For dozen of years EstYES has been cooperating with farms all over Estonia for solidarity, respect and practical support to local people who work in agricultural sector keeping traditional life style and developing new eco-farming despite of all difficulties. Altmoisa Farm is one of such projects. This is an organic farm in west coast of Estonia specializing on vegetables growing (lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell and hot peppers, beans, pumpkins, peaches, grapes, etc) focusing on the quality not on the mass production. There is a 120m2 greenhouse and extensive amounts of farming lands. Farm experiments a lot in different forms of permaculture trying to evolve from traditional agriculture projects to temperate/ cold climate food forests, raised beds and aquaponics. In the household there is a dog, 3 cats and a flock of chicken. In near future there will be a horse, ducks and possibly 2 pigs and 5-6 sheep. Farm manages an orchard of 4,2 hectares, 0,3 hectares of blackberries and 0,2 hectares of raspberries plus bits of strawberries. Besides growing vegetables, the Farm also takes care of the Matsalu National Park coastal meadows.
The goal of this year camps is to finish the cob studio/forge to the condition that it can be used during winter months and to start restoration of the old farm house doing the foundation works. You will work side-by-side with everybody in the Farm. Your tasks include mainly hands-on action in construction/ restoration, working with natural materials such as cob and wood. Side projects include planting, maintaining and harvesting different cultures and helping out with animal husbandry. The work is 6-7 hours a day, mainly outdoors.
Accommodation:
You will live in a 200 years old farmhouse. For sleeping you will have common room on the attic – plenty of space but little privacy, which will be only a problem when you are not nice to people around you. You will cook together using as much of self-grown products as possible. Everybody cleans after themselves as much as they make a mess, does their own dishes and cleans just a bit more when needed. The cook and the kitchen team make the rules for the day and are to be helped in every possible way. For washing, a brand new washing room was just finished. All the essentials are there – towels, bedclothes, hot water etc.
Location:
Farm is located at the west coast of Estonia, 18km from the nearest city Haapsalu in Tuuru village, which is a tiny village directly on the edge of the Matsalu National Park - one of the biggest bird sanctuaries in Europe. More on http://www.keskkonnaamet.ee/matsa-eng
Terminal:
Airport, harbour, coach station in Tallinn. From Tallinn you need to take a bus to the city of Haapsalu, which is about an hour and a half drive. From Haapsalu hosts will pickup you up and bring to the Farm.
Special Requirements:
You have to be ready to adapt to the simple conditions of the common life in the country side of Estonia and be willing to do work which can be hard. The positive attitude and respect forwards life and other people are expected from volunteers. You should have the courage to try new things, to learn and to teach new skills. Couples are generally not accepted for the lack of privacy at the accommodation. Allergies and phobias should be reported ahead. Hosts speak Estonian, Russian, English, Finnish, German and Danish languages.
Leisure Time:
You can go to swim to the sea - which is 2km away, explore the surrounding nature by foot or bicycles, picking berries and mushrooms. We will make music and sing together, play volleyball, catch and smoke fish from the sea, have good times with Farm neighbours, practice archery and make big bonfire nights. On days off you may visit Haapsalu (www.haapsalu.ee) which offers a lot of attractions for visitors in summer.
For dozen of years EstYES has been cooperating with farms all over Estonia for solidarity, respect and practical support to local people who work in agricultural sector keeping traditional life style and developing new eco-farming despite of all difficulties. Altmoisa Farm is one of such projects. This is an organic farm in west coast of Estonia specializing on vegetables growing (lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell and hot peppers, beans, pumpkins, peaches, grapes, etc) focusing on the quality not on the mass production. There is a 120m2 greenhouse and extensive amounts of farming lands. Farm experiments a lot in different forms of permaculture trying to evolve from traditional agriculture projects to temperate/ cold climate food forests, raised beds and aquaponics. In the household there is a dog, 3 cats and a flock of chicken. In near future there will be a horse, ducks and possibly 2 pigs and 5-6 sheep. Farm manages an orchard of 4,2 hectares, 0,3 hectares of blackberries and 0,2 hectares of raspberries plus bits of strawberries. Besides growing vegetables, the Farm also takes care of the Matsalu National Park coastal meadows.
The goal of this year camps is to finish the cob studio/forge to the condition that it can be used during winter months and to start restoration of the old farm house doing the foundation works. You will work side-by-side with everybody in the Farm. Your tasks include mainly hands-on action in construction/ restoration, working with natural materials such as cob and wood. Side projects include planting, maintaining and harvesting different cultures and helping out with animal husbandry. The work is 6-7 hours a day, mainly outdoors.
Accommodation:
You will live in a 200 years old farmhouse. For sleeping you will have common room on the attic – plenty of space but little privacy, which will be only a problem when you are not nice to people around you. You will cook together using as much of self-grown products as possible. Everybody cleans after themselves as much as they make a mess, does their own dishes and cleans just a bit more when needed. The cook and the kitchen team make the rules for the day and are to be helped in every possible way. For washing, a brand new washing room was just finished. All the essentials are there – towels, bedclothes, hot water etc.
Location:
Farm is located at the west coast of Estonia, 18km from the nearest city Haapsalu in Tuuru village, which is a tiny village directly on the edge of the Matsalu National Park - one of the biggest bird sanctuaries in Europe. More on http://www.keskkonnaamet.ee/matsa-eng
Terminal:
Airport, harbour, coach station in Tallinn. From Tallinn you need to take a bus to the city of Haapsalu, which is about an hour and a half drive. From Haapsalu hosts will pickup you up and bring to the Farm.
Special Requirements:
You have to be ready to adapt to the simple conditions of the common life in the country side of Estonia and be willing to do work which can be hard. The positive attitude and respect forwards life and other people are expected from volunteers. You should have the courage to try new things, to learn and to teach new skills. Couples are generally not accepted for the lack of privacy at the accommodation. Allergies and phobias should be reported ahead. Hosts speak Estonian, Russian, English, Finnish, German and Danish languages.
Leisure Time:
You can go to swim to the sea - which is 2km away, explore the surrounding nature by foot or bicycles, picking berries and mushrooms. We will make music and sing together, play volleyball, catch and smoke fish from the sea, have good times with Farm neighbours, practice archery and make big bonfire nights. On days off you may visit Haapsalu (www.haapsalu.ee) which offers a lot of attractions for visitors in summer.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
