Hands-on community life creating, growing & living together in Gallizien, Austria

Infos

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  Description

  We are a young and growing intentional community, founded by two families – each with years of community living experience. In autumn 2024 we moved to a beautiful property in Vellach, Carinthia (Austria), right next to the river Vellach and surrounded by forests and mountains.
  
  # Who we are
  Four adults and four kids (ages 3–10) share this place and this vision. Most of us are around during the day, only one person is working full time – someone is usually with the kids, and the kids are sometimes in school and often around. They love meeting new people, and they're pretty great company.
  
  Our core values: nonviolent communication, sustainability, independence – and doing right by the next generation.
  
  # Where we're headed
  Our goal is genuine self-sufficiency. We have 2 hectares of land – enough for a huge food forest, extensive vegetable garden, and much more. We're just getting started, and there's a lot to build, plant, and figure out together.
  
  This is not a finished, polished place – it's a living project, and we love it that way. If you're someone who enjoys getting your hands dirty, thinking creatively and being part of something real, you'll fit right in.
  
  # What's coming up – May & June 2025
  We have a packed season ahead:
  
  Construction & Infrastructure
  
  - Wastewater system renovation + natural treatment pond with water plants (May)
  - New pond outlet – a small stream across the property (June)
  - Well drilling + full drinking water installation (June)
  - Outdoor composting toilet (June)
  - Fiberglass internet connection – being laid along the road right now (May)
  - Long-term: tiny house prep, duck shelter, chicken coop
  
  Garden
  
  - Potatoes with hay mulch method – no-dig, all by hand (May)
  - Kiwi berry trellis structure (May)
  - Raised bed dismantling & repurposing (June)
  - Ongoing: weeding, wood cutting, charcoal production, soil improvement with hot compost, EM & Bokashi
  
  # Other important things:
  We want to be upfront, because life here might be quite different from what you're used to:
  
  Food – We eat little to no meat, no dairy, no sweets or alcohol provided. You're very welcome to bring your own and store it in your space or the guest fridge – no judgment. But please join community meals anyway. That's where the real connection happens.
  
  Communication – We practice nonviolent communication: honest, direct and kind. It might sound a little unfamiliar at first, but it comes from a good place.
  
  Bodies – You might occasionally see naked people, especially around the river. We are not a nudist community – but we don't bother too much about covering always. Please don't feel uncomfortable, and please don't make others feel uncomfortable either.
  
  Hygiene products – We have a biological sewage system. Please bring certified biodegradable shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant etc. Not sure what to get? Don't worry – we can provide alternatives. Just let us know in advance.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Aide dans une ferme

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Politique/justice sociale

  

  Végétarien ou végan

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Ferme

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Jardinage

  

  Auto-stop

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Randonnée

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Plage

  

  Nature

  

  Camping
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Carinthia is stunningly beautiful – mountains, forests, and the river Vellach right at our doorstep. Swimming in the river is a daily ritual in summer. Some of us do it in winter too. You'll understand when you're here.
  
  But beyond the scenery: you'll get a real look at intentional community life. How do people actually make decisions together? How do you practice nonviolent communication when things get tricky? How do you build systems – water, waste, food – from scratch, with your own hands?
  
  You'll leave with practical skills (construction, gardening, natural building, composting) and maybe a few new ideas about how life could look.

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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

  # How we organise the work
  We don't count hours – we trust each other. We have regular evening meetings where we talk through the next day's plans, share updates and match jobs to skills and interests. We recommend joining these – it's also just a nice way to connect.
  
  # Kitchen
  - All food is organic
  - Almost always vegan (meat occasionally, always with a vegan option)
  - No sugar, no sweets, no dairy provided
  - Cooking together is very welcome – and very normal here
  - You'll still enjoy the food, we promise
  
  Garden
  
  - Large vegetable garden + open field
  - Lots to do: planting, weeding, soil care, composting, wood cutting
  - Current focus: hay mulch potato setup, kiwi berry trellis, soil improvement with EM & Bokashi
  
  Construction
  
  - We're in the middle of several big projects this season (see description for details)
  - Construction help is very welcome – no experience necessary for most tasks, skilled hands even more so
  - Projects range from earthworks to carpentry to water systems

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Allemand: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Hollandais: Courant
  Espagnol: Intermédiaire
  Français: Intermédiaire
  Swedish: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Day-to-day, we switch freely between German and English – sometimes mid-sentence. You'll get to practice both naturally. Almost all adults are able to speak some French too, though it's not our everyday language. Dutch, Swedish and Spanish are also spoken to varying degrees within the community. Don't worry if your German is basic – we're patient and happy to help you practice.
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  Hébergement

  #DigitalDetox
  In our kitchen/living room, the smartphone usage is restricted. You can use your phone in your room or outside.
  
  #biologicalShampoo
  Since we have a biological wastewater treatment only, you are NOT ALLOWED to use non-organic shampoo or toothpaste anywhere on our property (this also applies to makeup and other products that enter the sewer system). We provide acceptable alternatives upon request.

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  Autres infos...

  # About our references
  Two of the adults ran a community farm in southern Germany until 2022, where they hosted a large number of workawayers over several years. We moved to Austria to start fresh – and we're genuinely excited to have that energy back.
  
  We write references on request, or when someone leaves one first. Just ask – we're happy to do it.
  
  # Time off
  The area is fantastic for hiking, cycling and swimming. Klopeiner See and other lakes are nearby. The town of Völkermarkt has everything you need for supplies. We're happy to give tips!
  
  # Tags
  sustainability, ecological, permaculture, no-dig, composting, biochar, bokashi, EM, food forest, natural building, earthworks, water management, well, composting toilet, tiny house, intentional community, community living, self-sufficiency, vegan, organic, gardening, farming, woodwork, carpentry, construction, upcycling, recycling, open source, linux, attachment parenting, nonviolent communication, wwoof, wwoofing
  
  nachhaltig, Nachhaltigkeit, Gemeinschaft, Permakultur, Selbstversorger, biologisch, ökologisch, Kompostklo, Lehmbau, Naturbauen, Wasserversorgung, Brunnen, Teich, Klärteich, Tiny House, gewaltfreie Kommunikation, bedürfnisorientierte Erziehung, Bokashi, Kompost, Heißrotte, vegan, vegetarisch, Garten, Feld, Holz, Zimmermann, Baustelle
  
  # Privacy:
  Faces on our profile are blurred for privacy reasons, especially those of kids and people who couldn't be asked.

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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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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  📶 Internet: Good WiFi on the property – fiberglass connection coming in May 2026. Cell reception is poor, so don't count on mobile data. 🚬 Smoking: One community member smokes occasionally (always outside), so we're relaxed about smokers – as long as it stays outdoors.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Since we have a biological wastewater treatment only, you are NOT ALLOWED to use non-organic shampoo or toothpaste anywhere on our property (this also applies to makeup and other products that enter the sewer system). We provide acceptable alternatives upon request.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  Yes, but: Animals are generally not allowed inside the house. If you're travelling with a dog/cat/frog/rat/owl, it can stay in your tent/van or in the garden – as long as it's family-friendly, well-trained, and you manage their waste responsibly (we're an organic farm, so this matters to us).

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Mes animaux

Sécurité du site

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