Permaculture, yoga and climbing in the mountains of Haute Ariège, France

Detalhes

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  Descrição

  I am Belgian, a biologist and certified yoga teacher. Together with my Chilean husband we have been working and living in different foreign countries in search for cultural exchanges, mountains and wild nature. We are a couple in our late 50's and we love yoga, hiking and climbing. In 2010 we bought an old and disregarded house in the Ariège Pyrenees.
  Since 2015 we have been settling here in “Les Cabannes”, at the base of “Plateau De Beille” between "Ax-Les-Thermes" and "Tarascon-Sur-Ariège".
  
  We aim for a sustainable lifestyle and we need tripple hands to do all the work on what has become a mini farm.
  
  At the moment we need help from volunteers skilled in brush-cutting and clearing of the electrical fences. Then there is always the regular work: cleaning of the hen and/or sheep house. weeding the permaculture beds and some planting/sowing and ... The 2 newborn lams have arrived: they are sooo cute!
  But !!!!! DON'T BE AFRAID OF CREEPY BUGS because there everywhere and part of the ecological harmonie in nature.
  
  Interested in our little story and inspirations? Here it is:
  Our once old and disregarded house is getting renovated slowly by our own hands and the neglected garden transformed in a beautiful wildflower heaven. Our little family includes hens and a rooster, some sheep, a ram and our cute shepherd dog, Luna. The gardening is done on the principles of permaculture. We avoid buying useless, trow-away or plastics and recycle as much as possible. Plastics, synthetic fibers and other petrochemical derivatives are highly recalcitrant in nature, causing adverse impacts to the environment. We avoid using them, unfortunately they are present nearly everywhere nowadays even in our food, clothes, cosmetics... On the grounds here the rubbish bin isn`t filling up quickly, luckily, and we hope you'll pay attention to that too.
  In undisturbed natural areas wastefulness doesn't exist. Everything gets recycled through the seasons by molds, microorganisms, invertebrates, insects... A big part of the garden has been given back to nature for "wilding". In other words: lots of wild plants were reintroduced which in turn attract lots of insects, by time also reptiles, rodents, birds and small mammifers ... Our little herd of Ouessant sheep impedes the recolonisation of human-high brambles or thorny pseudoacacia shoots. The shepherd dog chases foxes or birds of prey trying to steal the chicken. The idea is to create a little peaceful refuge in our stressful contaminated environment, not only for people but also for wild plants and little living creatures.
  
  We heat our house by a woodstove which is also the cooker and oven during wintertime. Moreover it is off during the night for a healthy fresh sleep, Water and electricity consumption are kept as low as possible, so letting run clean tap water (for example long showering, cleaning the dishes ...) is not part of our habits. For the sake of our real mother, the earth, and for the health of all living creatures including ourselves, we try to live as much as "low tech" as possible. For this reason we avoid using electric-or electronical devises and internet connection with wifi is only available during certain intervals.
  
  We maintain spirits high by boosting positive energy with yoga practice, breathing and relaxation techniques. We are conscious about keeping good health and vitality through healthy cooking and eating. This means the cooking is in tune with the seasons and one’s physical activity. We love vegetarian meals and we might include sometimes fish from the local fish farm or meat from own production or local producers who respect the animal and the environment. We prepare homemade breads, vegetable spreads and fermented vegetables like in my grandmother’s time (by the way: I am grandmother myself by now).
  
  This is all very hardworking, however we never forget to just enjoy this beautiful area. We take free time and weekends to go hiking, climbing, swimming in the natural waters, mountain biking.... In the snow season we go snowshoeing and even climbing is still very nice on the south facing walls on sunny winter days. Everywhere we go, our shepherd dog is part of the fun but please don't trow her any sticks or bones: her playing is the working with the animals
  
  Sorry if I respond late. After a long day of work I might forget to look at messages.
  And please, don't forget in your contact message the answer to my questions at the end.
  
  Hoping to get to know you soon....

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  Tipos de ajuda e oportunidades de aprendizado

  Ajuda em projetos ambientais

  Jardinagem

  Construção/faça você mesmo

  Cuidar de animais

  Manutenção geral
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  Oportunidades de intercâmbio cultural e aprendizado

  Splendid location:
  On the border of a small village with basic services and a market on Sundays; you can do everything on foot.
  In the vicinity of a huge rock-climbing-wall, tracks, trails and dirt-roads giving access to amazingly beautiful, peaceful, wild areas for birdwatching, photographing, walking, swimming, climbing ….
  Possible access to nearby villages on foot by means of ancient dirt roads and trails, by public transport (train station, bus) and even a relaxing treat in a spa with thermal waters or the discovery of Cathar culture, fortresses, Romanesque chapels, caves with prehistoric paintings and more.
  
  Amazingly interesting activities:
  -Practicing 4 languages: English, Spanish, French and Dutch
  -Climbing, hiking, snowshoeing, mountain biking with experienced and active hosts (more than 30 years in different areas in the world, 15 years in Haute Ariège). We know and frequent the interesting trails, climbing routes, mountain bike descends. We also offer the excellent old fashioned consulting way by means of paper books, maps and guides which are for insight in our library. By the way, reading in bed is a much more relaxing way to finish your day than fixing your gaze on a screen. Anyway the internet connection is off at night in order to ensure a peacful and wave-free rest.
  -Practicing yoga, breathing and relaxation techniques with a professional yoga teacher.
  -Discovering & learning new skills or sharing your skills related to the before mentioned outdoor and indoor aids needed.
  -Getting acquainted with our way of cooking which we consider the “art of playing with flavors, colors and also wild ingredients" in order to create a meal which is harmonious at all levels. This means balanced and healthy for the taster and respectful for the farmer and the environment.
  -Exchanging and socializing around a table (inside or outside depending on the weather) sharing a delicious dinner prepared from homemade mostly vegetarian and seasonal ingredients sourced from local artisans or from the bio-organic garden.
  -Everything real and life, close to nature and the mountains, in company with an amazing couple and their animals.

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  Ajuda

  The following interest, abilities & skills are welcomed:
  
  Outside the house: For most of these tasks you have to be physically fit and sometimes also willing to work in the dirt, rain or cold.
  Gardening: fencing, brush-cutting, woodchopping and cutting up fallen trees in the field for the sheep.
  Planting, pruning, weeding, stacking wood for winter heating
  Cleaning the chicken scoop, the hen house, the sheep stable
  Maintenance of fences and gates.
  Repairing collapsed dry stone walls and terraces on steep hill slope
  Shearing of the sheep,
  Cleaning and drying of harvested medicinal plants, herbs and fruits .
  
  
  Inside the house:
  Heip might be needed for difficult cleaning tasks like washing the windows.
  
  On special occasions help is needed from 1 or 2 responsible people who are able to work independantly. They will be incorporated in the organization of a yoga workshop. The helping tasks might be: making the beds, preparations based on wild edible plants for brunch and/or diner, taking pictures or mini videos.

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  Idiomas

  Inglês: Fluente
  Espanhol: Fluente
  Francês: Fluente
  Holandês: Fluente
  Catalan: Iniciante

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  Acomodação

  We generally receive people for a minimum of 7 nights, 8 days.
  On arrival you are expected after 4:0 PM or as agreed .
  We can accomodate 3 people. You will be hosted on the first floor where a nice bedroom is available with 3 comfortable real single beds and a wardrobe. You might be sharing this room with another workawayer, we will inform about that if it's the case. There is the bathroom with toilet, shower and washbasin on the same floor. There is also the relaxing space with library and inter-netting desk. This is also the place where the morning and/or evening yoga sessions take place. Shoes, food and drinks are not allowed in the upper floor areas. Please, bring some slippers for inside use only. Since the upper floor is covered with cork for yoga practice, it is not allowed to go up with any footwear being used outside. If you like walking barefeet, thanks for washing your feet before going up and/or using the yogamats.
  The day of departure you are expected to leave around midday after having cleaned completely the staircase, bedroom and bathroom until the spider cobs in the hidden corners: this includes also scrubbing the shower, washbasin, mirror and the toilet . You leave the place as clean as you have found it, or even cleaner.
  A typical day starts around 7.30 AM, taking care of the animals. Around 8h00 AM we usually prepare and have breakfast, next cleaning of the dishes and brushing the floor. The real work generally starts between 9 and 9:30 AM. When it's getting very hot we might start earlier. There is regularly some yoga to practice with Gerd, certified yoga teacher: you are more than welcome to join her. So, if you have never practiced yoga but you would love to try it out, it's the moment to take your chance. On the other hand, If you are starting as yoga teacher or as a practitioner of holistic or manual therapy you might be happy to join in a yoga event.

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  Algo mais...

  ATTENTION:
  1) In order to avoid misunderstanding, and thus disappointment from both sides, we would like you to explicitly read our complete profile including the following:
  - confirm your agreement to the underneath mentioned house rules and information.
  - mention what skills you can offer or would like to learn in relation to the aids needed and whether you are fit enough for this.
  - mention what activities you would like to get involved in during free time.
  
  2) We do NOT live on a profesional FARM! But we have a shepherd dog, some hens, a rooster and sheep,
  Since we make some extra income from offering B&B we need the only 2 extra rooms available. Therefore, we offer a stay of about a week. In exceptional cases we might prolong the stay to 15 days, 14 nights: a stay of a month or more seems too long for us.
  
  3) The house-rules to respect:
  -No smoking all over the place, inside and outside
  -No shoes, no drinking nor eating in sleeping areas, yoga room and library.
  -Taking part or turns in preparing food and doing domestic chores are not considered as work-away tasks. They are considered as normal daily occupations which are shared because you are living with us. You are not staying in a hotel.
  -It’s considered as obvious that you join us for breakfast and dinner for face to face socializing: so please, no telephone or interneting. (please warn in advance when you can’t be present for a dinner when for example taking your free time/day)
  -For the sake of our real mother, the earth and for the health of all living creatures including ourselves we try to live as much as "low tech" and "wave-free"as possible. For this reason internet connection with wifi is only available during certain intervals. G4 and G5 phone trafic is not allowed because it is too treathening for nervous cells and the energie metabolism of cells in general. We will ask you to turn it off in and around the house to make use of only G3. After 10PM till 7 AM all celular phones are put in airplane mode and placed in a Faraday box. During mealtimes telephones are in airplane mode.

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  Mais alguns detalhes

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    Acesso à internet

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    Acesso à internet limitado

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    Temos mascotes

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    Somos fumantes

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    Pode hospedar famílias

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  Espaço para estacionar campervans

  Este anfitrião pode fornecer espaço para vans.

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  Quantos Workawayers pode acomodar?

  Mais de 2

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  Horas previstas

  5 hours per day max, 5 days/week.

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