Eschenhof Groß Ruenz

Project:
Situated in the beautiful landscape of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schaalsee the members of association “Eschenhof – Gardening together.” aims to run an organic farm together. 
Since 2015 the members plant and grow different vegetable crops, potatoes and herbs in foil tunnels and in the field. There is as well an orchard with trees, shrubs and berries and you can find cozy little spots where members socialize together and kids can develop how to live close to nature.
The work together is closely connected to the name of the association – “Gemeinsam Gärtnern” - Gardening together: The essential aspect of the farm is combine social commitment with an alternative way of producing and consuming food by acting in an ecological, climate-friendly and sustainable manner. For further information about Eschenhof please visit eschenhof-verein.de . 
Work:
The volunteers are welcome to help the association to domesticate a piece of abandoned land and make useful for sustainable gardening. Together you will create garden beds and afterwards plant there herbs, vegetables, shrubs and trees. Later on this area will be used for social purposes and as a meeting place as well.
There will be all kind of gardening work to do, sometimes physical demanding (for the one which like to feel and act with the personal strength !).
Study part:
During your volunteering you can learn a lot about “Perma Culture”, which is a concept where selected plants are grown together in a way that a reduced input of energy and fertilizer is needed. There was given the Alternative Nobel Price to the inventor of this cultivation method ! You will learn gardening work by doing them. It is a great chance to get experience in the agricultural area, learn about permaculture and sustainable use of nature. 
At the same time you can see the association as an good example of an alternative and very social way of producing and consuming food. 
As there will be close contact to German native speakers, this workcamp is good possibility to improve your German language skills.
Leisure time:
Groß Rünz and Carlow are small villages located in the Northwest-Mecklenburg region, which is famous for its beautiful alleys and lakes. In about 2 km distance you can find a beautiful place for swimming. The medieval town of Lübeck, with its numerous sights, is about 23 kilometers away. The Baltic Sea with its nice beaches and coves is not far either. A visit to selected places of the nature reserve is planned as well.
There will be a joint decision which places the group will visit.
Accommodation:
You will live in a very big house at the edge of the village Carlow which is surrounded by a beautiful garden and landscape. It lies approx. 2 km away from Eschenhof. There are different options where volunteers can stay overnight: a common room, rooms for 2-3 persons or even a tent. However most of the time you will spend outdoor. There is a shelter with tables and benches where you can eat and play all together, a bar and a fireplace, as well as many beautiful areas for chilling. It would be great if you bring some musical instrument you can play. There will be a lot of time in the evening to sing and dance all together.
There is a supermarket nearby where you can buy daily products.
Please find first impressions about the place of your accommodation:pappelweg-drei.de/haus.htm
Remarks:
Volunteer will need sleeping bag, towel and swimming costume. For gardening please bring sturdy shoes and working clothes. As the region is rural, it is possible to make trips with bicycle. Everyone is welcome to bring a music instrument, as some friends of the association are musicians and would be happy to meet foreign musicians for playing together.
Terminal:
Lübeck, Next airport Hamburg or Hannover. There is no public transport to the venue of the camp, pickup from main station Lübeck will be arranged.