Camping, nature, good food, relax, games, walks, yoga, bhajans, massage, cutting wood, making chapatti, music & song, beautiful woods, open life, connections, love, happiness, and more of that natural positive stuff. All ages, all colours, all languages, everyone is welcome.

We set up a basic living space on a prairie in the forested area of the Belgian Ardennes. We build toilets, a dam, a water-supply system and dish-washing place, a water heating system for the dishes… and we set up a kitchen tent, an open tent for general use, a temple/meditation tent and our tents for stocking food and equipment. The rest is up to you!

We avoid pollution, as much as possible in our aim to be an eco-friendly and (near to) zero-waste camp. We prepare fresh vegetarian food twice a day, 95-100% organic. We share the daily work, : the dishes, cutting veggies, getting fresh milk from the farm or water at the source, chopping firewood, cleaning… It is basic, so we don’t need to worry about all the things we don’t need. We enjoy: Yoga, Walking, Singing, Sports, Cooking, Eating, Fire, Building, Sweating, Wood, Being… very easy

Radhebaba, our long-time Indian friend, Sadhu of the Nimbarkh Sampradaya, and an inspiring presence, is joining us again this year to manage the kitchen and make sure everyone receives healthy and fresh food. It is important that each of us participates in the effort to provide nourishing food for all by making sure the kitchen area stays clean, dishes are done, vegetables cut… If the kitchen flows well, all flows well 🙂 This creates ample opportunity for a positive exchange and learning from each other.

We will try to do most of the Basic Build-Up from the 2nd to the 4th of August. But we’ll be sure to leave something more to do for all of you coming 🙂

Build-Down is on 27 & 28. We can use some help, especially with loading and transportation (see below).

Of course, those joining the Build-Up or Build-Down effort van count on free food and stay on these days 🙂

We will load some stuff in Zoutleeuw on the 2nd before lunch and drive to Gedinne after lunch.

A LOT OF LOADING will be done on the 27th and 28th, and all this stuff needs to be brought to Zoutleeuw again. It’s a 2 hours drive.

PLEASE JOIN THIS EFFORT if you can! Of course, you can get a compensation for your mileage and free food and stay on these days 🙂

We prepare fresh vegetarian food twice a day, balanced, complete, good for the body, and about 95% certified organic or from our own garden.

The kitchen and the food are the foundations of the camp. Please respect our efforts to provide this kind of high-quality food by not being wasteful and by giving a hand in and around the kitchen when needed. Thank you!

*Timings listed here can vary a bit. Life is change 😉

8.00-9.00 MORNING COFFEE and TEA (limited, no bell)

9.00-10.00 FRUITS for breakfast (limited, no bell, so please be in time if you want to be sure to have some)

13.00 (approx.) LUNCH – We ring the bell for everyone to join.

16.30 (approx.) CHAI-TIME – We ring the bell for everyone to join.

21.00 (approx.) DINNER – We ring the bell for everyone to join.

If you have any specific dietary requirements, you can tell the kitchen team about this, preferably before the preparation of the meal starts. In case you want to cook something for yourself,: a cooking fire is available in the “open tent space” next to the kitchen tent. You can ask the kitchen team for some veggies, grains or pulses. Please keep it clean and do the dishes when you’re done.

Please remember that we don’t serve breakfast. In case you would like something in the mornings, please provide this for yourself. Please don’t use the common garbage to dispose of any plastic bags etc. but take them with you. This will help us to minimize the waste we produce at the camp, and lighten the load of organizing the common garbage.

Early dinner for the kids? When there are lots of (young) kids at the camp, it can be nice to team up with other parents to provide an early meal for them in the evening, especially if you see they are having difficulties with the liming of the main meal. Check with the kitchen team about this (please do this before they start cooking), so they can help you to set up a cooking space and provide the veggies, grains and/or pulses you need for this.

Please do your share of the work in the kitchen and eating space. We need your help with cutting veggies & dishes if we want to have food in time. Your help is also needed to keep the kitchen and eating space clean. This is extremely important for the flow of the kitchen and to maintain hygienic conditions. Please read on and you’ll find more on how to help.

The flow of the kitchen is dependent on these three practical things: clean dishes, helping hands and a clean kitchen environment. If one of these is missing, the work in the kitchen is on hold. So please keep an eye open for the needs of the kitchen crew. We usually need some hands for the following tasks related to kitchen flow:

between 8.00 and 10.00 AM – first shift of dishes and clean-up. If this is not done in time, the kitchen flow is broken and We won’t be able to provide food in time. We also take out all the carpets to air them if the weather permits, cutting some fruits

10.00 to 11.00 AM – some helping hands for cutting veggies or cooking

after LUNCH – second shift of dishes and cleaning

after CHAI (around 5.00 PM) – some helping hands for cutting veggies or cooking

after DINNER – take away your plates to the dishes area. If anyone is up for it, we can still do the dishes to make things easier in the morning.

Please don’t leave your plates laying around. When you are finished eating, check your sitting area for anything that might have dropped from your plate and clean up if needed. Bring your cups and plates to the dishes area, and throw away any leftovers in the compost bin or on the pile. Also check your immediate surroundings for plates or cups that were left behind and take them away as well. If everyone takes care of the small area surrounding them, things stay wonderfully clean and tidy!

Whoever comes to help in the kitchen, should be aware of the following:

– we WASH OUR HANDS before cutting fruits or veggies

– we DO NOT EAT OR TASTE while cutting fruits or veggies

– we DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE (like feet, or a dog…) while cutting fruits or veggies

– non-vegetarian items and alcohol are not allowed in the kitchen area

– dogs are not allowed in the kitchen tent

It’s extremely important to respect a few rules regarding hygiene at the camp. We are living together here for more than a month with a large amount of people. So we have to be aware of the risks and act with common sense and responsibility.

– Toilet pits have closing lids to prevent flies from breeding there. Please always close the lid when you finished using the toilet!

– Wash your hands after using the toilet. We have special spray bottles with a mix of 80/20 water/vinegar. Please use these and refill them when they are almost empty.

– There is a Hand Wash place near the kitchen area, with soap and running water. Please wash your hands there and not in the sink where we do the dishes.

– Don’t leave any personal garbage or food leftovers on the lend. Put them away immediately in the garbage or compost piles.

– Your help is required to keep the kitchen and eating areas clean. Please do your share of cleaning in the morning or after the meals: collecting empty cups and plates that stayed behind, hanging carpets that were used outside to air, cleaning up pieces of food that were spilled or fell next to the plates… The kitchen team can only maintain the right hygienic conditions with your active support.

– If you have kids, please try to make sure they also follow these guidelines. They are really important if we want to stay healthy at the camp. Thanks!

First of all – Check if there is enough space in the days you would like to join! You can do this by sending us an email. If you are trying a ‘Last Minute’ reservation just before you are coming, you can check by sending a text or whatsapp message to +32484404034. Keep in mind that you need to confirm your stay well in advance if you want to be sure of a spot!

Second – REGISTER YOUR MEMBERSHIP ONLINE and pay the yearly membership of 10 euros.

It’s best to make the contribution for your stay in advance by BANK TRANSFER. That helps us to know for sure you are coming. Mention your name, number of people and dates. It should always be possible to add a few days to your stay in case you don’t feel like leaving 🙂 The contribution for those days can be made afterwards.

– Camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, mattress, torch, blankets…

– games, acoustic instruments…

– toilet paper (we don’t provide this, as it tends to get messy, wet, or lost 🙂 )

– your own plate + bowl, spoon and cup!

– For those who take more breakfast in the morning: you can bring something for the early hours if you or your kids need it.

– electrical sound machines

– We intend to minimize waste so it is best not to bring packaged food and drinks or other packaged consumption items. Our minimal garbage system is not made for them! If you do have waste packaging, please take it back with you. Thank you.

– Your daily work: Please realise that this camp can only happen if everyone joins the work. So keep in mind to spend about an hour or two a day on average to help out with: the dishes, cutting veggies, driving for water or something else we need, refilling the saw-dust or hand-wash bottles in the toilets, repairing the dam, creating, decorating, constructing… Especially the kitchen needs your daily help to keep the flow going. You can find the Mission Board with urgent matters just in front of the kitchen tent. More on the daily work is shared below. Read on to find out more…

– About alcohol: The use of alcohol is not allowed in and around the Kitchen-area. IF you want to use it outside of this area, you can, but please keep it discreet and clean. We avoid all packaged food and drinks and alcoholic drinks usually come in these. Please make sure to take empty bottles and cans back with you. Our minimal garbage system is not made for them so they have no place in there!

– Nudity: If you are discreet and don’t offend anyone, you are free to get naked to take a dip. But don’t walk or sit around naked in the public areas of the camp.

– Dogs: If you want to bring your dog, please follow these simple rules to make it possible to live together:

• Dogs are not allowed in the kitchen tent and have to be put on a line anywhere near the kitchen area.
• Make sure your dog is not invading tents or growling at neighbours. Your dog can stay only as long as it is not troubling others.
• Dog poo can be a real nuisance and it creates unhealthy conditions at the camp. All dog owners share the collective responsibility to clean up dog poo immediately and to check the terrain regularly. If these simple rules are not followed up, we will have to say no to dogs in the future, so please be aware of this.

– Garbage: The kitchen at the camp is very close to zero-waste. If you do have any waste, please do not put it in the garbage bins but take it back home with you. This is to encourage you to respect this zero-waste effort and to be aware of your own. Thanks!

!!!Try to do as much ‘carpooling’ as possible by letting others know when you’re planning to leave!!! You can use the facebook group for this.

By CAR (or bicycle, or on foot…)

If you have a navigation system, you can drive to the Rue (du) Moulinai in Gedinne. Or use google maps or mappy to get a description of the route up to that street.

There are two entrances to the camp. If you have a camper van or trailer, take the first entrance towards the west side of the river, you can park your car there at the start of the field and move on from here. When it’s dry, you can take your car a bit onwards to unload. But the deal is: cars that are regularly used to go to town or anywhere else, should stay at the parking at the entrance of the field. If you have a van or caravan, you can take it in a bit more far, but only if you don’t want to use it as a vehicle for the time of your stay. Be aware that the place can get muddy when it rains a lot. So it’s all at your own risk 🙂

If you take the second entrance towards the east side of the river, you can take your car up to the parking spot, but not on the field. There are a few parking spots before the entrance. Please respect this car free side and park your car there.

Public transport

With the train you can get up to Gedinne Station (you can find the train schedule on the website of NMBS/SNCB).

Hitch-hiking

Check the route on Google maps or Mappy and note down a few important points (like numbers of the highway and where to get of the highway). A cardboard with the name of a bigger city on the road and, below that, the name of your destination (Gedinne) could do miracles. Or go for a little adventure and write ‘Prairie’ on your sign…

I’m sure you’ll find it. See you soon

Want to be sure to have food on your arrival day? Send us a message (sms +32484404034) well in time!

When you arrive the first thing to do is come up to the kitchen tent and let us know you have arrived. Please also confirm that you have registered online. You can check out the terrain and see where you can put up your tent or park your van.

Our ideal goal is to have a zero-waste, organic, low-impact camp. Here are a few of the things we try to do to live in harmony with the rest of Nature:

– we use less soap, more ashes and mud, and where we do use soap, it is an ecological brand.

– we grow lots of vegetables in our garden in Zoutleeuw, and we also buy some organic vegetables, milk and butter from local farmers.

– the other fruits and vegetables and all the grains, lentils and nuts are also organic.

– we don’t waste food. Usually, everything gets shared and we start fresh every meal.

– we buy everything in bulk and use almost no packaging, so we don’t have much waste.

– we get our drinking water from a natural source nearby..

Everyone should join this effort to make sure this camp is in harmony with our natural environment. So…

– Don’t use soap in or near the water ways. If you use it, take it at least 7 meters away from the river, and use bio-degradable soap.

– Avoid packaged and processed foods. If you do use them, don’t dump your waste into the general bins. These are not made for your ‘personal waste’.

– Don’t take more food on your plate than you can handle. Try not to waste food. it is precious.

– the kitchen area and tent are freely accessible, but there is a ‘shoes off’ and ‘dogs out’ policy.

– one or two covered toilet pits. Each has a bucket of wood chips to cover your droppings and a spray with water and vinegar (80/20) for washing your hands. If either of these are empty, please refill it!!!

– hand wash place

– open tent with a gas stove for everyone to use

– shower place

– volleyball, badminton and a few other games.