Eco-habitat in rural Belgium: permaculture, off-grid living and riverside volunteering in Durbuy

Eco-habitat in rural Belgium (Durbuy): permaculture gardening and renovation on a small off-grid family domain between road and river.

We are the guardians of a wooden chalet on the banks of the Aisne river, in Durbuy, in the Belgian Ardennes. Holistic therapist, entrepreneurial coach, young parents and passionate advocates of simple, autonomous living.

We are building here a self-sufficient, nurturing eco-habitat, rooted in respect for all living things. And we need helping hands!

Canvas tent available or your own tent. We’ll be mainly working on creating a permacultural vegetable garden and transforming a caravan into a healing/coaching space. At least one of us two will be with you during working times.

What category best describes your hosting arrangement? 🏡

Private home/family

Location (city/town, region, country) 📍

• Aisne, Heyd, Durbuy, Province of Luxembourg, Belgium

What are you looking for help with?

• Building 🛠
• Farming/Gardening 🌿🐄

Sensitive activities clarification (only if relevant)

• Volunteers work with us in our garden and our off-grid cottage.
• We have an infant who’s 9 months old, and we take care of him.
• We are a couple and alternate between working with the volunteers and working part-time from home digitally.
• We do a lot of food processing ourselves, and volunteers are welcome to join us if they’re interested in learning and sharing knowledge.

What’s the mission of your community? 🎯

Live more in harmony with the natural world nowadays. We want to inspire others to follow this path and help them on their way with therapy, coaching and simple human-friendly sharing.

Private spaces will be explained clearly. Volunteers will camp in our garden, or eventually in a room inside, as we’ll sleep in the forest next to our place.

Notes about requirements and accessibility ✍

Volunteers need to speak a good level of French or English, eventually Dutch.

How many volunteers could you host? 🎎

• 3–5 volunteers

When do you usually need volunteers? 📅

• June-Sept

How many hours of help per day? ⏱

• 6 hours/day

How many days of help per week? 🌒

• 5 days/week

Notes about the work, schedule, and house rules (optional)

• We transform a caravan into a healing/coaching space. And we’ll tend a vegetable garden (weeding, planting, soil preparation) in the spirit of permaculture, Anastasia’s teachings, Fukuoka…
• We’ll work in the mornings mainly, starting around 8am until noonish, depending on the weather. Eventually, we can work in the afternoon, from 4 pm until 6-7 pm.
• Smoking is allowed outside in certain areas.
• We have a cat. Pets from volunteers are not allowed, or exceptionally after agreement on forehand.
• Internet is available by wifi during daytime.
• We share at least two main meal times, balanced vegan organic food. Fresh spring water is always available.

Are accommodation and food included? 🏠🍜

• Yes, food and accommodation are included

What type of accommodation can you provide? 🏕

• Tent 🎪

Diet – nutrition information 🥗🥤

We provide balanced vegan, organic mostly local food and expect volunteers to agree with it while in our home. We’re used to gluten-free too, ’cause one of us is gluten intolerant.

Fee transparency (required) 💳

• No fee

What volunteers receive (in addition to food/accommodation) 🏆🏅

Sharing of our life experiences with long-term travelling the world, entrepreneurial coaching, holistic therapy, spiritual awakening, wild edible plants, non-violent communication, nutrition, natural lifestyle and rythm, a visit to the megaliths in a nearby village, going to the local markets, swimming in a close river spot, chilling in the river that’s bordering our land, doing some land’art, cycling around (we have several bikes).

And free time, of course. Sharing a motorbike ride if you’re into it.

What are the available activities during free time? 🚴🚣🦒

A tiny stone beach at the river bordering our land, local markets, some local celebrations, the megaliths of Wéris, Durbuy’s adventure valley and cute town. Liège is the closest city, accessible by train (45min).

Languages spoken on site 🗣 🗣🇬🇧

• French, English, Dutch. One of them is needed, preferably French

Geography 🌳

• Rural, forests and fields, temperate climate, hills and plateaus with rivers and valleys.

How to get to your site ✈ 🗺

By train: Bomal is 5 km away. We can pick you up from there. By plane, Liège is the nearest city with an airport. From there, take the direct train to Bomal (directions Marloie)

Is there internet access? 🌐

• Yes, reliable Wi-Fi

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