Come and help on a small horse farm in rural Midi Pyrenees, SW-France

Infos

• 

  Description

  I am Fanny, a Swiss woman in my fifties, located in an area of outstanding natural beauty in SW-France, loving animals and nature.
  The farmhouse is set in 17 hectares of pasture and woodland, with a gorgeous view of the valley.
  I currently have 5 horses (4 of them are adopted and retired), two friendly dogs, 6 lovely cats, chickens, roosters and baby chickens. I keep my horses as naturally as possible; the stables are only for their protection (mostly against insects like flies) and the horses can choose when to use them. I have a small veggie garden (I love a big variety of tomatoes), some flowers and many fruit trees.
  I am looking for general help with the animals, the garden, the fields, the woods, in and around the house. If you have any abilities in renovating a house it is a good add!
  I am open minded, interested in cultural exchange and positive thinking. I like to have fun and I like to laugh. I love outdoor sports like horseback riding, hiking, biking, kajaking swimming, skiing, snowboarding and play with my dogs endlessly. I play the flute (sometimes accompanied by an organist) and sing in a mixed choir. I have been living in different countries all over the world when working for an international humanitarian organization. And I have been traveling to many places before I had my animals.
  I am (mostly) vegetarian and would like to learn more about vegan dishes.
  I am also interested in the basic principles of waste and would like to learn from each other, e.g. how to avoid waisting water or energy.
  There are beautiful hiking and riding trails on the property in the woods and in the general area as well. You can river walk in the "Grande Barguelonne". In this nearby small river you find little pools to swim in and get nice refreshment on hot summer days. I am also very close to the pilgrim's trail to Santiago de Compostela.
  I speak English, French and (Swiss-) German, whatever you prefer. I am currently learning Spanish and Italian and would love to practice.
  
  Woodworkers are very welcome: I need to replace some gates and mosquito screens.
  
  If you know how to care for animals and you feel confident to do so I am also interested in volunteers who like to housesit for me.
  
  Workawayers from all over the world: I am looking forward to hearing from you and meeting you!

• 

  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet
• 

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

  ×

  ...

  ...

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
• 

  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  I share my knowledge from animals welfare, working on the farm to teaching cooking, saving energy/water, I tell you about the French culture etc.
  Living in different cultures all over the world taught me that there are so many different ways of life. The cultural exchange opens the eyes for different values or different ways of thinking. Already learning a language makes you look at things in a different way. Cultural exchange is mind opening. Behind every person is a story worth listening to. As long as you are interested in listening you are able to learn.
  I am also interested in an exchange about animal communication and healing which I am learning and practicing.
  It's a plus if you are interested in the French culture, the landscape here, the French language as part of the French way of life and the welfare of the animals.

• 

  Aide

  There is a variety of tasks, depending on the weather and season:
  - Animal welfare: feeding, picking up horse manure, cleaning the stables (horse's and chicken's), clearing fields of unwanted plants and bushes, trimming around fences
  - Gardening: planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, picking and preserving fruit, brush and grass cutting, raking leaves, cutting and stacking wood
  - DIY: fixing fences, oiling, sanding, painting, building, woodwork
  - General maintenance: Cleaning in and around the house
  
  We share the house tasks like cooking, washing and cleaning.
  
  I’m looking for a positive thinking, energetic, self motivated, practical and quickly learning person, who likes to work! You will need to have a good level of physical fitness to volunteer here (the house and the fields are on a hill). You should easily adapt to new surroundings and love to work outdoors in all weathers (whether rain or hot). You should be happy to work in a team, but also enjoy to work on your own.

• 

  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Allemand: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Italien: Intermédiaire
  Espagnol: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il souhaitait faire partager sa propre langue ou en apprendre une nouvelle.
  Contactez-le pour en savoir plus.
  
• 

  Hébergement

  I live in a traditional but modernized stone farmhouse. You must love dogs and cats, they share the house with us. The spare bedroom with a beautiful view of the valley has 2 (small) beds. When coming alone you probably share the bedroom with another workawayer. We all have to share bathroom/toilet. The kitchen is part of the living room.
  We share the meals and hopefully the cooking, too. I like to cook simple but healthy, and mostly vegetarian.

• 

  Autres infos...

  The place is very quiet, calm and remote, and there is only 3 times a week public transport to my place, so you either need your own transportation or you are happy to stay put.
  The nearest shops, restaurants and public swimming pool are 8 km, and the ancient towns of Cahors or Montauban can be reached within 40 minutes by car (30 km), and Toulouse within 1,5 hours by car (90km).
  There are bicycles available to explore the area and to visit the weekly local market (with live music and meals in summer).
  In 5 minutes walking distance there is a small river where you can do river walking and take refreshing dips. Merlin, my dog, is a good guide.
  
  My place is surrounded by nature where you find a lot of wildlife. If you are an animal lover and like to live with them, if you look for peace and tranquility, and if you like to walk (also with my dogs or horses), bike or ride, my farm could be a good place for you.
  
  Please note that 4 of my 5 horses are retired (2 of them are 30 years old). Unfortunately we can not ride them any more, but enjoy their company on a walk or by grooming them. My younger horse, a Haflinger mix by the name of Star is 13 years old and still needs a lot of education.
  If you are interested to learn about horses my farm could be a good place for you. You will be able to learn how to take care of horses, how to connect, how to have fun with them. I am working on liberty which creates a great partnership between the horse and the human.
  Be aware that riding Star is only for excellent riders, since Star is not easy to ride. If you are interested in riding you can get a lesson by my instructor. I am taking riding lessons once a week by an excellent riding instructor. You are also welcome to learn by watching. If you are interested in learning about acupressure you can attend the acupressure sessions with my horses and dogs done by my riding instructor. And there are many more fun and interesting things about horses than just the riding.
  
  I usually host between 1-2 weeks.
  
  Please note that insurance is your own responsibility.

• 

  Informations complémentaires

  • 

    Accès Internet

  • 

    Accès Internet limité

  • 

    Nous avons des animaux

  • 

    Nous sommes fumeurs

  • 

    Familles bienvenues

• 

  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  I made good experiences with WAer working online at my place. My internet works very well.

• 

  Espace pour garer des vans

  I had several WAers who lived in their camper van when staying at my place. They have really enjoyed it. I have a special parking place for camper vans , with beautiful surroundings, in the middle of nature, with an outrageous view!

• 

  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

• 

  Nombre d'heures attendues

  25 hours a week (plus 1 hour for cleaning your room/house)

Feedback (46)