Last updated: July 2026.
Off-grid homestead in central Slovakia
Iβm David, Belgian, running a fully off-grid homestead in a forest clearing in central Slovakia, 400m altitude. Wood heat, rainwater collection, no flush toilet, over 1000 fruit trees planted, animals and gardens, recently created. A lot of whatβs here was built from salvaged materials and hand tools. Currently building natural structures with straw-clay.
This isnβt romanticised off-grid content for a feed. Itβs the daily version: snow and firewood in winter, food preservation in autumn, animal care every single day regardless of weather, and construction whenever thereβs time left over. No curated shots of a tiny house with good lighting, but actual subsistence.
What category best describes your hosting arrangement? π‘
- Private/Individual/family
Location β Where is your volunteer project located? π
What are you looking for help with?
- Animal keeping ππ΄
- Natural building π
- Farming and gardening πΏπ
- Orchard care and grafting π³
- Food preservation π₯
- General help πββοΈ
Whatβs the mission of your project? π―
Most people talk about sustainability while changing nothing structural about how they actually live. A radical reduction in consumption is livable, and it can be chosen voluntarily, before circumstances force it on everyone anyway. Resource depletion, declining net energy, soil degradation, biodiversity collapse, climate instability thatβs still only at its beginning: these are physical constraints, not opinions up for debate. Degrowth isnβt a future scenario. Itβs already underway.
Please note
I never used and will never use any chemicals on my property. I donβt need any certification for this.
Volunteers with disabilities βΏβ
Volunteers with disabilities are welcome. There is a 1km unpaved road to access the land. The last meters are a bit muddy in winter; that means that a normal city car could hardly help you to get here in winter. The land can be accessed by any car from spring to autumn.
Dogs should be calm and educated, otherwise they could disturb the other animals and/or require permanent attention or supervision.
How many volunteers could you host? π
- A couple of volunteers
When do you usually need volunteers? π
Could be all year round, depending on the volunteerβs expectations.
Minimum length of stay π
Volunteers should be ready to commit at least a month, ideally longer, and should have already started questioning their own way of life in practice, not just in conversation.
How many hours of help per day? β±
- No schedule. Read the Note about the volunteer work and other expectations section.
How many days of help per week? π
- 5 days per week β 2 days off
Note about the volunteer work and other expectations π
Once you are here, there is nobody and nothing around but the woods and a few animals. Sometimes, we can meet bears and friendly neighbours who also keep bees and make their own harvest and homemade products.
Being calm, patient and careful with the tools and stuff is highly appreciated.
I donβt want to define a schedule for my helpers: the place is remote, silentβ¦ there is almost nothing else to do here than living, enjoying and sharing all the daily routines and tasks. Therefore, saying that you will βstart at 8:00 and finish at 16:00β is perfect nonsense. All the helpers that visited me were just living here with me, without having any schedule.
Are accommodation and food included? π π
Yes, we offer food and accommodation
What type of accommodation can you provide? π
- Tent πͺ
- Space for a camper van π
For the helpers, I currently cannot provide luxurious accommodation. This is another projectβ¦
The best would be to come here with a camper van. If you canβt come with your van, a big tent is available with a camp bed.
I can provide electricity, fresh water for drinking and showering, and food. There is no flush toilet.
Diet β nutrition information π₯π₯€
Iβm used to cooking simply. Managing a lot of daily tasks results in simpler recipes. Sometimes I eat raw vegetables, salads and sprouts.
Iβm not a fan of veganism or vegetarianism. I eat very little meat, but what I do eat, I raise and prepare myself.
Iβm also not a fan of any quasi-religious worldview, including energy healing, astrology and Mother-Earth tales, or identitarian ideology in any form.
Depending on the weather, we can cook in the caravan, outside or in the main tent. We can share the meals, and all of us can let creativity speak.
Fee transparency ππ
Nothing to pay.
Are you able to assist with visa support and information, or provide invitation letters? π
Yes, we can help with Visa/invitation letters β
Volunteersβ benefits ππ
Volunteers who come here donβt just learn orchard grafting, food preservation, animal husbandry, or natural building, though they learn all of that. They relearn what they actually need, once constant novelty and distraction are stripped away, and most leave with a completely different relationship to time, effort, and their own resourcefulness than when they arrived.
What are the activities during free time? π΄π£π¦
With a car, itβs easy to get to Detva, HriΕovΓ‘, LuΔenec or VeΔΎkΓ½ KrtΓΕ‘. In these cities, you can find all kinds of shops, several restaurants, a swimming pool, a climbing rock, traditional farms, beautiful skies, hiking paths, waterfalls and mountain bike paths in nature.
Once you are here, there is nobody and nothing around but the woods and a few animals. You can rest in the hammock, read books, go for a walk or go running in the woods.
Language π£π¬π§
French is my native language; I speak English fluently and I am learning Slovak.
Geography π³
DolnΓ½ Tisovnik is located in central Slovakia, at around 400m altitude and at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains.
The homestead is in a remote forest clearing, surrounded by woods. Itβs an almost βuntouchedβ place that still shelters a small part of biodiversity. Weβre also not far from PoΔΎana, an extinct volcano.
The weather is nice all year round and fairly balanced until now, even if precipitation tends to congregate and drought periods become more intense and longer, like in many other countries.
How to get to your site β πΊ
By car is the best.
You can also arrive by plane and use the train or bus to get to Detva. The closest airports are Budapest and Bratislava.
Is there internet access? π
Yes, but not very strong.
CONTACT DETAILS ππ§
To get in touch with David, kindly send an email to voluntouring.freelist@gmail.com with the subject line βPermaculture in Slovakia Volunteer Exchange.β We will make every effort to respond promptly and provide you with the host contact details. Thank you for your interest!
See more volunteering opportunities in Slovakia πΈπ°