Who

We are Jan and Willeke, a Dutch couple who emigrated to the middle of Italy in 2005 for a different way of life.

We have completely pledged our hearts to the Abruzzo region of Italy. This because this region beautiful natural parks and beautiful beaches has a nice climate and yet has not been discovered by many tourists or other adventurers.

After working in Abruzzo for a few years in the star-restaurant La Bandiera (Willeke) and at a carrozzeria (Jan) we started looking for the future.

For two years we rented an apartment and eighty houses-views later, we found our farm at the foot of the National Park Gran Sasso in the Apennines.

Here we have a beautiful area of ​​10 ha with ancient olive trees, forest, a mountain stream, grassland, many fruit and nut trees and beautiful views from all sides. Our ambition is to become increasingly self-supporting, sustainable, for example with food and energy. It is a slow process (in connection with costs), but very instructive. With our own wood for various construction work and heating with a ‘thermo- fireplace’, the ‘camping vegetable garden’, the many fruit and nut trees, own chickens and our black pig Cesar.

Restoring the house, starting a campsite and maintaining the terrain with, for example, the many different fruit and olive trees requires a lot of time.
But it is a fantastic experience to work more in nature after many years.