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Live an authentic experience in the heart of the Lost Apennines and help us bring ancient chestnut groves back to life! 🌰 Between forests and small towns, you will contribute to the cleaning, care and harvesting of the Marroni del Monte Ceresa, rediscovering rural traditions and local stories. Curious, collaborative, and nature-loving people: we look forward to welcoming you in a non-profit, self-managed setting. There are no bosses, only forests and villages to save on the Piceno mountains.
25 hours of help per week
Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.
Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.
Farming: Plant crops, sow seeds and help in outside tasks.
Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens
2 days off per week
Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.
Team Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other people.
Tent: You will sleep in a tent at a camping site.
Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.
Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.
Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!
Free Hiking Tours: We’ll take you on excursions and hikes around town. For free!
Free Parties: Get free entrance for the best parties in town.
Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.
Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.
Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.
Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely
Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely
Beginner Italian or Intermediate Spanish
Over 18 years old
Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers
Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa
We are looking for volunteers who want to live a concrete experience in the mountains of the Piceno Apennines, contributing to the recovery of the chestnut groves and to rural practices linked to Marroni del Monte Ceresa. The project arises in a territory marked by depopulation, abandonment and aging of the population, and aims to reactivate a living relationship between community, landscape and nature through the collective care of the land.
The activities may vary depending on the season and the needs of the moment. Volunteers may participate in cleaning and light thinning of chestnut groves, in chestnut harvesting, in organizing the workspaces and, when planned, in the different stages of the traditional transformation process: drying, milling and preparation of the product. An important part of the experience will also be getting to know the territory, listening to the stories of those who live there and understanding the value of ancient forms of collective management of common goods, such as pastures, waters and forests.
We do not seek specialized skills, but curious, reliable people willing to collaborate. Respect for the rhythms of the mountains, the ability to collaborate in a group, and the willingness to perform even simple and repetitive manual activities are important. We expect care for the tools, for the shared spaces and above all for the natural environment in which we are.
The days will be organized around agricultural activities and landscape care, with moments of shared collaboration and time to know the towns and trails of the Monte Ceresa area. The pace will depend on the weather, the season and the state of the chestnut trees: for this reason we ask for flexibility and a spirit of adaptation.
Daily activities
Activities follow the rhythms of the mountain and vary according to the season, the weather and the needs of the chestnut trees. The objective is to concretely contribute to the recovery and care of the Monte Ceresa chestnut woods, participating in a collective experience in contact with nature and with local communities.
- Chestnut grove cleaning and removal of branches, leaves and vegetation
- Small tree-clearing interventions and maintenance of the areas
- Care and arrangement of spaces and work tools
- Harvesting and sorting chestnuts during the autumn period
- Support for drying and subsequent stages of preparation of Marroni, when planned
- Maintenance of trails and rural spaces connected to the project
- Collaboration in collective activities for household management
- Possible documentation of the activities through photographs, videos or short stories
How shifts will be organized
Activities will be organized in shifts agreed with the volunteers, generally prioritizing morning hours and leaving part of the day free to rest, explore the territory and get to know the towns and trails of Monte Ceresa.
Not all days will be the same: during the harvest period the commitment will be more concentrated in the chestnut groves, while at other times we will focus mainly on cleaning, maintenance and recovery of abandoned areas. Cleaning, thinning and harvesting are central activities of the project and are carried out thanks to the contribution of the volunteers.
Being outdoor activities, the schedules can be adapted to weather conditions and the needs of the moment. We therefore seek flexible, responsible people willing to collaborate.
Our context is not that of a traditional farm: the project is promoted by a non-profit organization working for the safeguarding of the territory, the recovery of the chestnut groves and the valorization of Monte Ceresa's rural heritage.
The experience is based on self-management, shared responsibility and collaboration. There are no masters nor a hierarchical relationship: we organize together, dividing activities, responsibilities and care of common spaces.
For this reason we ask those coming not to consider themselves simply as guests, but as temporary members of a small community.
- Respect shared spaces, nature and the people with whom you share the experience.
- Participate in the daily management of the spaces: order, cleanliness and small common needs are everyone's responsibility.
- Collaborate with a spirit of initiative, without waiting for someone to assign every task.
- Respect the agreements made together on activities, schedules and daily organization.
- Use tools and equipment carefully and always follow safety instructions.
- Openly communicate any difficulties, needs or changes to the program.
- Respect local communities, their inhabitants and the traditions of the territory.
We are looking for people who identify with the cooperative and non-hierarchical spirit of the project. Self-management does not mean lack of organization: it means actively contributing to decisions and taking responsibility for one's share.
More than volunteers who simply come to help us, we would like to welcome people willing to do things together with us, sharing activities, daily life, knowledge and ideas. The recovery of Marroni del Monte Ceresa is a collective project.
