For the first time in 2023, the collective set out to find two volunteers to join the collective for the summer season. Grain&Sens proposed food and lodging in exchange for help in Lavenant’s functioning during our bussiest season. Missions included gardening, cooking, cleaning, transforming, seed saving and more!
We were lucky enough to have Sigrid and Sarah join us for the adventure alongside the other marvelous woofers/ volunteers that nourished Lavenant, the Grain&Sens community and it’s many visiters this year .
Thank you to Sigrid for sharing her experience in words and photos with us below!
Summer of 2023 is over and I can’t wait to share all my fond memories with whomever who may read this blog post. Bon profit!
Summer 2023 startered early, already in the end of May. I crash-landed in Boffres, jumping straight into music festivals, a delicious strawberry season and a lush green oasis. It was wonderful to see old friends and none of the least meeting new ones.
Together with my new friends I discovered Boffres. A little village in the french country-side. Picked cherries straight from the trees, learned to forage, saw some really cool eco-friendly toilets (stoked!). I am forever greatfull for moments filled with laughter, blood, sweat and tears (throwback to the insane bicycle trip Thomas haha). The wisdom you have brought me, what we have leared and shared together. From cooking, swimming, to chopping wood <3
At Lavenent the air was filled with the smell of coriander, freshly baked bread from grains grown locally, and lavender. The sky was so clear and gave me and Sara a blue ceiling with thousands of small night lamps that tucked us into bed at night. What once was a donkey shack, I now call my beautiful tiny summer house. Curious to see the future development of it’s garden. Hopefully somebody will make a blog-post of that in the future.
Knowing locals is a blessing. Sarah, took us hitchhiking, showed us around in the nearby area, Valarhona; the city of chocolate (my dreaaaaam) and beautiful waterfalls and mountains. It is like being inside of pinterest ;)
To beat the heat, I have spend several hours sorting out seeds or cutting fruits and vegetable, but also swimming and eating ice-cream like my life depends on it (well, I mean, it kinda did). So hot! So when the rain first came, me and my friends did not hesitate to dance in the rain. Unforgettable.
Lastly, as a Norwegian it is sooo cool to se how a lot of foods are growing and how real quality food is made. Walnuts grow on trees, figs, almands and sweetpotato grows in France! Also, sometimes in France your neighbor has turkies in her back yard, that is just what’s up here.
Thank you Lavenent for feeding my soul and belly. For the fun moments outside and indoors, up in the mountains to down at the river. Thank you for taking me in, being patient, inspiring and good. I wish you all the best of luck and joy forward and you are all welcome to Norway. You have a place in my heart. Thank you.
Bisous, Sigrid Knag
All of the Grain&Sens community expresses their gratitude to our precious volunteers and woofers that shared 2023 with us at Lavenant
Thank you Brad, Mathilde, Thomas, Sarah, Sigrid and Muffin!