Apprenticeships
We have been hosting apprentices, students and volunteers for thirty years; folks looking for a change in lifestyle or those just wanting to connect with the land.
We have guests of all ages from all over the world. The first visit is for two weeks but can be extended if we all agree. If you are exploring the idea of growing food and medicine sustainably, providing for your needs within the local community—with beauty and grace—this might be the place to begin your journey. If interested, contact us at least two months in advance of your desired arrival. December, January and February we are in hibernation.
If you need a ride from the train station in Assisi—it is the nearest train station but it is not possible to walk—we are happy to meet you in Assisi on Fridays. Generally around 15,00. There is no bus transportation to our area. We live at the outermost perimeter of Assisi, in the mountains. It is quite remote. The nearest small village is a forty minute walk from the farm. There is no bus.
If you are interested in apprenticing with us, write to bellaterra.assisi@gmail.com Please let us know your age, what you are currently doing, why you wish to apprentice and what specifically interested you in our project. It will help all of us to know if we are a good fit.
CHORES
We have a fixed routine regardless of the weather. Every day we feed and clean the chickens, ducks and donkeys. There is daily maintenance of the gardens as well as seeding, transplanting and harvesting. Cutting back invasive species is a constant. In the fall and winter we are often gathering and stacking downed wood. Harvesting fruit begins in late May as does wildcrafting medicinal plants. Canning begins in August. Tree planting is done in the fall and the olives are harvested in late October. Our apprentices are involved in all our recycling chores from digging holes to bury manure and plant debris to deconstructing compost bins. However, everything we do is dependent on the season, the weather, the forecast, even the time of day.
The chores are generally five to six hours, six days a week. Animal maintenance is daily... the animals do not take a day off.
I am an inveterate teacher. If you wish to understand the philosophy, chemistry, or Eastern medicine theory behind what we do I am happy to explain it and I have an excellent library.
ROOM AND BOARD
There are two guest bedrooms with separate baths for each room and a kitchen for our visitors. Healthy food is plentiful 24 hours a day as is filtered water. We share a large and long lunch, our main meal. In warm weather, we have drinks and a light dinner on the patio. I do the cooking and the guests are responsible for doing the dishes. We are elastic vegetarians. (We can host egg-eating vegans.) The house is entirely renovated and has anti-seismic retrofitting. Sorry, but no young children or pets. We expect our guests to be very clean with tools and within the house. WiFi is available throughout the house. We have cats and dogs within the house, so allergies may be a problem.