Clay, Work, and Community

For six years, our "Fruits and Campfires" project has been bringing together diverse young people to work on farms in Latvia and Georgia. This is an opportunity not only to help out in the countryside but also to build new friendships through manual labor and shared daily life. We will continue this tradition with new projects this summer, but today we look back at the "Clay&Play" activity that took place in Latvia in the autumn of 2024.

Life in the "Zadiņi" Permaculture Community In September 2024, an international team of volunteers worked in "Zadiņi" to learn the basics of eco-building and permaculture. One of the main tasks was building a climate-neutral house for geese using clay, straw, and wood. Volunteers also created new garden beds, worked in the forest gathering firewood, and assisted with gardening tasks.

The daily rhythm was intense. Volunteers managed the farm themselves—cooking, washing dishes, carrying water, and taking care of the compost. As the participants shared: "The day was truly busy – first, we helped with forest work and even got to ride in the tractor trailer, and afterward, we had an acting workshop." Special thanks were given to the cook, Hannah, who not only prepared exceptional meals but also inspired others with her drawings.

During the project, significant attention was also paid to personal growth. Under the guidance of mentors, participants worked toward their goals using visualization and art methods. One participant even dedicated a poem to the collective tree-planting process:

I breath because of trees
I feel their presence within me
They exhale, we inhale
Beautiful connection through the air
Planting them was a gift
Thank you Dorota for your grit
Ivan cleared the roots
His ambition through the roofs
Nodar on his youthful peak
Made the soil perfectly thick
Alex gave us the confidence
We are thankful for his competence
Working in harmony as a team
Wishing for the trees dream

Written by: @angelkuhnpost

To see how we did, watch the videos created by the volunteers: Interview with participants and Gatis’ farm tour, and visit the Fruits and Campfire Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/fruits_and_campfires/

“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”