Market Gardening in Tunsel

CODE: ICJA2501

Work:

You help is needed to continue building up the farm, including construction/ renovating of a tiny house for multifunctional using, made from clay. wood, etc... Previous workcamps in 2023 and 2024 contributed to this project, and now you will have the chance to help complete it. Another manual labour will be renovating other farm facilities. Also, the farm needs a small roundabout that is stable to drive on during wet times.
In August, every garden is in the fullness of its harvest season! Tomatoes sweetened by the sun, courgettes and cucumbers growing at a fast speed and need hard-working hands and hungry mouths. But the weeds don't stop growing either. That's why there will be the opportunity to help in the daily business of Market gardening, such as harvesting, weeding, planting seeds and caring for small plants in the nursery! In other words, there will not only be the opportunity to experience multifaceted gardening firsthand, but also to master manual and physical work in a team. So, if you have extra energy, you are more than welcome!

In our work, we follow the principle of “Market Garden”: Here is what it looks like: on the smallest possible area, as many crops as possible are cultivated without the use of groundwater-damaging fertiliser, only with the help of compost. The most important idea here is recycling, in order to work with as little labour, pesticides and land as possible. Learning gardening skills, the cycle concept and environmental aspects in agriculture are therefore important learning elements during the work camp. Permaculture and biodynamic principles can be experienced here. The care and feeding of chickens and sheep can also be learned in practice. Another important part is building with natural materials. We plan to implement old craft techniques that were used to build houses and infrastructure without modern technology yet were very energy efficient.

Accomodation and food

Most of the organic seasonal food comes directly from the field to your plate. Everything else that is needed will be purchased. The diet will be predominantly vegetarian. Cooking will take place together in the outdoor kitchen and there will also be the possibility to cook a "classic" dish from your country of origin. Next to the kitchen, there is also a fireplace for sitting together in the evening, so your musical instruments are most welcome! We will also use the clay oven for pizza at least once.
As far as sleeping is concerned, we will either set up a communal tent directly on the field or provide some beds in construction trailers. A small hutch will serve as our shower, a composting toilet is already part of the sanitary facilities in the field.
Please be ready to live in very basic conditions; you will live outdoors most of the time and close to nature. The work can be physically demanding.

Location and leisure

Michels Kleinsthof is located between the Black Forest and the Vosges in the border triangle in one of the most beautiful regions of Germany. A nearby quarry pond can be easily reached after work with bicycles provided by the farm and the young, alternative and beautiful student city of Freiburg is also less than 10 minutes away by train. The farm itself is located in a small village called Tunsel, but the entire region is bursting with nature and cultural tourism opportunities. If you are travelling by plane, we would very much appreciate it if you could extend your stay in Central Europe even further, so as not to use climate-damaging mobility just for our project.

Project hosted by

Michels Kleinsthof is working towards the utopia of a sustainable, resilient, and grandchild-friendly agriculture becoming reality. More than 50 different crops are grown on one hectare using the “Market Gardening” principle. We are part of the movement “Community based agriculture” (in Germany, this is called “Solidarity Farming — Solidarische Landwirtschaft”). This means members are involved in the work on a weekly basis in order to bring sustainable food production to the people. School classes are allowed to experience agriculture firsthand and enjoy looking after chicken, sheep and bees.
There is a great variety of tasks in our diverse garden! Diversity makes us independent of the agricultural industries. It also benefits our fellow creatures of all kinds.
We deliver a large portion of our products to our 90 Solidarity Farming members, while another part is sold at the market in the picturesque nearby town of Staufen.
However, Michel's micro-farm sees itself not only as a food producer, but also as a place of learning and a nature conservation project! Agriculture is the number one cause of species extinction worldwide and is responsible for 25% of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions. On one of the most fertile soils in Germany, nestled in a beautiful spot between the Vosges and the Black Forest, the micro-farm sets a counterexample to the monocultures of the rest of the Rhine Valley.

Directions to meeting point

Nearest airports: Basel, Stuttgart
Note: If you arrive at Basel airport, check whether it is free to travel through Switzerland, as you may need an additional visa there (for non-EU countries). If not, choose an airport in Germany.

Additional comments

Please bring a sleeping bag, swimwear and preferably sturdy shoes for working in the garden. Please note that you will get dirty in the garden, so clothes that can get dirty and are old are recommended. Remember that the sunshine could be strong, and you should bring suitable headgear and sufficient sun protection. Long-sleeved, thin clothing will also work for this.
The living conditions will be very simple, so please be prepared. The work can be physically demanding. Note that it is not recommended to attend if you are allergic to weed.