VIDARÅSEN LANDSBY

Life in the houses

Our aim is that each individual co-worker and villager is active in creating an atmosphere of warmth and companionship. Tasks and responsibilities in the family house are shared out amongst the people living there, and you will be expected to take your share. What they might be, will vary from house to house, depending upon the individual needs of those you will be living with. Hopefully, in time you will become aware of and sensitive to the needs of your companions, and cater to them, without anyone having to tell you what needs to be done.

You might be asked to take on the responsibility for the personal hygiene of the one or the other villagers, like helping him or her to bathe or shower. Helping to help to change into clean clothes, and to put the dirty ones in the wash-bin, or to help them look after their personal possessions are also likely tasks you might be asked to take on. All this will demand both tact and sensitivity on your part, in respecting the integrity of the other person.

The question is not so often what we do, but rather how we do it. The care, joy and consideration, with which we do our different tasks, small as they might be, are always appreciated. Sharing the different tasks in the house is an important aspect of the life there. Often you might think it easier, and more effective, to quickly whisk away this or that job, only to find that you have taken the job away from someone whom enjoys taking his time over it.

At some time or other you most certainly will be asked to cook a meal. Cooking might be your main job in the morning. Together with one or two helping villagers, you will have the task of preparing lunch for 10-12 people in one of the family houses. Making Sunday lunch is in many houses shared around. We try to use mainly biodynamic produce, whenever it is available, and much of it comes from our own farm.