March 24, 2025
Country: Germany
Date: 27th July – 5th August 2025
Number of Volunteers: 14
Number of places still available: 5
Age: 18 and over
Project Code: DE-SCI 11.54
About the Project: Lebens und Agrarkulturelle Initiative e.V. is a non-profit based in Germany, located at the Kastanienhof, a charming four-sided half-timbered farm. Their mission focuses on ecological agriculture to preserve heritage crops and endangered farm animals, renewable energy, historic building restoration, and communal living. A multigenerational house is also under construction.
The Kastanienhof offers educational seminars for school groups on topics like ecological farming, organic gardening, timber-frame restoration, and sustainable heating systems.
Type of Work: Volunteers will collaborate on various tasks, including woodwork, plastering with clay and cement, and working on scaffolding. This project provides valuable hands-on experience in craftsmanship. During the second weekend, volunteers can join the medieval market at Burg Hanstein, selling local products and homemade ice cream.
Throughout the project, volunteers will gain knowledge in:
- Historical and biological building techniques
- Renewable energy systems (solar, vegetable oil, biomass)
- Ecological farming and horticulture
- Preservation of traditional crops and livestock breeds
- Climate protection efforts
Accommodation: Volunteers will be staying in tents. There is also a small pool overlooking the valley in the "chill out" area. Meals feature farm-fresh, organic produce, along with other high-quality organic ingredients.
Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers should be prepared to work 6 hours of physical labor each day.
No application deadline, open until all spaces are filled.
More info and how to apply
This project is part of VSI’s International Volunteer Projects (IVP) programme, a unique form of values-based volunteering that brings together people from around the world to work on short-term projects with local communities. More info on the programme here.
1. Apply online on the SCI international website
Please note: When you click on the links below you will leave the VSI website and go to the website of Service Civil International (SCI) VSI is the Irish branch of SCI.
Application is through our international online placement system. You need to register on the website to apply: How to Apply
View this project on our international database here: Ecological Farming for a Sustainable Future.
View other available projects on the: SCI database
The projects listed on the database are managed by SCI branches and partners across Europe, the project titles and descriptions are generally written by non-native English speakers, so please excuse us if some of them are hard-to-understand or use unusual language! The database serves over 130 organisations in more than 90 countries worldwide!
2. Pay the project fee - return to this page and follow the links below
VSI is a small charity and we charge a fee (€55 - €155) to volunteer on our projects, this includes food, accommodation, basic insurance whilst on the project and VSI annual membership. Volunteers pay for their own travel to the country and internal travel to/from the projects and any visa fees.
Fees
Project in Europe:
Project Waged €155
Project Unwaged €105
Click here to pay the project fee
Please note, some of the descriptions mention an additional fee (of €50.00) when applying through non-SCI organisations, VSI is an SCI branch and this additional fee does not apply.
No fundraising is needed to volunteer on our projects.
If you have any questions or would like more info on a project, please contact us at info@vsi.ie