italyecovillage

Experience community-like environment on small farm nestled in the mountains of Abruzzi National Park, between Rome and Naples.

This farm has been abondoned for more than 30 years but still has many active fruit trees, including fig, pear, peach, cherry, persimmon, and apple, and also olive trees. The farm is in a beautiful area on the other side of our property, surrounded by woods and a creek. The farm is a little slice of heaven: peaceful, quiet, clean air, and amazing views of the mountains. We want to bring it back to life! This will be a very unique experience for volunteers to live together in a community-like environment, work together towards a common goal, and live very simply. Our other farm is a working farm and farmstay (with guests and volunteers from all over the world) and is about 15 minutes walking distance through the woods.

Volunteers will need to work 2 hours per day in exchange for ACCOMODATION ONLY. Volunteers will be responsible for their own meals. We have a wood stove and a wood oven to cook with. We hope that meal time can be a communal experience for the volunteers. Their is a lot of fruit available on the farm from late May to October. There is also the opportunity to grow your own vegetables as we have a large area available for a vegetable garden and we want to start an organic garden here in 2008. Volunteers' work will include tending to the fruit trees (fertilizing, pruning, and harvesting), building and caring for our new vegetable garden (including watering, weeding, turning soil, seeding, harvesting), and working towards rehabiliting this space (which could include minor construction projects, cleaning, trail work, etc). We also want to have chickens here in 2008, so work may also include caring for the chickens. Volunteers will also need to spend some time each day (not included in your 2 hours) collecting wood from the surrounding area to cook with.

This is not a place for passive people! We are looking for people who are passionate, active, interested, independent, and who are open to living with and working together with other individuals. We want people who are enthusiastic about this project and about this style of living. We want to create a beautiful community of people living on this amazing piece of land.

WARNING: THIS FARM IS NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE!!!! Please read very carefully!

The farm has NO ELECTRICITY and MINIMAL RUNNING WATER (water only runs into one sink so can really only be used for drinking, washing dishes, brushing teeth, etc). We will have a compost toilet (that will need to be emptied and taken care of... if you have questions about this, please ask!), and a solar shower (a thick black plastic bag connected to a small shower head that you can fill up in the morning and the water warms if you leave it in the sun). You will need to bring a sleeping bag and a flashlight.

As there is no septic system on the land, ALL SOAP AND OTHER PRODUCTS MUST BE BIODEGRADABLE (and actually say it on the label)!!!! This is very important for the land and for the surrounding watershed and wildlife. All the water and soap we use at the farm is turned directly into the soil, so it is very important that all products used (including shampoo, hand and body soap, dish soap, lotions, toothpaste, etc) are safe for the soil. You can bring this with you or purchase it in the nearby town of Sora. If you have questions about this, please ask.

This is very basic, very rural living. If you do not like "camping," then this is NOT the place for you. If you feel that the material comforts of modern technology are not neccessary for your happiness and general well being, then you will be very content here in this magical paradise.

THIS FARM IS ONLY SUITABLE FOR HIGHLY INDEPENDENT AND RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE!!!

To reach us you will need to get to the station in Sora and then catch a bus towards the farm and then walk for 20 minutes on a gravel road. You can only come when it is light. There are only a few buses from Sora to the farm per day so you will need to make sure you will get to Sora with a good amount of time ahead of the last bus ( no buses on Sunday and holiday). When you leave the farm, you will also need to reach the station independently. Have a look at some pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21653573@N06/