📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
For decades EstYES has been working with eco-farms around Estonia showing solidarity and respect to their work and supporting local people, who keep agricultural traditions and develop eco-farming in Estonia. Organic farm Kingu is one of them. This is a berry, fruit and vegetable micro-farm in the South Estonia. The main berry crops are raspberries, various currants, gooseberries, Japanese quince, but also the grow garlic and rhubarb. Everything is grown in an environmentally sustainable way using straw and hay. The farm promotes sustainable lifestyle, and this camp is offered to volunteers who appreciate and share its values, want to learn and help hard working people
💼 What the programme involves
The main task is harvesting various berries and vegetables such as rhubarb, currants, raspberries, Japanese quince, helping juice making and products packaging. But there is also weed control and fertilization with mulch in plantations, mowing grass, cutting branches, removal of bushes and wood chipping, assistance in the construction of various small buildings, vegetable beds and other necessary structures on the site, painting as well. Also, there is ongoing work of planting seeds. Some days work will be done at neighbouring Jariste wine farm https://jaristeveinitalu.com/en that produces wine and cider from Estonian grapes, berries, fruits and apples in the historic tavern of Luke manor. It is one of the few in Estonia who make wine from grapes grown in our own vineyard. So, the work is grapevine care (pruning, tying up), apple tree and field grape care (pruning, weeding), and other work in plantation. Work hours are 6-7 hours/ day for 4-5 days/ week, and it largely depends on season and weather conditions.
🏠 Accommodation on site
AccommodationFarm life conditions are simple but decent. Sleeping is in a separate house in beds. Bed sheets, blankets and pillows are provided, so no need to bring a sleeping bag. There is outdoor kitchen with all necessary equipment. Volunteers can make breakfast and lunch themselves, and dinner will be prepared by and taken with the family. Washing is in the traditional sauna with no shower. There is a dry organic toilet. Volunteers have to take care of their surroundings by cleaning up after themselves.
📍 About the location
LocationThe farm is located in Kanepi municipality just 11 km from Otepaa and 47 km from Tartu. When coming from Tallinn or Tartu, choose a bus going to Voru and get off at the Saverna stop. Knowing your arrival time and place hosts will pick you up from there. Bus information is on www.tpilet.ee or www.luxexpress.ee. The farm is located in the tiny village of Aiaste. It is important to understand that it is calm and quiet place, there are no events in the village. But it is possible to watch animals like deer on the field, foxes in a strawberry bed and storks. While sitting by the fire at night, enjoy stars in the sky and listen to the nature sounds by animals such as badgers or raccoons. This makes the place ideal for nature lovers who want to escape from busy life of big cities for a couple of weeks.Leisure timeIt is possible to swim, make a bonfire, play volleyball, disc golf and other games or go for mushroom picking if you like it. There is a swimming lake in Valgjarv 4 km away. You can use various hiking trails. If interested you can visit nearby farms where you can get to know horses, sheep and other animals and see many other interesting things. The host plans to take participants for car trip around South Estonia. It is possible to visit Tartu. It takes just 40 min by regular bus and there are a lot of things to discover in this historical university town https://visittartu.com/
⚠️ Requirements
Special requirementsYou have to be open-minded and be able to adapt to the simple conditions of the rural life being ready to do farm work which can be demanding sometimes. The minimum age of participants is 20, no upper limitNB It is possible to stay for several shifts in a row.Participation feeWe ask participants to contribute 60 Euro towards the costs of general administration. This fee has to be paid by bank transfer before the beginning of the camp. If you cannot make bank transfer, please contact your sending organization for a solution.