Workaway / Woofing with Us

It’s a large, old farmhouse in the mountains that is still being renovated. Everything is still a bit improvised and sometimes a little chaotic. The upper floors are still a shell, and work continues on the ground floor as well. In summer, the house stays pleasantly cool; in winter, your room is heated with an electric heater while the hallways tend to be cold. Don’t expect hotel-level comfort – but the nature and surroundings are beautiful. The house is on a sunny south-facing slope and will gradually become more homely over the coming years.

You’ll usually get your own small, simply furnished room on the ground floor of the main house with a bed and a table. (Please check photos below.)

If you’re traveling as a pair, you’ll likely share one of these rooms. The rooms are functional but not yet modernized. The flooring is still old carpet, which will eventually be replaced with wooden flooring. There’s an improvised kitchen, bathroom, and shower on the ground floor. Cooking often happens together in the nearby tiny house. Alternatively – with prior arrangement – you might stay in the comfortable tiny house (fully equipped with kitchen and bathroom) or in a modern camper van. (Unless otherwise agreed, you’ll usually stay on the ground floor of the main house.)

We’ll hand over your room clean and ask you to keep it tidy during your stay and clean it thoroughly before departure. We’ll provide cleaning supplies and a vacuum cleaner—just ask us.

Yes, we have fast fiber-optic internet. We kindly ask you to use digital media mindfully.

We mostly eat pescetarian – that means we eat fish, dairy products, eggs, and lots of vegetables, but no meat. We care about sustainability, organic quality, and regional products.

If you are strict vegetarian or vegan, we are happy to switch to your nutritional style while you’re here!

Please don’t. We prefer not to buy or store meat in the fridge or kitchen. We believe it’s absolutely possible to go without meat for a few weeks. For longer stays (more than 2 weeks), we may invite you to join us at a restaurant – and there, you’re free to order whatever you like.

Veronika and Matthias provide high-quality food and usually do one big grocery shopping per week for everyone. You’re welcome to let us know your food requests in advance, and we’ll try our best to consider them.

Usually, we have one shared meal per day, most often lunch. Breakfast and dinner are done individually – everyone eats whatever they feel like and prepares their own food.

We take turns cooking: four days a week, Workawayers cook lunch; the other three days, Veronika or Matthias do. After the meal, we clean up together – we have dishwashers 😊

Cooking time does not count as working time. (This is because we’ve found that some Workawayers enjoy cooking together for hours and then have little time left for other tasks. 😉  )

With Workaway, it’s customary to help about 5 hours per day, 5 days a week. The exact schedule can be discussed individually.

Depending on the task and weather conditions, the schedule is flexible. We try to accommodate your personal rhythm as long as it aligns with our routines. You’re welcome to work more on some days and take another day off instead. Generally, you can choose whether you prefer to help in the morning or afternoon, but please note: Matthias often works at his computer during the night and morning hours, so he is usually available only in the afternoon or evening to show you tasks or work with you. This requires some flexibility on all sides.

We will introduce all tasks and explain how to use the tools. No prior craftsmanship experience is required, but it’s helpful if you’re open to trying new things and not too clumsy. When we have time, we’ll work with you for a few hours. However, Matthias is often busy with his work, and Veronika with childcare and other projects. If you need constant supervision, this might not be the right place for you. What works well is if you’re comfortable working alone for a few hours and approach us proactively if you have questions — or send Matthias a quick WhatsApp message if you get stuck, and he’ll come help you as soon as possible.

Personal tasks like cleaning your own room or a quick sweep don’t count as working time. If you’re cleaning shared spaces thoroughly, that does count as working time of course.

We can teach you many practical skills related to house renovation, tools, building technology, electrical installations, PV systems, smart home technology, and more. Veronika is an energy technology engineer and offers workshops in expressive dance. Matthias works as a freelance media designer and IT consultant, and has founded several businesses and a nonprofit organization. We’re also happy to share insights about NGO work, political campaigning, marketing or charity work. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about self-employment or starting your own business.

Yes, by bus or train. Book a train to Nötsch im Gailtal (www.oebb.at). Book early – tickets can get expensive. We usually pick you up by car from Nötsch station (about 15 minutes to our house in Bleiberg-Kreuth). There’s also a bus from Villach or Nötsch to the stop “Kreuth b. Bad Bleiberg Rauterbrücke,” but pickup is usually easier. (Bus schedule: wiegele-reisen.at)

Just talk to us openly. In some cases, we can help cover travel costs, especially if you’re motivated and staying longer.

Trips are always possible during your free time. We’ll help you plan and navigate public transport (bus + train):
Villach: ~45 min
Klagenfurt: ~1.5 h
Ljubljana: ~2:45 h
Salzburg: ~3:45
Graz: ~4:15 h
Vienna: ~5:30 h

A bike is sometimes available, unless it’s broken. If you have a valid driver’s license for Austria, you may be able to borrow our car for a few hours, but this often requires additional insurance. We’re happy to help arrange a rental car if needed.

Because we live in a remote area, our place suits people who enjoy solitude and nature. How much time we spend together depends on group dynamics, current projects, and personal preferences. If you want more interaction, just let us know or message us.

Sometimes we eat and work together. Sometimes we go on a short hike to the waterfall behind the house or make a campfire. There’s a stage piano, guitar, ukulele, cajón, small harp, and good speakers for music-making or listening. Movie nights are possible too. Important: We’re often quite busy with life, work, the child, and renovations – so we really appreciate it if you take the initiative for group activities. We’re also open to your ideas.

Yes, of course. We have good Wi-Fi and quiet periods during the day.

There’s stunning nature nearby – a waterfall, beautiful hiking and mountain biking trails, rivers, lakes, kayaking, climbing, and small towns. Austria offers many cultural and scenic highlights – we’re happy to share tips. (If you’ve never been to Vienna, consider planning a city trip.)

Very important: If nobody says anything, we assume everything is fine. 😊 That said – please talk to us if something’s not right or if there’s a conflict. We can usually find a solution. And if it simply doesn’t work out – that’s okay too. Just let us know you want to leave, and we’ll take you to the train station as soon as possible.

We’re happy if you stay 2–4 weeks. If things go really well, a longer stay is possible – we’re also looking for future housemates. Minimum stay is 9 days.

Yes, in a way. If you plan to stay longer than 9 days, we typically have a discussion after the first week to assess if it’s a good fit for everyone. If things are going well, you’re welcome to extend your stay. If it feels a bit overwhelming for anyone, it’s a good idea to have a Plan B and possibly adjust your travel plans / shorten your stay. (This is rare—most stays go smoothly.)

Smoking is only allowed outside in specific places – talk to us about where. Otherwise, this is an alcohol- and drug-free space. Please respect that.

Respect and mindfulness are important to us. Be considerate about cleanliness, quiet hours, and others’ needs. It’s great if you take initiative, clean up, and notice when something needs doing. Remember that Matthias and Veronika juggle many responsibilities, so it’s not always easy to coordinate everything smoothly.

Workaway or WWOOFing stays are informal cultural exchanges. You are here as a guest, with no formal obligations. You are responsible for your own health and accident insurance and your travel visa. To make everything legally clear and safe, we have a document we’ll ask you to read and sign at the beginning: Agreement for Cultural Exchange Guests.

Our main language is German, but we also speak English fluently. Veronika speaks Norwegian, and Matthias understands a bit of Spanish.

Yes, absolutely – we’re happy to support your German learning.