1. Describe your project, your place, and its inhabitants (including animals):
We are small family farm in the heart of Transylvania, run by me (Lavinia) and my son Joel. Since 1999 we have built the small organic farm from the ground up, and although we made some changes over the years, we strive to be as self sufficient and sustainable as possible. We have 2 dairy cows, Malva and Rosina, whose milk we turn into varying delicious dairy products (soft and hard cheese, yogurts, cream and butter), chicken, a dog, and three cats.
We have a big garden that requires much work and dedication, we use heirloom seeds and help preserve local varieties. Every spring we harvest rose petals from our small damascus rose plantation and turn them into rose jam and other products.
On our farm we have received volunteers 2004 and have enjoyed making friends and meaningful connections with people all over the world. The exchange of ideas, knowledge and culture that come with welcoming people into our family has enriched our lives. We can welcome a couple or a single person at a time, as we have one small room to provide as accommodation.
2. List the activities that WWOOFers will participate in and what you want to teach them:
If you are interested in homesteading skills you will benefit greatly from your stay with us, as we strive to be as self sufficient as possible. Among others you can learn and improve your:...
gardening
animal husbandry
milk processing
preserving
bread making
field work
...skills.
3. What could a WWOOFer's day look like at your site (time slot for participation in activities, expectations...)?
You will be welcome to participate in whatever areas interest you most, as we are very eager to include you in our family life. The activities vary from season to season of course, in general we need help with tending to the garden and the animals e.g. sowing, weeding, harvesting, mucking out, milking feeding, and of course the general upkeep of the farm, mending fences, building enclosures. We process the milk and produce ourselves, so activities like cheese making, butter churning, baking and preserving are also areas where you can help with.
4. Play the guide! Talk about your own hobbies (music, cooking, etc.) and those possible around (hiking, swimming, etc.):
I (Lavinia) am interested in botanics, I also like to restore old furniture and dabble in decoration to satisfy my creativity. Joel ( my son) is an avid fan of history, the outdoors and plays the piano (that you are also welcome to use, if you would like). We love to play board games on rainy days and like hiking/ foraging. We are interested in the natural world around us and eager to exchange knowledge and culture with our volunteers. In the villages around, there are fortified churches that you can visit and trails that you can hike.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Raising of other farm animals
Dairy farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Traditional crafts
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
