Description: The cooperative "Gipsgrueb" is situated outside the village of Ehrendingen, in a small calm valley at the foot of the last mountain of the Jura-range. The over-100-years-old buildings of a former cement factory were left unattended for many years. Since the taking-over by the cooperative „Gipsgrueb“ in 1982 a garden and a farm were built up on the agricultural land. Since the beginning both were run on the guidelines of organic farming. The area occupied by the cooperative was about 14ha consisting mainly of extensive pastures & meadows, woods & ponds. 15 years ago most of the land was sold to Pro Natura, the Swiss nature conservation organisation. Today, the farm is run by a young local tenant with a little troop of goats and the garden mainly serves the personal needs of the community.
Type of Work: You will work 2 x 5 days supporting the cooperative maintaining meadows and pastures, care the forest, cutting back bushes and little trees and prepare firewood for the central heating of the house. You will also be harvesting blackberries in the garden of the cooperative and do different gardening work. You will be working with different tools as e.g. pruning shears, shovels or machetes. The tasks depend also on the weather and they are usually physically demanding. Insect stings on the workcamp site are possible to happen.
Study Theme: You will have a 2-hour session, where you will learn more about the cooperative Gipsgrueb. You can also have a closer look at the thermal- and photovoltaic solar plants. SCI Switzerland believes that such cooperatives as Gipsgrueb offer a different perspective on how society can be organized on a smaller and local level.
Accommodation: You will enjoy your sleep in the loft of the barn or in tents. Please, bring your sleeping bag. The accommodation is simple and humble and the sleeping place tends to be rather cool. There are beds, mattresses and blankets (the workcamp hosting partner is happy to provide you with additional covers). It has two showers (one solar shower outside and a usual one inside) and a common room. There is a washing machine. WiFi is available, although only in one room. If the weather is nice and you enjoy camping, you can bring your own tent and set it outside, as the big territory allows it.
Language: Common language is English. The people from the workcamp hosting partner speak German and English. The local language is Swiss German.
Requirements: Work is usually physically demanding. You need to bring a sleeping bag, good mountain shoes and working clothes.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project name: Gipsgrueb Community (Ehrendingen AG)