Discover Castle Vaeshartelt I
STICHTING INTERNATIONALE WERKKAMPEN
Maastricht, Netherlands
Description
You will spend two weeks at Buitenplaats Vaeshartelt, a historic estate in the south of the Netherlands, known for its 19th-century architecture. This project focuses on sustainability, community, and living heritage. By growing vegetables on site, Vaeshartelt reduces transport, lowers CO₂ emissions, and keeps the food chain short and transparent. You will work in a shared vegetable garden where food is grown for the estate's own kitchen. The surrounding land belongs to the Vaeshartelt Foundation, which uses all profits from the hotel and restaurant to restore and protect the estate for future generations. You will work alongside seven local farmers, each with their own expertise, mostly on a voluntary basis. You can learn from them through workshops on gardening, food growing, or creative activities like flower arranging. Your tasks will include pruning, clearing paths, and working in fruit gardens, vineyards, and mushroom areas using circular gardening methods.
Accommodation, food and transport arrangements
The accomodation is a stone scouting building, located in the city of Maastricht. It has separate dorms (m/f). We provide airbeds but volunteers need to bring a sleeping bag. A kitchen is available with all facilities. Volunteers will cook and clean together. Sometimes the farmers will cook for you. There is a big indoor and outdoor space for games, dinner, BBQ. Accomodation address: Scouting Eburonen Ankerkade 161 6222NL Maastricht Netherlands
Training during the activity
We will provide participants access to online training modules provided by the European Solidarity Corps and/ or SIW.
Participant profile
Participants must enjoy nature and be interested in the geografical and historical details of the project. It is also important that you enjoy working together in teams and that you are interested in making international contacts.
Activity dates
From 18/07/2026 to 02/08/2026
Activity location
Meerssenerweg 1, Maastricht, Netherlands
Activity type
Volunteering teams
Looking for participants from
Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Activity topics
Environment and natural protection
Deadline for applications
No application deadline
Project code
2026-1-NL02-ESC51-VTJ-000401129