Juno and Lemmy and cats - would love to add sheep, pigs and horses to this list in the future.

    We have plenty of land and would like to keep the veg plot going, expand and better. The goal is to be as self sufficient as I can be - totally organic of course! There’s also around 250 olive trees which are harvested in October to make extra virgin organic oil and pruned in February, as well as almonds, grape vines and a variety of fruit trees. All of which we need help with managing.

    We have a pool (help with pool maintenance also greatly appreciated), would love to get a bbq area built (something you may be able to help with and teach me how to build!) and views that you can stare at for hours.

    In return for help I will work beside my helpers when possible, learn from them and teach them new skills, feed them good food and share a beer/wine with them after a day's work. I will respect them and their needs and I will appreciate everything they do to make my home a better place to be. I will welcome them like friends and they will live with us like family.

    I love knowledgeable skilled people, love patient people, love practical people, love people that say “hang on a minute, let me write that down so I will remember”. I have difficulties with people that need to be handheld through tasks and whilst I don’t expect you to have all the answers… Common sense combined with the confidence to ask questions or voice your thoughts are essential for me. I love self starters.

    """""""""""The help'''''''''''''''''''''''
    I am looking for helpers that can muck in and help with whatever needs to be done at the time.
    The work is varied, depending on the season, the weather, what projects I have, what money we have at the time, the kids and of course what you can do. It is general DIY, gardening, painting, wood cutting, pruning, digging, moving, most importantly animal care etc.

    Having a long term agreement would be amazing and you’d have the freedom to really put your own stamp on the project as we have a lot to learn in terms of permaculture and becoming self sufficient.

    I also need helpers who help me out with general stuff… pool maintenance, animal maintenance (feeding, walking and mucking out). Helping with household chores would be very welcome.
    If you see something that needs doing - do it!

    The kids… CHILDCARE... Stanley, Evelyn and Tilly are typical 7 and 5 year olds ... obsessed with running free and mostly like being outside getting into mischief. The best helpers will develop a relationship with them and if you’d consider yourself “really not a kid person” then don’t come stay with us as they are relentlessly friendly. My ideal helper would be able to play and take care of them and practice their Spanish as their school is mostly in the local dialect and we speak mostly English at home.

    There are plenty of places to hike nearby.
    Driving license would be a plus.

  • Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Aide avec des éco-projets
    Jardinage
    Bricolage et construction
    S’occuper des animaux
    Aide dans une ferme
    Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs
    Cuisine/repas pour la famille
    Aide à la maison
    Entretien général
  • Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    I am a teacher, specialising in English and Spanish, so if you'd like to improve either language your stay with me will certainly be beneficial. I will help as much as I can around my busy schedule
    Living in the mountains in the Alicante province there's a multitude of cultural activities, fiestas, expat/traveller groups, hiking, biking, rock climbing that you could get involved with. With the plus side of the beach being 40 minutes away - It's the best off both worlds! If you like country life and have experience with looking after children this is the place for you! I do have a car that could be borrowed by the right helper. :D

  • Projets impliquant des enfants

    Projets impliquant des enfants

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

  • Aide

    Aide

    Help

    >>The expectations and schedule<<

    The kids have a routine, they also equally like to throw their routine out the window sometimes. I usually eat dinner with them at 6.30/7 but sometimes I try to get them in bed a little early and have a peaceful dinner at 9/9.30. Every day is different and generally speaking they are the priority… Having said this it is incredibly important that no drugs and inappropriate behaviour goes on around my children. They are the priority and safe guarding them is the most important thing to me. See rules below.

    As well as helping occasionally with the children/babysitting, I need help with the land (15,000m2), house care, planting and tending to the crops. The farming side is an area in which I need to increase my knowledge and confidence so it would be amazing if you have knowledge of soil prep, planing, planting, growing organically and ideally permaculture.

    Animal care and tree care are also a big part of work on the homestead so amazing if you have experience of this already.

    I equally welcome helpers that work online etc and need fixed hours off- but please do just let me know, I have many schedules and plans and people to consider so just be clear - even better… write it down. I rely on lists and calendars and reminders!

    During summer it is better for everyone - especially you- to get up early, get some work done and then enjoy a siesta in the height of the heat of the day.

    Days off can either be away from our place independently (we can drop you at train station etc and we often go out for family days to near by nature reserves, the beach, Valencia and Alicante city) Or hanging out here, reading a book… however if you are choosing to relax here just remember this is still the home of three small kids and cats and needy dog so don’t expect peace and quiet :) - the cabin will be your private kid free space :D
    Having a driving license is a plus but not essential.

  • Langues

    Langues parlées
    Anglais: Courant
    Espagnol: Courant

    Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
    I love languages

  • Hébergement

    Hébergement

    }}}}} Where we are and sleeping {{{{{{

    My house is a couple of miles from Cocentaina (40 minute walk) which is a lovely little town and I drive into town everyday so am happy to drop you in. Alcoy is a bigger town which is about 20 minute drive. It is beautiful with lots of restaurants, bars and shops.

    For those who like hiking, rock climbing and being in nature there are plenty of amazing places within easy access of the house. I am 45 minutes away from Alicante airport and 40 minutes from the sea. There are buses coming from Alicante to Alcoy daily. We are close enough to Valencia to go by train for the day.

    Accommodation will be in a small separate cabin which has 1 bedroom with a double bed and bunk beds (the double bed can be removed for more space, small living/dining area, kitchenette (fridge freezer, gas hob sink and microwave) and bathroom with a shower and composting toilet.

    We are omnivores but diets will of course be taken into account. You are welcome to cook in my kitchen as well as the kitchenette in the cabin. There is a gas hob currently and an electric mini oven. We tend to have shared meals at weekends and sometimes during the week depending on the schedule we have.

    If you have a vehicle (campervan etc) we can probably accommodate that here size dependent as the house is 5 minutes up a narrow and windy dirt track.

    Length of stay is totally negotiable so please ask but generally we ask for 1 month +

  • Autres infos...

    Autres infos...

    *️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️The rules*️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️
    In general we want to have fun and accommodate your lifestyle but this is our home and I have small kids that I want to keep safe so I need people around us that can respect that.
    Hate the word rules but I find its better to be super clear…

    1.I smoke and so respectful smokers are welcome… so outside, not around the kids and keeping your cigarettes, tobacco and lighters away from the kids.

    2. No additional guests without prior agreement (you'd be surprised...).

    3. Whilst I am very liberal in general I have found that people that need to smoke or eat marijuana to get through/or enjoy their day are not people that I currently want in our home. If this is you then sorry but its not going to work.

    4. Equally if you have a heavy reliance on alcohol or like to drink to excess regularly we are not the home for you. I love a few beers and wines, I am happy to stay up late and drink socially but I have heard of helpers becoming aggressive, stealing and spend most of their days hungover so I want to be clear from day 1 that this is not acceptable.

    5. I ask that you keep your areas clean and tidy and respect communal areas.

    +++ Other stuff +++

    Sometimes I might say “oh no I forgot to hang the laundry out, but now we have a doctors appointment, would you mind doing it?”- if that sounds like a reasonable request then you are very welcome :)

  • Informations complémentaires

    Informations complémentaires

    • Accès Internet

    • Accès Internet limité

      Accès Internet limité

    • Nous avons des animaux

    • Nous sommes fumeurs

    • Familles bienvenues

  • Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

    Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

    I occasionally teach online via zoom so know that the internet connection is pretty decent. The router is in my bedroom and you’d be welcome to work from there. I am currently in the process of having internet installed in the cabin.

  • Espace pour garer des vans

    Espace pour garer des vans

    Depending on the size of your vehicle I could accommodate. I do live up a windy dirt track. 3.5ton vehicles have made it up here. You’d need to be a good confident driver and it’s narrow and windy in places

  • Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

    Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

    We love animals! We have 3 dogs, Leo, Lemmy and Juno, and cats roaming the land.

  • Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Plus de 2

  • ...

    Nombre d'heures attendues

    Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

N° de référence hôte : 345572381585

Feedback (9)



Feedback

Ce sont des évaluations supplémentaires en option lorsque les membres laissent un feedback. La note moyenne pour chaque option est affichée.

Exactitude du profil: (5.0)

Échange culturel: (4.8)

Communication: (4.9)