Good morning from a cold Barcelona.  I think this week is what normal looks like.. Joanna slept through the night most nights. I’ve had my kid free evenings and been getting work done. You get a lot done when you’re rested and without a toddler in your arms. It feels rather intense to be honest! I’ll get used to it. 

I say normal but Joanna was off nursery on Tuesday with a lot of snot, and both volunteers from Boodaville Barcelona are off today due to deaths and hospitalisations of close family. That’s the point I guess, there is no normal when you work with lots of different people and we are all part of complex dynamic systems. I wish the Spanish Youth institute would get on and make the payments due to Boodaville though. Any one of the 3 we are waiting for would be fine! It is true that human error from the Boodaville team has delayed the other two payments that would also be due now. 

boodaville caseres

Alex and Sara have been working with Jordi in El Pinell this week as well as settling in to rural life together and getting to grips with regular jobs like checking the water catchment, checking up on the trees and seeds in our different agroforestry experimental zones. The food forest, the thyme terrace and the syntropic experiment 1. They have also been given the task to make an enzyme rich liquid to apply to the cuttings that are just starting to develop more root cells and hoping to grow. 

BOODAVILLE BARCELONA

This year our volunteers are living right here in the neighourhood of Poble Sec. Emma has a room and next week we will start the regular timetable and get moving! You can see their welcome post on instagram here. 

I am in a quandry about  how to make the Barcelona project really work. I feel an urgency to go bigger with the Donut Economy ideas, and that the time is right because the council and the Barcelona Mas Sostenible group were very focused on this in 2021. But also feel it’s important to move together with the amazing projects and networks that aready exist. So maybe it’s the time to improve what we already do, with the minimal funding we have and work towards a bigger project for another funding deadline. A year seems a long way away though. Boodaville really should join BCN + Sostenible though. I’ll get that ticked off the list and see if anything comes back to me from the info I’ve sent out to push the bigger idea forward.

I went to see the Economat project presentation last night at the Civic Centre in Plaza Sortidor – lots of people and interest!! 

opportunites with boodaville this year

We have an open call for funded ESC volunteers at our rural permaculture project Boodaville Caseres – Information and express interest here!

Youth Exchange Active Permaculture at Mas Les Vinyes 16 – 22 May 2023 – We have one place to offer for the youth leader role (any age) and are looking for 4 participants up to 30 years old. Online applications open soon, contact me directly if you are interested already!

TREE PLANTING WEEKEND will be 18/19 February If you want to join tell us in this google form!

Mas Les Vinyas is also looking for funded ESC volunteers (under 30)