Communal Living Group, Family home and garden - rural, Educational Centre, Eco Retreat, Farm
Värmland
Hej ya'all and thanks for taking the time to check out our profile! We'd like to welcome you the new season and look forward to hearing from you....please read carefully our profile and feel free to contact us if you feel we might be a good match.
Our opening time slot is somewhere around
March 24 until April 28.
This is a wonderful time of the year when the spring is more and more taking over the stage after winter...there's plenty to do getting the garden ready, pulling logs (maybe) from the woods, wood splitting and stacking, plant care, building (we have a new cottage underway, so building skills would be appreciated), reparations, landscaping, and so. We're looking for two enthusiastic and able-bodied volunteers to help us get things up and running again! The month of May is booked and the next time slot then is from June 21 until July 19.
For nearly 45 years Tim & Nina have been the trusted caretakers of this beautiful land around historic Rinnefors in Värmland. Surrounded by forests, lake Rinnen, and the soft sounds of nature, we farm, build, sustain, and co-create...for the nature around us, ourselves and the future generations!
We offer lovely organic food, wholesome company, and a pleasant environment to be together and relax in. It´s always good to have people here who know how to both listen carefully to instructions/suggestions,
as well as enjoy and value co-creation. We all have something to share and contribute to each other. Regarding tasks, our focus is just as much on the quality of the doing (presence), as it is on the result of that doing. Whatever your experience and skills, if our profile/lifestyle appeals to you, then you are welcome to contact us at any time about visiting.
We are Nina (64) & Tim (69), loving partners who have been together, and lived on the same piece of land for nearly 45 years. During this time we have raised 2 children, run
2 different organic vegetarian restaurants, as well as a healthcare business which included vegan meal preparation, mindfulness, meditation, and personal development through self inquiry....we are also grandparents to two wonderful small children!
We have a large family-size organic vegetable farm, including berries, flowers, spices and herbs.
Our place is a very beautiful and peaceful lakeside property, surrounded by a lot of woodlands. We are into our seventh year as workaway hosts, so we are use to having people staying with us whom we have never met before. Meeting like-minded people from around the world who we can co-create, work, and live together with is something we have come to enjoy very much. We also enjoy playing music and are particularly interested in volunteers who share this interest as well!
To begin with, you would live in the small cabin, and we would prepare and eat meals together in the main house. How much time we spend together outside of doing tasks and the kitchen hours depends on what kind of chemistry develops between us. It is important to note that the time spent making meals together and keeping the kitchen tidy are not included in the weekly working hours, since this is something we all need and contribute to for each other.
Our main focus is the continual development of sustainable living, which includes how we relate to our body, mind, and spirit, as well as to the earth which nourishes and hosts us.
Since we get many requests, it is important for us to know that you have carefully read our profile and respond to what it is that attracts you our way... we´d prefer a couple or two good friends, but even single volunteers are welcome to apply...we have wonderful reviews if
you´d like to know more about the experience of previous workawayers.
Since moving here, we have grown organic vegetables, herbs, flowers, berries and fruit…mostly for our own self-sufficiency, but also to share with family and friends, and selling
what´s over to the local health food store, restaurants, and market. There is no particular growing method that we follow, instead we take bits and pieces from different ways and rely primarily on an intuitive approach to the garden. The total garden area is approximately 1200 square meters.
Especially, during the spring, summer, and fall there is always plenty of work to do; such as gardening, food preparation, harvest care, house and property maintenance, cleaning, painting, carpentry, wood-cutting, and so on. We ask our woofers to actively participate in the daily chores around 25 hours a week, along with taking an active role in the kitchen. Our aim is to turn the chores into an enjoyable and meditative experience, grounded in relaxed presence...we value the quality of the process as much as the end result of that process, and encourage our guests to find a stress-free pace that suits them.
Woofers should be prepared to stay a minimum of four weeks and there are usually no more than two woofers here at a time. If for some reason the chemistry between us does not work out, then it is a clear alternative for either the guests or the hosts to end the stay ahead of time. It is also possible to extend the stay if everyone agrees and no other plans have been made. Generally speaking, we prefer having two woofer friends here together so that they can keep each other company during their free time. Since both Nina and Tim appreciate their private time, the amount of time that can be expected socializing together with us during free hours depends on the chemistry between us. It is possible for a single woofer to stay with us, but then one should expect to spend a good deal of time on their own. Still, if you enjoy nature, the forest, being on the lake, or quiet time in the cabin, then coming here on your own can be ideal
.
For many years both Nina and Tim have been very involved in exploring our potential as human beings, keenly interested in mindfulness, self inquiry and awakened living. From time to time we offer different groups and private sessions in these subject areas, and even occasionally invite other teachers to hold groups at our home. We are both well-experienced vegan/vegetarian/raw food cooks, having over the years owned and run two organic vegetarian restaurants. We are both amateur musicians who enjoy playing and creating music with others and have a special interest in guests who share such a musical interest. Among other things Nina enjoys free dance, sewing, and knitting. Tim spends most of his time outdoors taking care of whatever needs taking care of.
Our guests stay in a small cabin, suitable for a couple or close friends. Wi-fi is available in the cabin, and there are full internet services in the main house as well. There are no kitchen or toilet facilities in the cabins. All meals are prepared in the main house and we eat together as often as possible. There is an outdoor latrine, and guests are welcome to use the two bathrooms in the house as well. On the lakeside we have a rowboat and 3 canoes for anyone’s use, and the lake is wonderful for swimming! There is also a sauna, bicycles, a ping pong table in the barn, and an area for playing basketball. The local town of Arvika, which is a 30-minute car drive, is usually visited 1-2 times a week. The larger town Karlstad, is a 45-minute drive, and visited often every other week.
Our wwoofer guests can be of any age (preferably over 20) or nationality, and no previous experience is necessary. The characteristics we look for in choosing woofers are maturity, curiosity, co-creativity, easy going-ness, interest in vegetarian food, self-development, as well as a willingness to work, learn, and share. In return we provide delicious organic food, wholesome company, and a lovely stress-free environment to move around in. We look forward to hearing from you!
Organic methods: We use a variety of organic/biological methods on our property. We have read plenty of litterature and experimented with different methods. We use the best of what we have discovered and learned. Our main method of farming is primarily intuitive and directed to us by the garden and surrounding nature.
Read more
Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Forestry
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Holistic management
Permaculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
Certified organic
7
Hectares
|
17.3
Acres
Tim
Member since 2019
Languages spoken:
English, Swedish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Värmland
There are several different ways to arrive at our place, depending on what direction one is coming from. We are a 45 minute car drive from Karlstad, 30 minute from Sunne, and 30 minutes from Arvika. Exact directions will be provided as needed.
Reviews
Marie
Belgium
•
September 2025
My stay with Tim and Nina in Rinnefors was my very first WWOOFing experience, and I couldn’t have wished for a better beginning. I spent four weeks with them, and it truly felt like both a blink of an eye and a small lifetime filled with learning, laughter, and connection.
From the start, I felt welcomed into a home that radiates warmth and safety. The work was diverse and fulfilling: from gardening, bricking windows and cutting wood to cooking in the kitchen and preparing different kind of vegetables.
Even Nina learned me how to make a raw carrot cake, simply because she had remembered it was my favorite dessert. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture that meant so much to me.
There was always laughter, music, and deep conversations that left me with wisdom to carry forward. Even our many silly debates about beans and peas are memories I’ll treasure forever (and yes, I proudly left as the “Bean and Pea Girl”!).
Tim and Nina have created not just a house, but a true home. It is a place where you can learn, contribute, and also simply be. I left with new skills, new perspectives, and above all, gratitude for the kindness, wisdom, and playfulness they shared so generously.
I wholeheartedly recommend Tim and Nina to any future WWOOFers. If you have the chance to stay with them, take it! It’s an experience that will stay with you long after you leave.
Thank you Tim and Nina for the amazing experience, for the many coffee’s, for the music, for the amazing meals, for the c
Read more
Mathis
France
•
August 2025
I could never have found a better place for my first Wwoofing experience.
I stayed here for almost two months and learned so many things that influence every decision I make today.
It was really interesting to connect with all the people I met there, and now that I'm back home, I'm already starting to miss them.
How can I not mention the landscape and the calm of the lake ? More than perfect for relaxing or doing physical activity.
I will definitely come back one day with my girlfriend, so that she can also benefit from all this knowledge.
Thank you so so so much Tim & Nina for this stay and everything you brought to my life.
Read more
David
Slovakia
•
May 2023
I've stayed at Rinnefors for 3 weeks and my stay there was great. Tim and Nina are very welcoming people, who love the life, people and they are able to share their experiences from life.
I've learnt a lot about food, cooking, gardening, sustainable way of living and much more about life in general. Conversations with them were very meaningful.
I've worked for 25h/week (5 hours per day) and Tim was picking every day different tasks, so the work didn't get annoying or tiring. I helped mostly in garden and with work that needed to be done on the property, bud also with preparing foods (We had every meal together, which was great. They're amazing chefs :) ), cleaning and also some wood work. Also, I could switch my working days with weekend, so I worked when it was best for me.
I've lived in cozy cabin behind the house, with amazing view on nature and lake.
Property is located in beautiful province of Wärmland, which has stunning nature. There are also lots of things on property how to get amused during your free time (bikes, kanoes, sauna,...).
This was my first experience volunteering and I couldn't choose better host. Tim and Nina, one more thank you for everything and to other woofers, I definitely recommend this host, if you want to enjoy nature, great food, music, meaningful conversations (also Tim's delicious coffee :) ) and if you want to get experiences in organic gardening, preparing food, herbs and much more.
Read more
Bruna
Brazil
•
June 2022
Tim and Nina are lovely people. They are caring, emphatic, and extremely warm, and have welcomed Julia and me with open arms. We had really nice conversations during the stay, and besides learning about gardening, I learned a lot about myself.
Rinnefors is beautiful and you can feel the love in single part of the place. Surrounded by a beautiful forest, there is also an amazing lake where you can swim and appreciate the view!
I definitely recommend going there (to every single human being). If you are reading this message, you just found the right place.
Read more
Maxence
France
•
May 2021
One of the best experience in my life so far. Rinefors Övre Torpet embodies perfectly what, in my opinion, permaculture and wwoofing is all about. My stay with Nina and Tim was both very rich on a intellectual and practical level through the various different tasks and talks, but also a heart warming human experience thanks to the amazing time spent together; cooking, eating, and enjoying the here and now in a loving environment.
Six stars out of five, I higly recommend!
Read more
Tom
France
•
November 2020
Nina and Tim are relaxed and friendly hosts, who are concerned about the essential conditions of their existence. Sharing their peacful and warm way of life has been a pleasure. Here you can have very good conversations, sing, chill while listening to someone playing the guitar.
The work is varied and you can do it at your own pace. In October, there was still a lot of vegetables to harvest, some forestry to do and many daily little tasks. You can expect to spend some of your time in the kitchen, learning about vegan food (which is always delicious).
The property is beautifully located, there's a lot of walks in the surrounding. You can also take a canoe around the lake, appreciate the reflection of rocks and trees in the water. Special kudos to the sauna for the feeling of intense well-being (after jumping in the lake, of course).
So, what a great experience at Rinnefors Övre Torpet, it is an excellent place to do wwoofing.
Thank you Nina, thank you Tim for this stay!
Tom
Read more
