Tuesday 18 October 2011

Fencing

Today I rebuild the electric fence for my horses. Its not heavy job, but it takes some time. In order to do it well, you have to know characters of my horses very well - but I know them very well, so I know how to build the fence in order to prevent them from escaping from it.

For example for the stallion one wire can be enough, but for mares - no. Mares are very smart and can sneak under singular wire, so I usually construct for them electric fence consisting of two wires.

Before I fininish the construction I always make sure, that wire is well connected together, so when I let electricity run along wire - the whole fence will be under electricity. It is also important, that the wire isn't touched by grass or doesn't lay on ground. When grass or ground touches the electric wire - the electricity in wire is weakend and may be not enough powerfull to stop horses from escape.

When my horses have enough green grass in their meadow - they don't try to escape.
But when one of mares has her period - she is eagger to escape to the stallion and electric wire can be not enough to stop her. In such situation its better to take her to stable and shut down or take her to the meadow where fence is stronger - made of wood. The same about stallion - when he senses, that one of the mares has her period - he gets crazy. He can be even dangerous then and even attack somebody who wants to stop him from escaping. Be aware not to go to the stallion, while a mare has her period. He can kick you or bite you or even knock you over and kill.

LIST OF TASKS TO DO

I have decided to publish the list of tasks to do at my farm. The list is long, as here are lots of tasks to do.
These are my works here. I work at my farm 9 years, most years on my own without any help. Since one year I am inviting volunteers who would like to spend their time at my beautiful farm for free and help me here in my numerous tasks.

The tasks to do can vary depending on the season of the year, wheather and other factors. The list consists of tasks available during all year. In order to learn which tasks are need to be done right now - you may ask me.

So  here we go:
  • renovating my house and farm buildings (plastering, laying stones, bricks, putting tiles, putting glass blocks, making conrete floors, some electrics, some hydraulics, repairing roofs, correcting roof tiles)
  • cutting wood 
  • collecting wood
  • fencing
  • collecting branches
  • clearing banks of my river
  • clearing my forest
  • making hay
  • gardening
  • planting trees
  • cleaning stables
  • painting stables
  • feeding hens
  • milking goats
  • training horses
  • cooking
  • washing dishes
  • cleaning kitchen
  • washing clothes
  •  planting home plants
  • farm paper work
  • collecting stones
  • cleaning yard 
  • building or rebuilding electric fence
  • collecting seeds
  • doing shopping
  • taking pictures
  • making websites
  • making jam
  • making cheese
  •  fertilising fruit trees
  • fertilising garden
  • planting flowers outside
  • planting fruit bushes
So you can see - the list is very long, but still not complete. It's a lot of work for just one person, but most things I can do on my own without any help - just it takes more time, when you work on your own without any help. For sure I need some help with renovation of my house and farm buildings and with training horses and also with cutting wood, or rather with sharpening the chain saw.

I know, that most volunteers don't have the skills I need here the most, so I am also eager to accept help of these ones, who just want to help me in my simple farming tasks which don't require any skills but just good will. I usually explain every single task to each volunteer, so you won't be lost here :) You can learn a lot here.

Presently I am focusing on fencing and collecting wood for the winter. I will be happy to find a volunteer who knows how to sharpen a chain saw. But I can also accept other volunteers - I can find you many other tasks here, so you won't be bored for sure :)))

    Sunday 25 September 2011

    A trip to Szwałk

    Today wwoofer Victor went for a trip to visit the Szwałk lake and more villages around. I have given him some proviant for the trip. Soon he leaves to his city. Before he leaves, I want to make at least a part of the planned fence, because the two persons are needed for the task. The drill is heavy and needs two people to handle with it.

    The most poles are ready. I have painted many of them today. Tommorrow they will be dry and ready for use.
    I will have very colourful fence :))) Red and green and mahony... Made of wood from my forest and banks of my little river...

    Sunday 18 September 2011

    Minęło lato

    W sierpniu był Wiktor i Francuzi, potem Witek wyjechał na kilka dni i we wrześniu znowu wrócił. Ciągnie tutaj już trzeci miesiąc. Francuzi byli 9 dni. Po nich przyjechała Krakowianka. Zakochała się w Witku i wyjechała. W tym samym dniu wpadł Szczepan. Po paru dniach dostał robotę w Warszawie i wyjechał. Ma wrócić zimą na narty, bo tu górek sporo więc jest po czym jeździć...

    Tymczasem skończyło się lato. Już jesień. Robi się coraz chłodniej. Witek na poddaszu stajni śpi w śpiworze i pod grubą kołdrą. Niebawem i on wyjedzie.

    Friday 29 July 2011

    Time for wine

    Indianka and Victor have been working very hard last month. Indianka decided – its time to celebrate the time and good fruitfull hard work… She made the grill. They were talking and drinking and eating white sausage with onion and freshly baked bread…

    Victor is planning to go to Dublin in September… He wants to stay in the local gurudwara. He is a fun of fun religions…Obviously he is searching his place in the world… Who searches - he finds… Good luck, Victor!…it was unusual experience to get to know you and have opportunity to talk to you and listen to your ideas and beliefs… Thanks for your help at my farm! God bless you…

    Thursday 30 June 2011

    The ancient apple tree

    Mare Indiana is standing next to the very old apple tree. The apple tree is
    100 years old and still has got fruits every second year or even each year.
    Since I have put there manure around the tree, the apple tree has got apples
    each year... The apples are not sweet :))) but good for using them in the
    sweet cake or for making jam...

    Spacy pastures

    My horses have got broad natural meadows for eating green grass, walking and
    running... Ideal place for horses...

    What horses love to do?

    My horses love to do this... :) and they do it everyday several times - its
    wonderful massage for them and helps to get rid of insects like flies,
    moskitos...

    Hossa sp

    Hannibal's mother. I used to ride her a lit of bit. She was very quiet.

    Hannibal

    His mother: black Hossa sp
    His father: white arabian stallion from Janów Podlaski

    About farming animals and the Host

    At my Masurian rancho I breed horses, goats, hens, geese. I used to breed
    cows as well. My green farm is charming and extremally peacefull place...
    Ideal place for meditation... Ideal place for spiritual and good people...
    Ideal place for hardworking people similar to the Pilgrims. I am like the
    Pilgrim. I believe in hard simple work. I believe that a single person can
    do a lot if she is persistant. I also believe in honest and practical
    cooperation with other hardworking people full of good will. I admire
    Mormons and like their style of life. I celebrate Thanksgiving Day as well,
    because the God helped me to surivive here on my own for 9 years and each
    year gives me something new and ecouriging: new goats, fowl, cheeks... I am
    a good person. Very good person. Mentally very strong person. I like simple
    and pure lifestyle close to the nature. I have got strong, good character. I
    am unique individual and very independent person as well. I like
    enthusiastic, intelligent, hardworking people with broad horizons. I love
    creative people, because I am extremally creative person. I love to share
    interesting ideas with fascinating people. I adore to create my farm due to
    my imagination. I have bought the farm in order to be able to develope and
    feed my imagination and make use of it. My farm is food for my imagination.
    I dream about making paradise here. I keep trying to make it come true.
    Already the farm is naturally beautifull place, but still I want make it
    even more beautiful - just lovely and pleasant paradise. I have broad
    professional knowledge from different fields of knowledge including farming
    knowledge. I used to work as a teacher and I have got teaching talents, so I
    can teach you lots of usefull things if you want to learn them from me.

    How to apply?

    You can add me at Facebook and talk to me there.

    My storks

    In spring and summer you can meet here storks which nest at my yard every
    year... It happens, that after their arrival from Africa, they knock to my
    door of my house... :) They always come back here from Africa in spring and
    stay with me until late summer. At pastures they walk together with my
    horses...

    Motherhood


    Goats are very tender with their babies...

    Motherhood

    Goats are very tender with their babies.

    Tuesday 21 June 2011

    Rancho Romantica de Red Ecofarm

    Location: North-East of Poland, Warmian-Masurian, 17km from Olecko, 158km from Olsztyn


    I have got 11 ha certified organic friendly farm in the North East of Poland. My farm is situated among few small lakes and fish ponds. Some storks found home on my yard and nest here every year and a small river is crossing the farm in the middle of the farm.

    I live in a over hundred year old Masurian house that is in a permanent restoration since few years. I live here on my own, with 2 dogs, 2 cats and in winter with 2 hens :)))

    I am a creative romantic woman, a dreamer, a naturalist, a lover of living in harmony with nature. I appreciate everything what is authentic,  natural and pure. I can speak English, some German and Russian. 9 years ago I decided to sell my flat in a center of a big polish city called Stettin and move 700 km from the city to the Masurian farm, which is situated 2km from a tiny village called Czukty [chukty].

    I run my farm on my own since 2002. I used to have herd of 50 goats, including 20 milking goats, 4 cows, 40 chickens, some gees and rabbits. I used to make white fresh goat cheese and naturally also cheese from cow milk. Both were excellent. Presently I have got 4 amazing, incredibly beautiful horses, 9 goats, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 hens. My animals are friendly and funny. I love to watch them and play with them :)

    At my farm you can see and hear hundreds of wild birds nesting in my farm close to ponds or in my wood (I have got 1 ha forest). You can also hear hundreds frogs and see hundreds edible snails which I can prepare for you for dinner if you wish… :)

    Two years ago I have planted young orchard. It was 1800 young fruit trees. I have planted the orchard mostly on my own with my own hardworking hands  – it was incredibly hard job,  impossible for one person to be done, but I have done it!

    Then for the first time since I live here I was looking for some help and gave my ad in the net and later, when I was offered to take part in WWOOF program, I decided it would be great idea since I have got lots of other jobs to be done as well and from the other side – I have the most beautiful farm in the Masurian Lake District and also I have got 9 years of experience in farming on my own, so I am experienced farmer now and I can share my knowledge and experience with others who can learn from me lots of things about surviving, farming, breeding, growing, planting etc. I am a real ecologist and fun of living close to the nature. I am the real eco farmer! Brave and hardworking like first colonists in the USA :) This is why I celebrate Thanksgiving day here… ;)

    I have established a closed cycle - linkage of a plant crop with an animal breeding - as the eco-farming system. When necessary I also water plants with water from my ponds and trickles, because it is natural and the water from ponds and trickles is the best for plants – it has got minerals and it is soft and warm.

    Jobs on my farm may vary. You may expect planting and pruning trees, picking vegetables, fruits and herbs, fertilising the crop, milking goats, making jams and dairy products, building and renovating, cutting wood, collecting branches, making hay, feeding animals, removing manure and cleaning stables. You may be asked for whitening walls, plastering, mortaring and panelling. You may be asked for training horses if you know how to do it and if you have experience in training horses. 

    I do not have rural machines, so a lot of handwork is required such as preparing seed earth, seedbeds, sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, maintenance work.

    I am a quite good cook and I am open to exotic cuisine as well as to typical polish cuisine. I think I have inherited cooking talents after my Granny and Mum. I also bake my own bread and fry delicious thick pancakes everyday. I also like to make pudding based on goat milk. The same pancakes I made from goat milk and I use wonderful eggs from my free range hens. Inside the eggs is orange! Meaning, my hens give very healthy and valuable eggs. In my kitchen I use herbs from my meadows and from my herb garden. Once a week I bake special cake. I prepare herbal tea from meant or from other herbs which grow here. I know which herbs can help you when you are sick. I use them for myself when I feel sick.

    WWOOFers will be accommodated in a bedroom with bathroom in my house (in cold months) or on the large attic with hay or in the tent at one of my charming meadows. Bathrooms with running cold and hot water are in my farm house in which I live. I am carnivore and I do love meat, but all vegans and vegetarians are welcome. I cook for vegetarians vegetarian food.

    My horses

    My beloved beauties... :)

    Dakota

    Dakota was born 3rd April 2010. She is so beautiful colourful horse... Her
    fur is amazing...

    Dagonet

    Dagonet was born 21 march 2011. He is really cute fowl...

    My horses love water...

    My horses love water... They love to take a bath in my ponds...

    Streams

    I have got some streams crossing my land... They are shellow. You can walk
    along them in the water to cool you down during hot days...

    Dakota

    Dakota is my second fowl of my breed born on my ranch, but altogether I have
    rised 6 fowls here on my own. I take care for my horses personally and I
    help while a mare delivers her baby and I help feed her baby with her milk
    when a freshly born fowl is too weak to manage on her/his own...

    My goats

    I used to have herd of 50 goats and I used to make white cheese from their
    milk, now I have got 10 goats. Free of them have got milk and feed their
    babies. One of them has got more milk than her baby needs, so I milk her and
    take the milk to the kitchen to make pancakes, pudding, to add the milk to
    scramble eggs or to coffee or soup...

    Monday 20 June 2011

    About region

    Masuria and the Masurian Lake District are known in Polish as Kraina Tysiąca
    Jezior what means "The Land of a Thousand Lakes." These lakes were ground
    out of the land by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice age, when ice covered
    northeastern Europe. The Masurian Lake District is one of the 7th World
    Wonders!

    About WWOOF

    About  WWOOF
    WWOOF organisations links people who want to volunteer on organic farms or smallholdings with people who are looking for volunteer help.
    What is WWOOF?
    WWOOF provides a way for volunteers (WWOOFers) to learn about organic food, farming, and ways of life. In doing so it brings together people to share common human values and thinking. WWOOF also hopes to provide helping hands to its organic WWOOF hosts and allow WWOOFers to understand what it means to live organically. WWOOF is an exchange programme- volunteer help in exchange for food, accommodation and learning.

    The Aims of WWOOF are:



  • To give first hand experience of organic or other ecologically-sound growing methods

  • To give experience of life in the countryside

  • To help the organic movement which is labour intensive and does not rely on artificial fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides

  • To give people a chance to meet, talk, learn and exchange views with others in the organic movement

  • To provide an opportunity to learn about life in the host country by living, and working together

  •  

    About region

    Masuria and the Masurian Lake District are known in Polish as Kraina Tysiąca
    Jezior and meaning "Land of a Thousand Lakes." These lakes were ground out
    of the land by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice age, when ice covered
    northeastern Europe.

    About region

    Masuria and the Masurian Lake District are known in Polish as Kraina Tysiąca
    Jezior what means "The Land of a Thousand Lakes." These lakes were ground
    out of the land by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice age, when ice covered
    northeastern Europe. The Masurian Lake District is one of the 7th World
    Wonders!

    About WWOOF

    About region
    Masuria and the Masurian Lake District are known in Polish as Kraina Tysiąca Jezior and meaning "Land of a Thousand Lakes." These lakes were ground out of the land by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice age, when ice covered northeastern Europe.
    About  WWOOF
    WWOOF organisations links people who want to volunteer on organic farms or smallholdings with people who are looking for volunteer help.
    What is WWOOF?
    WWOOF provides a way for volunteers (WWOOFers) to learn about organic food, farming, and ways of life. In doing so it brings together people to share common human values and thinking. WWOOF also hopes to provide helping hands to its organic WWOOF hosts and allow WWOOFers to understand what it means to live organically. WWOOF is an exchange programme- volunteer help in exchange for food, accommodation and learning.

    The Aims of WWOOF are:



  • To give first hand experience of organic or other ecologically-sound growing methods

  • To give experience of life in the countryside

  • To help the organic movement which is labour intensive and does not rely on artificial fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides

  • To give people a chance to meet, talk, learn and exchange views with others in the organic movement

  • To provide an opportunity to learn about life in the host country by living, and working together

  •  

    Milking tips

    Before you start milking a goat or a cow, first you need to wash her tits and your hands with warm, clean water :) Then it is good to make a massage of the tits. After that you can start milking. Be aware, that a goat can suddenly kick or move, so be prepared to take away bowl or backet immediately, in other case a goat or a cow can spill the milk.
     
    After milking its good to make some more massage and you can find out then, that the goat or the cow still has got milk inside her tits.
    Remember that first and last streams of milk can have bacteria. This is why the first and last streams of milk should be put seperately into a little bowl for a cat or a dog.
    Once you have got the milk in your bowl or backet, you should let it evaporate for a while in a cool and dark place where there are not any flies or if they are, you should cover the backet of milk with something what makes possible for the milk to breath and what makes for flies getting into the backet impossible.
    Remember, that the place where you keep milk cannot smell, because milk absorbs any smells.
    After couple of hours you can collect cream from the surface of the milk. You can use the cream for making butter for instance or just use into some soupe or sause or into your coffee.
     
    You should milk a goat or a cow everyday at the same hour - early in the morning and late in the evening, at least twice a day, sometimes even 3 times a day if a goat or a cow produces lots of milk. It is important no to leave any milk inside the tits after milking, because in this way can a goat or a cow get sick and her tits will be red and painful and she will not let you milk her without kicking or she won't let you milk her at all and her tits will start to be very ill and she will need antibiotics in order to heal her. It will be very difficult and expensive healing and despite of that, the milk can loose its quality and in drastic situations even can be completely spoiled.
     
    In milking any animals higiena and regular milking is very important. Not let other animals approach you while you are milking a goat. It will make a goat nervous and she can spill the milk from the backet or bacteria from the other animals can get with their fur into the milk. Always remember about higiena!
     
    The same about making cheese. If you intend to make a cheese, milk has to be verrry clean. Remember that. So goat tits, your hands, backet and pot for making cheese - everything has to be very clean.

    I am a horse breeder

    I breed beautiful polish horses. I need experienced trainer to train them
    and teach me to train. I dream about ridding them across meadows and wood
    towards lakes and swimming together with them in the lakes...

    Rancho Romantica de Red - Eco Farm

    Location: North-East of Poland, Warmian-Masurian, 17km from Olecko, 158km from Olsztyn

     

    I have got 11 ha certified organic friendly farm in the North East of Poland. My farm is situated among few small lakes and fish ponds. Some storks found home on my yard and nest here every year and a small river is crossing the farm in the middle of the farm.

     

    I live in a over hundred year old Masurian house that is in a permanent restoration since few years. I live here on my own, with 2 dogs, 2 cats and in winter with 2 hens :)))

     

    I am a creative romantic woman, a dreamer, a naturalist, a lover of living in harmony with nature. I appreciate everything what is authentic,  natural and pure. I can speak English, some German and Russian. 9 years ago I decided to sell my flat in a center of a big polish city called Stettin and move 700 km from the city to the Masurian farm, which is situated 2km from a tiny village called Czukty [chukty].

     

    I run my farm on my own since 2002. I used to have herd of 50 goats, including 20 milking goats, 4 cows, 40 chickens, some gees and rabbits. I used to make white fresh goat cheese and naturally also cheese from cow milk. Both were excellent. Presently I have got 4 amazing, incredibly beautiful horses, 9 goats, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 hens. My animals are friendly and funny. I love to watch them and play with them :)

     

    At my farm you can see and hear hundreds of wild birds nesting in my farm close to ponds or in my wood (I have got 1 ha forest). You can also hear hundreds frogs and see hundreds edible snails which I can prepare for you for dinner if you wish… :)

     

    Two years ago I have planted young orchard. It was 1800 young fruit trees. I have planted the orchard mostly on my own with my own hardworking hands  – it was incredibly hard job,  impossible for one person to be done, but I have done it!

     

    Then for the first time since I live here I was looking for some help and gave my ad in the net and later, when I was offer to take part in WWOOF program, I decided it would be great idea since I have lots of other jobs to be done as well and from the other side – I have the most beautiful farm in the Masurian Lake District and also I have got 9 years of experience in farming on my own, so I am experienced farmer now and I can share my knowledge and experience with others who can learn from me lots of things about surviving, farming, breeding, growing, planting etc. I am a real ecologist and fun of living close to nature. I am real eco farmer! Brave and hardworking like first colonists in the USA :) This is why I celebrate Thanksgiving day here… ;)

     

    I have established a closed cycle - linkage of a plant crop with an animal breeding - as the eco-farming system. When necessary I also water plants with water from my ponds and trickles, because its natural and the water from ponds and trickles is the best for plants – it has minerals and it is soft and warm.

     

    Jobs on my farm may vary. You may expect planting and pruning trees, picking vegetables, fruits and herbs, fertilising the crop, milking goats, making jams and dairy products, building and renovating, cutting wood, collecting branches, making hay, feeding animals, removing manure and cleaning stables. You may be asked for whitening walls, plastering, mortaring and panelling. You may be asked for training horses if you know how to do it and if you have experience in training horses. 

     

    I do not have rural machines, so a lot of handwork is required such as preparing seed earth, seedbeds, sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, maintenance work.

     

    I am a quite good cook and I am open to exotic cuisine as well as to typical polish cuisine. I think I have inherited cooking talents after my Granny and Mum. I also bake my own bread and fry delicious thick pancakes everyday. I also like to make pudding based on goat milk. The same pancakes I made from goat milk and I use wonderful eggs from my free range hens. Inside the eggs is orange! Meaning, my hens give very healthy and valuable eggs. In my kitchen I use herbs from my meadows and from my herb garden. Once a week I bake special cake. I prepare herbal tea from meant or from other herbs which grow here. I know which herbs can help you when you are sick. I use them for myself when I feel sick.

     

    WWOOFers will be accommodated in a bedroom with bathroom in my house or on the large attic with hay or in the tent at one of my charming meadows. Bathrooms with running cold and hot water are in my farm house in which I live. I am carnivore and I do love meat, but all vegans and vegetarians are welcome. 

     

    More actual information you can find at my site: www.RanchoRomanticaDeRedEcoFarm.blogspot.com

     

    Rancho Romantica de Red - Eco Farm

    Location: North-East of Poland, Warmian-Masurian, 17km from Olecko, 158km from Olsztyn

     

    I have got 11 ha certified organic friendly farm in the North East of Poland. My farm is situated among few small lakes and fish ponds. Some storks found home on my yard and nest here every year and a small river is crossing the farm in the middle of the farm.

     

    I live in a over hundred year old Masurian house that is in a permanent restoration since few years. I live here on my own, with 2 dogs, 2 cats and in winter with 2 hens :)))

     

    I am a creative romantic woman, a dreamer, a naturalist, a lover of living in harmony with nature. I appreciate everything what is authentic,  natural and pure. I can speak English, some German and Russian. 9 years ago I decided to sell my flat in a center of a big polish city called Stettin and move 700 km from the city to the Masurian farm, which is situated 2km from a tiny village called Czukty [chukty].

     

    I run my farm on my own since 2002. I used to have herd of 50 goats, including 20 milking goats, 4 cows, 40 chickens, some gees and rabbits. Presently I have got 4 amazing, incredibly beautiful horses, 9 goats, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 hens. My animals are friendly and funny. I love to watch them and play with them :)

     

    At my farm you can see and hear hundreds of wild birds nesting in my farm close to ponds or in my wood (I have got 1 ha forest). You can also hear hundreds frogs and see hundreds edible snails which I can prepare for you for dinner if you wish… :)

     

    Two years ago I have planted young orchard. It was 1800 young fruit trees. I have planted the orchard mostly on my own with my own hardworking hands  – it was incredibly hard job,  impossible for one person to be done, but I have done it!

     

    Then for the first time since I live here I was looking for some help and gave my ad in the net and later, when I was offer to take part in WWOOF program, I decided it would be great idea since I have lots of other jobs to be done as well and from the other side – I have the most beautiful farm in the Masurian Lake District and also I have got 9 years of experience in farming on my own, so I am experienced farmer now and I can share my knowledge and experience with others who can learn from me lots of things about surviving, farming, breeding, growing, planting etc. I am a real ecologist and fun of living close to nature. I am real eco farmer! Brave and hardworking like first colonists in the USA :) This is why I celebrate Thanksgiving day here… ;)

     

    I have established a closed cycle - linkage of a plant crop with an animal breeding - as the eco-farming system. When necessary I also water plants with water from my ponds and trickles, because its natural and the water from ponds and trickles is the best for plants – it has minerals and it is soft and warm.

     

    Jobs on my farm may vary. You may expect planting and pruning trees, picking vegetables, fruits and herbs, fertilising the crop, milking goats, making jams and dairy products, building and renovating, cutting wood, collecting branches, making hay, feeding animals, removing manure and cleaning stables. You may be asked for whitening walls, plastering, mortaring and panelling. You may be asked for training horses if you know how to do it and if you have experience in training horses. 

     

    I do not have rural machines, so a lot of handwork is required such as preparing seed earth, seedbeds, sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, maintenance work.

     

    I am a quite good cook and I am open to exotic cuisine as well as to typical polish cuisine. I think I have inherited cooking talents after my Granny and Mum. I also bake my own bread and fry delicious thick pancakes everyday. I also like to make pudding based on goat milk. The same pancakes I made from goat milk and I use wonderful eggs from my free range hens. Inside the eggs is orange! Meaning, my hens give very healthy and valuable eggs. In my kitchen I use herbs from my meadows and from my herb garden. Once a week I bake special cake. I prepare herbal tea from meant or from other herbs which grow here. I know which herbs can help you when you are sick. I use them for myself when I feel sick.

     

    WWOOFers will be accommodated in a bedroom with bathroom in my house or on the large attic with hay or in the tent at one of my charming meadows. Bathrooms with running cold and hot water are in my farm house in which I live. I am carnivore and I do love meat, but all vegans and vegetarians are welcome. 

     

    More actual information you can find at my site: www.RanchoRomanticaDeRedEcoFarm.blogspot.com

    RANCHO ROMANTICA DE RED - ecofarm

    Location: North-East of Poland, Warmian-Masurian, 17km from Olecko, 158km from Olsztyn

    I have got 11 ha certified organic friendly farm in the North East of Poland. My farm is situated among few small lakes and fish ponds. Some storks found home on my yard and nest here every year and a small river is crossing the farm in the middle of the farm.

    I am a creative romantic woman, a dreamer, a naturalist, a lover of living in harmony with nature. I appreciate everything what is authentic,  natural and pure. I can speak English, some German and Russian. 9 years ago I decided to sell my flat in a centre of a big polish city called Stettin and move 700 km from the city to the Masurian farm, which is situated 2km from a tiny village called Czukty [chukty].

    I run my farm on my own since 2002. I used to have herd of 50 goats, including 20 milking goats, 4 cows, 40 chickens, some gees and rabbits. Presently I have got 4 amazing, incredibly beautiful horses, 9 goats, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 hens. My animals are friendly and funny. I love to watch them and play with them :)

    At my farm you can see and hear hundreds of wild birds nesting in my farm close to ponds or in my wood (I have got 1 ha forest). You can also hear hundreds frogs and see hundreds edible snails which I can prepare for you for dinner if you wish… :)

    Two years ago I have planted young orchard. It was 1800 young fruit trees. I have planted the orchard mostly on my own with my own hardworking hands  – it was incredibly hard job,  impossible for one person to be done, but I have done it.
    Then for the first time since I live here I was looking for some help and gave my ad in the net and later, when I was offer to take part in WWOOF program, I decided it would be great idea since I have lots of other jobs to be done as well and from the other side – I have the most beautiful farm in the Masurian Lake District and also I have got 9 years of experience in farming on my own, so I am experienced farmer now and I can share my knowledge and experience with others who can learn from me lots of things about surviving, farming, breeding, growing, planting etc. I am a real ecologist and fun of living close to nature. I am real eco farmer.

    I have established a closed cycle - linkage of a plant crop with an animal breeding - as the eco-farming system. When necessary I also water plants with water from my ponds and trickles, cos its natural and the water from ponds and trickles is the best for plants – it has minerals and it is soft and warm.

    Jobs on my farm may vary. You may expect planting and pruning trees, picking vegetables, fruits and herbs, fertilising the crop, milking goats, making jams and dairy products, building and renovating, cutting wood, collecting branches, making hay, feeding animals, removing manure and cleaning stables. You may be asked for whitening walls, plastering, mortaring and panelling. You may be asked for training horses if you know how to do it and if you have experience in training horses.

    I do not have rural machines, so a lot of handwork is required such as preparing seed earth, seedbeds, sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, maintenance work.

    I am a quite good cook and I am open to exotic cuisine as well as to typical polish cuisine. I think I have inherited cooking talents after my Granny and Mum. I also bake my own bread and fry delicious thick pancakes everyday. I also like to make pudding base on goat milk. The same panecakes are made from goat milk and I use wonderful eggs from my free range hens. Inside the eggs is orange! Meaning, my hends give very healthy and valuable eggs. In my kitchen I use herbs from my meadows and from my herb garden. Once a week I bake special cake.

    WWOOFers will be accommodated in a bedroom with bathroom in my house or on the large attic with hay or in the tent at one of my charming meadows. Bathrooms with running cold and hot water are in my farm house in which I live. I am carnivore and I do love meat, but all vegans and vegetarians are welcome.

    More information you can find at my site: http://www.ranchoromanticaderedecofarm.blogspot.com/

    Sunday 19 June 2011

    About the host

    Isabelle is the owner and host of the Rancho Romantica de Red - EcoFarm. She comes from Stettin where she was born and spent most of her life.
    One day she decided to leave the city and go 700 km to a tiny village called Czukty where she has bought a beautiful, but neglected farm.
    It was 2002. She sold her apartament in Stettin in the North West of Poland close to German border, packed her stuff on a big track and moved to her farm in the North East of Poland close to Russian border.
     
    The farm has been her neverending dream about life close to the nature. She always dreamt about living in a forest or among meadows, about breeding beautiful horses, about arranging wonderful garden and since 2002 she has been working hard trying to make come true in each detail her dream. Making neglected farm nice and tidy without rural machines, just by your own hands is extremaly hard task, but she does not mind, because she loves her farm, animals and natural lifestyle. For many years she worked on her own without any help. After leaving the city, she lost internet access and was totally separated from the world, her friends and family for 5 years. She learned about farming using handbooks from the local library. She has learned on her own how to plant vegetables and fruit trees and how to breed hens, goats, cows, horses. She helps when mares, cows or goats deliver their babies, helps to feed them with their mothers milk ant takes care about all of them.
     
    She takes care about all her animals on her own. She used to have herd of 50 goats, including 20 milk goats. She used to milk them everyday by her hands. She is really hard working and brave person. Now she has huge experience about farming and breeding. She can teach you all these things if you want to learn them.
    She also gained some building skills and forest skills - she knows how to renovate her house and how to cut trees. She can use chainsaw machine, drill, and some other machines.
     
    People from the net are asking her about how to breed goats or horses or plant fruit trees. Last year she decided to share her knowledge with other people via WWOOF programm.

    RANCHO ROMANTICA DE RED – ecofarm

    Location: North-East of Poland, Warmian-Masurian, 17km from Olecko, 158km from Olsztyn

    My farm is situated among few small lakes and fish ponds. Some storks found home on my yard and a small river is crossing the farm on the south.

    I am a creative romantic girl, a dreamer, a naturalist, a lover of living in harmony with nature. I’m speaking English, German and Russian. Couple years ago I decided to sell my flat and move from the city to the Masurian village. I’m running my farm on my own. I have got 4 horses, 9 goats, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 hens and young orchard.
    I have established a closed cycle - linkage of a plant crop with an animal breeding - as the eco-farming system. I’m also watering plants with water from local trickles and ponds.

    Jobs on my farm may vary. You may expect planting and pruning trees, picking vegetables and fruits, fertilising the crop, milking goats, making jams and dairy products, building and renovating, cutting wood, collecting branches, making hay, feeding animals. You may be asked for whitening walls, plastering, mortaring and panelling.

    WWOOFers will be accommodated in a bedroom with bathroom in my house or on the attic with hay or in the tent. I am carnivore, but all vegans and vegetarians are welcome. Smoking is allowed but not inside the buildings and tents.