Findhorn Apiary News and Bottling Liquid Gold

By Martin Harker | Published: 28/09/2022

A busy season concluded with the annual honey harvest in early September. This is later than for many apiaries, but we are fortunate to have heather blooming on the dunes in August and the bees are able to gather a lovely harvest of nectar. This mixes with the summer nectar to produce a delicious honey. The harvest was around 75 pounds of honey. To produce one pound of honey, bees have to fly the equivalent of twice round the world. They are truly busy bees.

Honey Extraction Day.  This day began with collecting the frames full of honey from the hives, about 50 frames, and taking them to The Hub. We had to carefully ensure that no bees were left on the frames. Otherwise, they would fly back from The Hub and tell the other bees where all their honey had goEe and they would come and try to gather it.

To extract the honey, we first have to cut off the cappings over the cells of honeycomb. The frames are then put in the extractor and vigorously spun. Our new extractor, generously fundraised and donated by Robert Holden, worked well and it is a joy to see the beautiful honey flow from the tap. The honey is then sieved to remove loose bits of wax and other miscellaneous bits, ready for bottling. There is no other processing; pure natural honey.  It was great to be able to use the space and facilities provided by the new Conservation Hub this year and thus avoid getting John Willoner’s kitchen thoroughly sticky as in previous years!

Bee Work Party.  One Saturday morning in July we had a work  party at The Hub. About 15 folk came to help, cleaning old frames, assembling new frames and fitting wax foundation. It was a lovely time of sharing, relaxation, and learning about bees. Everyone had the opportunity of suiting up and going to see a hive in action, in David Harrison’s garden, just across the road from The Hub. The hive was there because a swarm had settled in David’s compost bin, the previous month. We had removed the bees from the bin and put them in a hive next to it. We had placed drawn comb in the hive, so the queen was immediately able to start laying and the colony is steadily growing. We are feeding the bees with sugar syrup so hopefully the colony will be strong enough to survive the winter.

We are always happy to have volunteers to share beekeeping with us, so if you are interested in learning more, please contact Jonathan Caddy,  [email protected]  If you would like to purchase honey or beeswax, please contact John Willoner on 01309690064.

A selection of photographs from both the work party event and the honey extraction one follow to help inspire your interest and participation.  There is also a short article from Mohini, one of the volunteers who helped with the honey harvest.

Martin Harker

Part of the core FHT Bee Management Team 

(Martin Harker, John Willoner and Jonathan Caddy).

Bottling Liquid Gold

An impromptu happening on my part last Monday morning…Sylvia Black called me to see if I had any wholesome delights leftover from the farmer’s market, to offer to those extracting/bottling honey for their tea break…To her delight I did indeed have a wonderful selection of goodies.


I arrived at the Hub in Pineridge to the heady scent of honey in varying stages of extraction (the new hand centrifugal processor), scraping the ‘cappings’ to give back to the bees as a thank you, and the bottling.  I got a great fast lesson in Martin’s precise measuring of honey from the big white bucket through the tap; into the archetypal hexagonal glass jars, waiting for not 1 but 2 drips before bringing the next jar under the tap to collect this liquid gold! He reminded me that a bee will make a 12th of a teaspoon of honey in its entire life!  I’m stunned and bow in reverence to these buzzing beings that work tirelessly both in their hive and out amongst the multitude of flowers for the collective good of the whole community.

It’s ignited a spark of intrigue and gratitude to those that are beekeepers throughout our globe across eons of time…and yet to be a beekeeper, I noticed there’s a distinct timelessness about the work involved, perhaps mirroring that of the bees – each helper had his/her work station and diligently went about their task at hand.

I shall return to learn and much much more.  Thank you!

Blessings

Mohini

Inspired FHT Volunteer and Member

 

 

Posted in News

Forest Bathing Course Success

By Christine Lines | Published: 28/09/2022

2nd – 4th June 2022

The Findhorn Hinterland Trust, Nature and Therapy UK and the Findhorn Foundation worked cooperatively to make this training course happen using the FHT Woodland Shelter and woods, FF accommodation at the Park, the Cluny woods and the expertise provided by Stefan Batorijs and assistant.  

Earlier in his life, Stefan had been inspired by the nature connection he read about that happened at Findhorn and went on to explore and be trained in Shinrin Yoku, an evidence based Japanese approach to encouraging people to engage with the natural world, particularly trees, to gain the clinically verified physical and immunological benefits of contact with nature. He presently works out of Devon where in 2017 he founded Nature and Therapy UK – a response to what he saw as a growing need for spiritual and psychological connection to Nature and education about how we can learn to respect and include Nature in our lives.  He was very keen to visit Findhorn and run a course in Scotland.

The International Forest Therapy Guide Diploma and Shinrin Yoku Practitioner Training Course held here in early June was a great success with fine weather, eight keen participants and some pleasing feedback.  We hope that this will become an annual event and give an opportunity for some of you living locally to benefit from what Stefan has developed and can offer.  More information can be found at www.natureandtherapy.co.uk

Here is feedback from a couple of the participants: 

As soon as I came across the forest bathing course offered by Nature & Therapy I knew it was something that would deeply resonate with me. At the time the course was only being offered in England. I am so grateful that I waited for the first one to take place in Scotland. As soon as it was announced that it would be held at Findhorn I knew I had to attend. I had been to Findhorn once before to celebrate my 38th birthday and it left an imprint of deep awe and reverence.

The course itself, as well as the location, fostered the most beautiful and symbiotic relationship as the backdrop for our study. Stefan and Ruth were absolutely wonderful facilitators. Every lesson was awe inspiring and served as an invitation to deepen our own knowledge of forest bathing and forged a deep desire to share it with more people. Joern, who has lived in Findhorn for 25 years, was the most welcoming, warm, kind, and generous guide. He made the entire time at Findhorn an absolute joy of an experience. 

My time at Findhorn during the forest bathing course is one of those sacred moments that has changed and continues to change me in ways both great and small. My gratitude for the course, the facilities offered by the Findhorn Hinterland Trust and the Findhorn Community is life long. I look forward to sharing the wisdom of the forests and the power of community.

With deep gratitude,

Sarah-Alexandra Teodorescu

Three days wandering the forests of Findhorn was nothing short of transformational. Of course, the history of the Foundation makes it a conducive environment for self-study, but the spirit of the land brings the practice of forest bathing to life. Our hosts from the Foundation generously offered their time and energy to accommodate our small group. I was touched by everyone’s willingness to share their stories and fond memories of this small slice of heaven. Words cannot express the preciousness of my own memories of Findhorn, and I’m counting the days until my return!

Daillen Culver

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in News

Meet the FHT Team Member – An interview with Jonathan Caddy, FHT Chair

By Christine Lines | Published: 28/09/2022

When did you become inspired by Nature?  

Six of us living in the original caravan here at the Park, Findhorn, from age 6 to 13 years old for me, meant that most of our time as boys was spent outside especially on the land – exploring the bay, playing in the next door farmer’s barley field but especially in Mr Wilkies newly planted woods and the dunes which had a big sign saying ‘Private Property Keep Out’ on it!  I was not a confident boy as I had terribly squint eyes but I watched carefully what was going on around me and was inspired by the incredible beauty of all the natural life and forms that I encountered in these ‘wild’ places and also in the lush, bountiful and now famous garden that grew up around our home. That inspiration, beauty and connection continues to be a driving force in my life.

Tell us about an unusual or important encounter with wildlife on FHT land?

There are many but one that stands out is a time I was walking my dog in the early morning along one of the back paths in Wilkies Wood.  It was only half-light and my collie, Bess, suddenly came running towards me.  I realised she was chasing an animal and before I knew it a full sized hare jumped up into my arms!  I had never seen this beautiful animal so close and the surprise and unusual nature of this encounter sticks out in my memory. 

What is your present role within the FHT team and what does this involve?

In 2006 I was the catalyst that helped establish the Findhorn Hinterland Group, the community group that was a precursor of the present organisation, and since the FHT was founded as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) back in 2015, I have had the role as Chair of Trustees.  

My role is to help set the tone and direction of the organisation but the reality has been that I am also the safety net that makes sure that anything that looks like it might be missed or dropped by the great team we now have supporting the organisation, is picked up and dealt with.   This makes it a very varied and demanding position; leading trustee and AGM meetings; regular involvement in all the different FHT subgroup meetings such as land management, finance, green burial, membership and bees; representing the FHT on community wide issues as part of the Collaboration Circle and the Development Committee (DevCom); helping to compile and organise the newsletter, website and publicity about events; holding some of the monthly work parties and a thousand and one other things! 

I like the variety and how it engages so many of the skills I have developed over the years.

What important qualities from your life experience do you bring to this role?

My love of the land and living things inspired by my early life makes me passionate about working with the land that surrounds our community and it gives me tremendous joy to be able to give something back at this time of my life.  My degree in Ecological Science from Edinburgh University gave me a great theoretical background as to how to understand and look after land but what I call my three years practical working as one of the founders of the small rural community on the Isle of Erraid back in 1979 was even more important as it gave me so many hands on skills.  These practical and managerial skills were further developed as I worked as manager of a woodland management charity near Aberdeen, a director of a timber harvesting and processing company outside Edinburgh, developed a native plant nursery for a large landscape company in Ontario Canada and other work experience from my varied and interesting career.  But it is my love of people and learning that led me into a 30 year teaching career and it’s these people and educational skills that I have found vital in my present role as part of the fascinating, sometimes challenging and complex community I live in.   

What are your dreams for the FHT’s future?

I strongly believe in the FHT vision statement of a world with nature at the heart of every community and I would like to see our community able to practically demonstrate this now and into the future.  For this to happen I wish to leave a sustainable and resilient organisation which helps people wake up and fully value the incredible beauty of the ‘wild’ land and its creatures on our doorstep.  Ideally this new structure would involve finding a way that a large majority of the local community is aware of, fully enjoys and ultimately  contributes towards looking after this common resource either financially or through voluntary work.  My task right now is to find a way that I can step down at a future date and for all the good work to carry on as effortlessly and gracefully as possible bringing joy and an enhanced quality of life to the many.  

Interviewed by 

Christine Lines

FHT Webmaster

Posted in News

FHT Biodiversity – Summer Discoveries

By Alan Watson Featherstone | Published: 28/09/2022

With the warmer than normal summer weather we’ve had here at Findhorn this year, it has been an unusual and different season for biodiversity, and especially insects, on the Hinterland area. For example, one of my main insect groups of interest – aphids – have been conspicuous largely by their absence. Only a few of the most common and abundant species have been visible, and it’s likely that for many aphid species the relatively dry summer that we’ve had has limited the opportunities for their populations to get established.

Other groups appear to have done much better. For example, there’s been a lot of shieldbugs in evidence, especially on the group of large birch trees near the central wind turbine, where large numbers of both red-legged shieldbugs (Pentatoma rufipes) and birch shieldbugs (Elasmostethus interstinctus) have reproduced successfully. These brightly-coloured bugs go through several developmental stages of growth, in which they are known as nymphs, before pupating into their adult forms.

On the 1st of August I came across some unusual wasps on the underside of the leaves of a whitebeam tree (Sorbus aria) in the ‘Fallen Acres’ area of the Findhorn Hinterland. This is the part of the land where a storm blew down all the conifers about 20 years ago, and there was subsequent abundant natural regeneration of native trees such as birch, complemented by the planting of some other broadleaves, including whitebeams and oaks (Quercus robur). These wasps caught my eye as I hadn’t seen any like them before. At just under 1cm. in body length they each had a classic ‘wasp waist’ and a distinctively-shaped abdomen, and there were quite a few of them grouped together on some of the leaves.

Female parasitoid wasps (Cinetus iridipennis) (Diapriidae) on the underside of an oak leaf on the Findhorn Hinterland on 23rd August 2022.

In the following weeks I monitored them closely, and soon found that there were much larger numbers of them on the undersides of the leaves of some nearby young oaks, where they were gathered together in large, dense clusters. I posted photographs of them on Twitter, tagging a wasp specialist who has helped me with identifications before. He said they were wasps in the family Diapriidae (which he isn’t able to identify – there are over 7,000 wasp species in the UK!) but he referred me on to David Notton, whom he thought may be able to help. I sent David some specimens and he identified them as a parasitoid species of wasp called Cinetus iridipennis (there is no common name for the species). Interestingly enough, the wasps were all females, and he thought they may be roosting en masse under the leaves to take advantage of the greater humidity immediately under the leaves, to prevent themselves from drying out. A similar behaviour has been noted before in Germany for a closely-related species, Cinetus cameroni. There were no wasps on the undersides of the leaves of birch and rowan trees nearby, indicating that the size of the leaf they were sheltering under was important.

Close-up of one of the female parasitoid wasps (Cinetus iridipennis) (Diapriidae) on the underside of an oak leaf (Quercus robur) on 19th August 2022.

Checking the NBN Atlas for Cinetus iridipennis revealed that there are only 16 records for this species in the UK, and just one in Scotland, from a site at the head of the Beauly Firth, just east of Inverness. According to David Notton this species is actually relatively common, but is significantly under-recorded, possibly because there are so few people who can identify a wasp like this. As a parasitoid species, the female injects her eggs into the larvae of other insects (in this case a member of the Diptera, or two-winged flies), and as each wasp larva develops it kills the host insect it is growing inside. When I asked about the fact they were all females, David replied that many species of Hymenoptera (as wasps are known in scientific terms) have different flight times for male and females, and that the females can persist for a long period after they have been impregnated by the males. 

Female parasitoid wasps (Cinetus iridipennis) (Diapriidae) clustered densely together on the underside of the leaves of an oak tree (Quercus robur) on the Findhorn Hinterland on 10th August 2022.

I checked the trees where I found them quite regularly in the following weeks and although the numbers visible there reduced significantly, there were still some to be seen in mid-September, about 6 weeks after I’d first spotted them. I wasn’t able to find out what species they were parasitising so that’s still a mystery. Another unknown is the reason why there were such large numbers of them clustered so closely together on the oak leaves. It’s all part of the mystery and wonder of Nature, and we hope that through our ongoing work on the Hinterland we’ll be able, over time, to document and understand the reasons for phenomena like this.

Alan Watson Featherstone, 

FHT Trustee & Chair of the Land Management subgroup.

Posted in News

Hinterland Work Parties – The Joy of Discovery

By Christine Lines | Published: 28/09/2022

 28th May 2022

A party of about 15 volunteers met to spend the morning taking care of the dune habitat. In particular, we were concerned with preserving the lichen population by clearing mainly non-native Lodgepole pine trees. 

It was great to have Heather Paul with us to help us to look closer at the different species of Lichen that make their home on the dunes. She provided us with eye scopes so we could get up close; the markings and fruiting bodies were so beautiful to see this close up and Heather added knowledge of their life cycles along with other interesting facts to make this a truly inspirational morning. 

This Lichen can be found on the dunes and is a variety of Cladonia.

Alongside close up work with the lichens we enjoyed finding out more about the general habitat, with lots of interesting facts provided by members of the Hinterland Trust, which really enhanced how much we noticed and saw on the site as well as increasing our general understanding of the importance of maintaining the habitat. Unfortunately, some of the trees did have to come out to maintain the balance in the environment to allow us to continue to enjoy the beautiful dunes as we know them.

Tea break was also a highlight with Jonathan having made sure we had lots of varieties of tea (including using teapots for a proper brew) as well as cake and biscuits and all this out in the dunes!!

It was a fantastic morning with good company and connection, beautiful scenery and wonderful learning; it was truly nourishing for the soul. 

Jane Brannan was also one of the volunteers on the day and here is a poem by her as well as some thoughts from the day:

Algy met Fungy one day

Algy and Fungy made friends

Forever friends you could say

Were they codependent?

Yes in a strange kind of way!

But yet something altogether different:

Yes an intimate association

Yes, and much co-ordination

And incredible co-operation

Look closer and you will see

One is living off the other

Both live in total harmony but

Neither will ever be free.

Jane also put together some key words from the day along with the help of Anna, Asa and Izzy who were all volunteers on the day:

Meeting new people, deepening connections, community, service, joy, inspiration, beauty, being close to nature, being outdoors, Love in Action, gratitude, tea and cake, Lodgepole Pines, Scots Pines, loving the shapes of lichen and fungi, looking closely, the other world of lichens, learning, eye lenses, discoveries, sharing excitement. 

Asa found a potential new species of a fungus growing on a lichen which Heather will go on to examine under a microscope.

Louise Barnett – volunteer and new FHT member. 

 

Posted in News

Chair’s Roundup – June to September 2022

By jonathan.caddy | Published: 28/09/2022

I was away for two months this summer during the months of July and August circumnavigating the British Isles in a yacht, communing with the sea and enjoying an amazing rain free adventure! Before I took off though the time was jammed packed with FHT activities.

Right at the beginning of June there was a very successful three-day Forest Bathing course the FHT helped to facilitate (see write up elsewhere) followed on the 16th by the Chivas Regal corporate event, which saw 23 local employees from this high profile whisky distillery company pay for the privilege of carrying out practical work to maintain the biodiversity of the land we look after.  The latter was a well-organised affair and the people involved were very happy to be outside doing something meaningful with their work colleagues. It would be great if we could encourage more interactions like this to happen in the future. 

We erected the large marquee that the Phoenix Shop lends for community activities before the Chivas Regal event and whilst it was up we used it to put on a Summer Celebration, which incorporated having a party for my 66th and my son Jason’s 40th birthdays with plenty community participation, music, dancing, food, a fire and great conversations. (See thank you message and photos article elsewhere).

The third event that used the marquee was having 80 third and fourth year secondary pupils from Forres Academy come to carry out Biology fieldwork on our land. It was the result of a long-term conversation with Jackie Barriere, Biology teacher in the academy and wife of local electrician Alain Barriere, to do with how our land might be used more for informing and educating young folk about the natural world.  It took considerable organisation to set up the activities which included carrying out line transects looking at changes in plants and growing conditions, setting up pitfall traps to record the variety of small creatures on different parts of the land and having Heather Paul our lichen enthusiast available to help them discover the amazing world of lichens.  We will be looking to make this an annual event.

All these gatherings required major inputs from a whole variety of people including FHT trustees and members, a small group of young people including our trainee Land Manager Irene Canalis and our ever willing and faithful Land Manager, Kajedo Wanderer – a huge thank you goes out to all these people.  All this willing input helps make the team that enables the FHT to go from strength to strength.

Alongside these events the new compost loo had to be finished so it could be used, the new Woodland Garden greenhouse largely donated by Draeyk and Bruce had to be erected for use during the summer and a start made preparing the Shepherd Hut base for the eventual possibility of housing a trainee land manager all year round on the land.  Long term volunteer George Paul was indispensible in helping complete these tasks.  There were also well attended work parties: one at the end of May working on the lichen beds (see write up), one in June where we carried out a red squirrel survey in the woods, another in July where activities to do with bees happened in the Conservation Hub and in September the Woodland Garden received a little more attention with a splendid harvest lunch offered by Draeyk to celebrate this season’s bountiful produce. 

In September both Draeyk and I were involved in providing input to the Permaculture Design Course run by the Findhorn Foundation with an activity day in the Woodland Garden and tour of the land.  Alan Watson-Featherstone has also been busy selecting some of his amazing photographs that show the incredible biodiversity and beauty found on the Hinterland and these are mounted as a picture gallery display in the Phoenix Café.  It is hoped to extend this to include the upper Universal Hall foyer area and invite people along to a gathering to mark the opening event.

Our partnership with Equal Adventure has also started to bear fruit with them now working with Ark Housing Association in Forres to facilitate opportunities for their supported adults to get out and explore their local environment.  

The FHT provides the ideal setting for this based around our Woodland Shelter in Wilkes Wood.  This initial 6-week course that started on the 20th of September is a weekly event led by the participants’ interests and may ultimately progress to them gaining a John Muir Trust Award.      

There will be lots of ways you can get involved in the coming season.  Here are one or two dates for your diary –do come along, participate and enjoy!

Date Event
29th Oct FHT Work Party 9.30am to noon.  Meet at the Hub
30th Nov FHT Work Party 9.30am to noon.  Meet at the Hub
3rd December Christmas Tree Event 11am to 3pm Woodland    Shelter 
Beginning Dec Autumn/Winter Newsletter

Blessings and appreciations to all,

Jonathan Caddy

FHT Chair

 

      

Posted in News

Biodiversity Weekend Retreat with Alan Watson Featherstone 10-12 June

By Alan Watson Featherstone | Published: 30/05/2022

Enjoy this short video with Alan sharing about this uique retreat. To book your place please click here.

Posted in News

Reflections on Working as an FHT Funeral Coordinator and Celebrant

By Christine Lines | Published: 26/05/2022

To live in this world

you must be able 

to do three things:

to love what is mortal;

to hold it

against your bones knowing

your own life depends on it;

and, when the time comes to let it go

to let it go.

At our most recent funeral, for community member Ian Cook, a dear childhood friend of his stood in the Universal Hall and read these words from In Blackwater Woods, written Mary Oliver. This was an offering to a friend, an acknowledgement of the love that can grow in friendship and a blessing for the family and community to witness and share in this love. 

Following the ceremony in the Hall, the funeral procession was led to the Wilkies Wood green burial ground, where Ian’s body was buried. It was my honour to hold this ceremony and to facilitate the service to reflect Ian’s life and relationships both with, and outside of, the community.

I recently joined the green burial team, a branch of the Hinterland Trust. I work together with Laura Shreenan as funeral co-ordinator as we gently take the baton from the generous hands of Will Russell, who has been crafting and holding this work for many years. It is the most exquisite honour to hold a funeral ceremony – to give form to a life that has been lived in so many different shapes and threads and colours. 

In many ways the key task of the funeral celebrant or funeral co-ordinator is to listen – listen to the family and friends, listen to the themes emerging in a person’s biography and life choices, listen to the still small voice, listen to what echoes from the deceased and listen to the space. In the green burial ground part of the ceremony is also listening to the land. 

It seems to me that this listening is weaving a vessel that holds those gathered and makes it possible to live in this world whilst in grief, that Mary Oliver described, having loved what is mortal, having held it against our bones, we can entrust the remains of our beloved and let them go.

It is wonderful to be part of a smooth running team that shares the vision of love-in-action, of inner listening, and of respect and co-creation with nature, all in the realm of the green burial ground.

Juanna Grace Ladaga

One Spirit Interfaith Minister and Spiritual Counsellor

http://www.spaceforgrace.info

Posted in News

Membership Update and Call to Action!

By Christine Lines | Published: 26/05/2022

At the end of 2019, the Findhorn Hinterland Trust (FHT) launched the paid membership model to help strengthen our sustainability into the future. We asked everyone interested in supporting the work of FHT to go online and join as a member. The registration process requests a donation as an annual membership payment. Members can select the minimum £10 donation or increase the annual payment if you prefer. The system securely stores your card details so that in future an annual membership fee will be taken automatically. As a member you can choose to cancel this auto-payment arrangement at any time.

The membership donations create a steady income to help FHT fulfil its charitable purpose. In the last financial year we raised £3255 from 126 members through the membership drive and we are keen to welcome many more! Generating our own funds in this way also helped us to attract grant money to support various projects during the year. We’re immensely grateful to the people who have also made generous donations. The FHT is in a sound financial position and we’re looking to become even stronger. The Chair’s Spring round up gives an inspiring overview of the many activities taking place in the months ahead. With your help we can continue to further our work to;

  • Promote environmental protection and improvement.
  • Educate the local community and wider public in relation to the outdoor and environmental opportunities local habitats and environs provide.
  • Encourage community development through offering activities related to the land and by promoting cooperation and collaboration amongst owners and stakeholders.
  • Provide recreational facilities and activities with the object of improving the conditions of life for local people and others in West Moray and beyond.

If you registered your email prior to the 2019 arrangement, you’ll continue to receive our news and mailing for key events. However if you’d like to become a full member we invite you to sign up today. It only takes a few moments to complete the form and you’ll receive updates throughout the year about how your donations are helping to make a difference.

If you’d like to find out more about FHT membership, please contact Arun at [email protected]

Thank you so much and we look forward to seeing you on the land!

 

Posted in News

Offer of short retreats in Berlin and Baltic Sea

By jonathan.caddy | Published: 25/05/2022

One of our supporters Annette has enjoyed a few programmes with the Findhorn Foundation. She has a property in Berlin and a partially renovated house and meadows some 20 km off the Baltic Sea. Annette would like to open her two homes to members / volunteers of the Hinterland Trust if you like the idea of a few days in either location. She is keen to build her connection with Findhorn, and in particular with the Hinterland Trust.

If you would like to explore this opportunity please connect directly with Annette and she can share more details. Please note this is an informal and experiential offer that is being held in a low-key manner independent of FHT however with our appreciation. It’s important to see how this works with Annette, her partner and the guests involved. She reserves the right to say no to someone anytime.

Property in Berlin

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is there someone living in both properties?

We are living in both properties, in Hermannshagen Heide (near the Baltic Sea) about 3 months of the year. For visits in Hermannshagen Heide a car is recommended. Because of renovation work this property can only be visited from next year (2023) on. Expect in both locations basic accommodation with shared facilities and a rather large living room.

Property in Hermannshagen Heide

Would the meals be shared, and would there be some collaborative meal preparation involved?

This would be appreciated and a contribution for purchasing provisions / grocery. Meals are 100% vegan.

Is there an expectation that the people who stay would get involved with activities in the property, or would they be free to roam and explore the local area?

This is difficult to answer because we do not envisage a situation like in a B&B. It depends on a mutual liking, too. Therefore and also because of timing (we need to be on site during a guest’s visit) someone interested should be in contact with us before deciding if she / he would like to stay with us. Or if we would like the person to stay with us. On the other hand there should be sufficient time to explore the surroundings, if the guest wishes so.

Would you want some kind of exchange for this kind offer?

About one hour of help in the garden or house daily or 2 hours each second day. Cleaning their room when leaving.

How many times a year do you envisage having someone stay?

Maybe 2 – 3 times a year

Please contact [email protected] for more details.

 

 

 

Posted in News
Findhorn Hinterland Trust, Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC045806
228 Pineridge, Findhorn, Forres, Moray IV36 3TB