Join us in our ecological lifestyle, home and gardening projects in Zoutleeuw, Belgium

Infos

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  Description

  Hi there!
  
  We are Floor, Bruno, Gita (born 2019) and Jaco (2022), living in a little house on about 8000 m² of land, which is becoming more beautiful every day. It is our wish that this place may be a home where natural exchange can happen, where we aim for the Highest, and we have space for all. Until now, we have really enjoyed hosting people from all over the world, and we are up for more :-)
  
  **We just had a two-year break from hosting on Workaway to be fully available to our young children. As they are starting to go to school more often now, we feel it is a perfect moment to start hosting more regularly again (edited nov '25)**
  
  The 150-year old house is small, but it has an extra room for guests and there is the old ‘baking house’ which we use as a guest house, big enough for couples. We also have a large caravan in the back. In summer, we can put up a large tent for those of you who prefer camping. So there is enough space for you to join the fun!
  
  The land has a vegetable garden, fruit trees, many kinds of berries, a greenhouse, and lots of space for nature: wild flowers, trees popping up here and there, buzzing bees and singing birds...
  
  We don't have a paid occupation and so we have no fixed income but plenty of time for the kids, the house, the garden and our guests.
  
  Before we moved here in 2016, the land in the back of the house had suffered under the strain of regular suppressive and oppressive agricultural methods. So we decided to plant trees and hedges and sow flowers, and add more of them every year. Now, the land is gaining back its vibrant beauty, and a rich diversity of living beings increasingly finds its home here. We are feeling the energy of the place rise with their presence.
  
  The garden provides us with most of our vegetables and fruits the whole year round. We have succeeded in regenerating the soil, inviting a myriad of life-forms to regain a natural dynamic balance in the soil and above. We experiment with different techniques, but the main idea is to bring air and life into the soil. It's a joy to see the once depleted earth turn into a vibrantly living soil that smells like Paradise.
  
  In August we set up camp in the south of the country, on a field with a small river. Many people gather there to celebrate life and our summer-time connection. It is an ecological camp, low-impact, with vegetarian food and lots of good vibes: acoustic music, games, bhajan singing, yoga... We can host up to 4 volunteers at any time there, so feel free to apply.
  
  We believe it is possible for human beings to live in harmony with the natural environment, protecting natural diversity and sharing space with other species. We are truly enjoying this deepening connection with the totality of life around us, of which we feel we are an inseparable part. Welcome!!!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  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

  

  Culture

  

  Ferme

  

  Musique

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Langues

  

  Jardinage

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Plage

  

  Montagne

  

  Danse

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Randonnée

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Nature

  

  Camping
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Language, culture and ever growing experiences in 'natural living, building, gardening and cooking'. And making new friends, of course :-)

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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

  The 150 year-old house needs plenty of work to be done, from removing what is not needed or doesn't feel good, to restoring what is good and adding beauty and natural efficiency. And the garden… is never-ending :-)
  
  Here’s a list of things we are working on or will be working on soon:
  - repairing parts of the house with recycled materials, locally sourced wood, lime, hemp, cob...
  - painting with natural home made lime-paint
  - gardening tasks (sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, preparing vegetable beds, mulching, planting trees, pruning, harvesting hay with the scythe… depending on the season)
  - kitchen chores (especially during harvests, we make jams, juices, chutneys and pickles)
  - wood sawing and chopping
  - some construction activities on the sheds - the wooden structure needs to be fixed here and there
  - so many other small tasks that show up every day :-)
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️ If you have some specific skill in construction, restoration, gardening or anything else, please let us know. We may get inspired to find the right job for you :-)
  
  *️️️️️️️️️️️We generally leave you very free to organize your own time. You can work when it suits you and take your 'days off' when it suits you. It's all good, just let us know in time.
  
  So welcome to our place!!! We are sure you will like it!
  
  *If you are applying to volunteer at the camp during the month of August, you will join the main kitchen team that provides vegetarian food to all participants, and you could also contribute to the ‘general maintenance’ of the camp.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Hindi: Courant
  Hollandais: Courant
  Allemand: Débutant
  Espagnol: Débutant

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  Hébergement

  Basic but comfortable. You will have a room / large caravan / one-room house for yourself, a wood stove for heating, bed & blankets, limited internet access...
  
  The bathroom is in the main house, and there is a compost toilet outside of the house.
  
  All meals are shared. We're vegetarians so no meat products here, but we do use organic milk from a nearby farm, and local organic eggs. We choose to eat organic, also a part of our view on a life in harmony with mother Earth.
  
  We don’t really use alcohol, only very rarely and in small amounts, which may be surprising in a country famous for it’s beers. But we don’t mind if you open a bottle once in a while.
  
  Internet is available with limited data. OK for everything except for regular streaming or downloading videos. We have no television, but we do have a few movies on a laptop you can borrow.
  
  When we are not working or cooking, we like to play a game of cards, go for a walk, play some music, read, talk, or sit around and do nothing, listen to the birds and the wind in the trees... you are warmly invited to join us for a game, a talk,, a walk, some tea... We really appreciate these moments of sharing, but we also encourage you (and ourselves) to take your own time whenever you feel like it. No pressure here. You can be as you are.

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  Autres infos...

  We have a few good bicycles you can use to discover the surrounding area.. Lots of good people/places around to visit. A lake at 10km, small nature reserves, towns, other eco-sustainable projects in the area... Tienen and Diest train stations both are a 25 minute bus ride away and connects you to interesting cities like Ghent (80 min.), Bruges (100 min) , Liège (40 min), Brussels (40 min) and Antwerp (50 min). It's a small country, so nothing is very far away. We can help you find your way :-)
  
  The nearest supermarket is about 6km away. Two libraries with free WiFi are 6km and 8km away.

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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

  No Wi-Fi here but if you have your own way to be online: Most Welcome!

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  There's a big area in the back to park your van for your stay here. Welcome!

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Mes animaux

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