Experience a Permaculture smallholding in Brittany, France

Infos

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  Description

  We're seeking practical, independent, and motivated volunteers for winter with their own camper van who are interested in gaining hands-on experience in woodland management. Ideal candidates will be keen to support Glen with forestry and woodwork tasks. Prior experience in tree felling, log splitting, or forestry is beneficial.
  
  We moved to France after our world travels in mid 2017 with a vision to create a sustainable, education and demonstration site. Since then we had been renovating the house, redesigning and regenerating the land, and we are now able to follow our dream of leading a more balanced and connected lifestyle in the French countryside.
  
  Glen is originally from the UK and Karen from South Africa. We have made France our home and have been working hard on setting up a Permaculture smallholding.
  
  Karen in a certified Permaculture designer, educator and life coach, and Glen with his background in Engineering is an all round handyman with a keen interest in woodland management, forest gardens (perennial food forests), finding creative solutions to all farm requirements, biochar and charcoal making as well as aquaponics (which he plans to set up here in the future).
  
  We have dogs, chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep and goats. We grow our own veggies in annual raised beds, and plan to move towards a more low energy input perennial food forest which we are setting up.
  We raise our pigs for meat and have a Community Pig club. Our sheep's wool is used for crafting projects, and we have meat from our pasture raised sheep. We believe passionately in good animal husbandry and in treating all our animals with respect.
  We also practice rotational grazing thereby improving ours and others pasture land (we offer an eco-mowing services to the local community)
  We are co-founders of a Community Association where we help and support one another living in France. So there may be community related work projects to get involved in.
  
  We have a few key projects that we are focusing on this year:
  - Fencing
  - Redesigning and reshaping sheep field area
  - Taking down trees and clearing/log splitting and stacking
  - General forestry management
  
  
  IMPORTANT: we have 4 dogs so only dog friendly people should apply.
  We ask for a minimum commitment of 1 week.

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  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

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Chance to experience the French countryside.
  Great food and drink in a friendly warm household
  Sharing our experience and knowledge in the field of regenerative agriculture, permaculture and woodland management.

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  Aide

  Helping out with animals routines, moving animals, cleaning animal areas setting up new camps
  Growing food - planting seeds, weeding, harvesting
  We also need help with log splitting, wood chipping (which we use for mulch) and woodland management
  Mowing, hedge trimming and any other general garden duties

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Afrikaans: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Débutant
  Hollandais: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  We are still learning French and would love to improve our basic skills, in exchange we would be willing to help you improve your English language skills.
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  Hébergement

  Comfortable yurt accommodation with a double bed including linen and towels. Compost loo and shower right next to the yurt. Your own private outdoor kitchen which is well equipped.
  We usually have breakfast and lunches together (we can cater for vegetarian diets but not vegan unfortunately) and you are then free to prepare your own food in the evening.

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  Autres infos...

  We have bikes available to explore the local area. Lots of walks from the house. Unfortunately as we are quiet rural there is no public transport direct from our property, but we are only 5km from 2 nearest towns.
  Larger city such as Lorient 35km away, and many interesting and historic villages in the area.
  We are willing to pick up workaways from train stations within reasonable distance, and offer lifts to shops or local attractions when we are able.

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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

  We have satellite internet connection which we have found more effective than other services, however you will not have wifi signal in the yurt but there is local 4g connection. The wifi is effective and adequate for most remote working needs. We are happy to host digital nomads by prior arrangement.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  We have a flat field space that is suitable for camper vans and motorhomes.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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