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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
7 Jul 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 4 days
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24
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Description
UPDATE2025:
We started a permaculture community garden. Every Tuesday is working together time.
There are two poly-tunnels for tomatoes and cucumbers. Most veggie beds in the other part of the garden have been raised, so that the plants are not swimming anymore. All over all, it starts to look like a little veggie farm.
Therefore, we look for friendly humans with green thumps or those who want to learn more about their gardening skills.
There are thoughts of constructing our own sauna this year. Some wood constructions in the garden could need a bit of love and tools too ... thus, somebody with knowledge of wood work is wanted too.
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A desire to help with maintaining & caring for the garden is very welcome, something that we do with much hart & soul and hope you join in with that too.
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About us:
We are a couple of two humans living in Balen, Belgium. Since 2015 we own a huge garden where we apply the principles of permaculture. Our garden is the source of our vegetarian life-style and (outgrown) hobby, an experimental ground and home for biodiversity. We do not own a car, but have plenty of bicycles to fill this "gap". Other types of sustainability are part of our daily life as well. We are e.g. members of the local "transition town" project, try to reuse when possible, decrease our ecological footprint etc.
Instead of watching TV we prefer board games, books, music and internet.
You may contact us in Esperanto, Deutsch, Nederlands or English.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Self development
Farming
Charity work
DIY & crafts
Music
Plant care
Photography
Gardening
Cooking & food
Drawing & painting
Cycling
Hiking
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
- learn about permaculture in practice
- discover Esperanto the international language
- maintain and repair bicycles
- creative cooking
Help
- all kinds of garden work, e.g. sowing, (trans-)planting all kinds of vegetables, fruits, trees, perennials; some "maintenance" (e.g. keeping nettles and bindweed in control); scythe the paths; harvesting & preservation (what is your favorite "grandma´s recipe"?!) ...
- little construction projects outside, e.g. making tables, chairs etc. out of pallet wood, "upgrading" some small old bridges, setting up a holistic "water management system" ...
- in the house: helping getting on with the renovation of some rooms upstairs (e.g. "vesting" the walls where now is only the basic structure after insulation) - some experience on this would be welcome; helping with the usual chores is also welcome (washing dishes, preparing meals etc.)
- sometimes there will be "local" people helping as well, ideally some Dutch would be useful to help with children & elderly (but no requirement)
- we have loads of idea´s but usually a hand short; we are also curious for your knowledge & are open for your input to make this place more resilient & enjoyable (it is already good but it can always get better ;) )
In short: if you have experience with or enthusiasm about gardening you are very welcome, as well if you have skills as a carpenter, electrician, renovator, system-thinker, cook or some other craft-ship to give us a boost :)
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Esperanto: Fluent
Dutch: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
You can choose between having your room with bed & mattress
OR have your private camping trailer in the garden
OR bring your own tent
What else ...
Our house is located in the "holiday" region of North-Belgium. It is a beautiful area for biking or having a walk or go swimming. There is a train station in our town, so going to the big cities of Belgium for sightseeing is possible.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Geese in the garden
Feedback (12)
It was a pleasure to get to know so much of the garden, and doing different tasks.
And also having some nice food, talks, and games!
Thank you again!
She is an interested-in-many-subjects and open-minded person, having fun in discussions. We feel honoured to help her with the master thesis and wish her good luck for the coming projects.
We liked her kind, open, attentive way. She noticed quickly what was necessary in a situation and also didnt hesitate to dubbelcheck to be clear about instructions. Working… read more
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Cultural exchange:
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Communication:
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It was a pleasure to get to know so much of the garden, and doing different tasks.
And also having some nice food, talks, and games!
Thank you again!
She is an interested-in-many-subjects and open-minded person, having fun in discussions. We feel honoured to help her with the master thesis and wish her good luck for the coming projects.
We liked her kind, open, attentive way. She noticed quickly what was necessary in a situation and also didnt hesitate to dubbelcheck to be clear about instructions. Working… read more
We would have liked to show you much more around the house & garden but time was too short(end). Welcome another time! Good… read more
We admired their passion and knowledge for sustainable living and for permaculture and learned a lot from them.
We stayed for two weeks, in which we enjoyed having so many different fresh leaves and flowers for salad every day! And… read more
The cooking skills of Doron where a very… read more
I was at Aline & Carsten's house for three weeks. It was the first trip of my new "travel season" and I couldn't make a better choice.
They are really creating something extremely different from the normal lifestyle. It is not only a question of permaculture itself, but also about their way of looking at life and enjoying… read more
In the house he was a willing worker, helping with passion in the kitchen and surprising us several times with Italian… read more
He loves to cycle and to communicate with his girl… read more
I also… read more
Thanks for your… read more
She is a brave women on a world trip and dares to expand her comfort zone by leaving her continent and culture. Being the first time abroad she managed to get over the clash of cultures within a couple of days although there were way to many spiders in our garden, but even this she… read more
Best luck with your studies!
The task we worked on were very diverse. In the garden, we planted trees and bulbs,… read more
We liked your polite, happy and especially open manner. We appreciated that we could explain what our intention with a certain task was and trust completely that you will find a creative and also practical solution while using what was available at our place in a very efficient way.… read more
With less than 24 hours notice Aline and… read more
