We bought an abandoned farm in Italy - One year progress
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- We're Isis & Bertus, a belgian-dutch couple. In the summer of 2023 we moved into a neglected farmhouse in a tiny village in the northwest of Italy. The last inhabitants left some 15 years ago, but large parts of the property have been empty for well over 20 years.
This is the story of everything we did in between buying the farm in January 2023 and today.
Thank you for joining us on our adventure!
Your support is deeply valued | www.buymeacoffee.com/cascinas...
Instagram | / storiesfromthecascina
#homerenovation #diyrenovation #farmlife
Hello guys, you have listened very carefully to what the house, the grounds, the outbuildings need. That sometimes will mean that we, viewers, don't see the logic behind it, yet. But you have achieved so incredibly much in a relatively short time. Its not about the result. Its about the road to the end result. You've treated us with artistically outstanding footage, the views from the drone are spectacular. Maybe try to create spaces for volunteers who want to work in the garden(s), help retiling some roofs, painting your repaired, restored shutters, or what pops up and has to be done in between. Thank you so much for sharing with us. Looking forward to each vlog
Hi Wanda, thank you and you're welcome! Creating spaces for volunteers is something we're working towards - not just the space in the litteral sense, also in the sense of organising ourselves and creating a ryhtm that will accomodate more helpers.
As I am watching you video the first time,lying on the sofa with a pain in my back and legs,sciatica,I remember all the things we did in our farmhouse I Slovenia.I just wish for you to stay well so you can enjoy the project.
One of my favorite sayings is,
“Nature does not hurry yet all is accomplished.”
You are doing a wonderful job. Embrace change when the situation deserves it!
Thank you Bob, and yes, that's one of our favourite quotes too. :-)
PERFECTIONISTS at work - love this
"let`s clean and organize it all so we can see what we have to work with" approach👍👍👍👍
Recovering perfectionists (it's a work in progres :-P ) but yeah, we like things done well, and we prefer learning something new and valuable over just getting it done :-)
@@storiesfromthecascinaWonderful attitude!
What workhorses this couple are! So much debris, wood, and vegetation to clear out. Hats off to them for the incredible feat they are accomplishing. I can’t wait to see what the result will be.
I love watching videos of people renovating and restoring old buildings. Yours is by far my favourite. You are carefully and considerately restoring whilst repurposing and recycling and embracing the history of the home. I can see the buildings slowly coming back to life with your care and hard work. Beautiful. It’s a big project but you are both the perfect people for this .
I don’t think either of you are naive or stupid. In fact, I think the complete opposite! This video was amazing to watch! The two of you have such talents that I could only wish to have. Thank you for sharing, and I look forward to more to come!
Isis, they say the gifts of the Goddess are revealed a few breadcrumbs at a time. Keep trusting and following your feelings as they step by step reveal the path your vision is unfolding for you. Wonderful narration, lots of unseen by me footage, great recap and explanations. What a wonderful pair to bring back a sacred, right relationship to the land you are caretaking. We all thank you.
Practically speaking though ...wouldn't the best use of the land be to use it as it was originally intended ...as a farm. When they knocked down those huge mangers (for cows?) I was thinking how much work it must have been to make them. I wonder how many cows were accommodated in that barn and on the land. Do they plan to have sheep or goats? ...which helps keep the land mowed naturally & provides produce for the local community, milk, and cheese even if they're vegetarian. Just a thought. Farming is a noble profession.
@kindlydude Farming is a really noble profession - there is no arguing with that. It's also a calling. That said, our land is still used for farming, just not by us right now. Our neighbour uses the land (for haymaking and growing corn and alfalfa). We are not excluding the option of one day farming ourselves, but we are still discovering what farming would look like for us if we do go that way. We are not yet decided if we want to grow things for others. It sounds really romantic but the reality of it (here at least) is that to do so in a financially viable way is pretty hard. There is a reason why farms like ours are on the market for years. There will be chickens in our future, and possibly sheep or goats. And certainly a vegetable garden. If we farm for the "market" it's more likely that we'll grow lavender or saffron, perhaps grapes, or other fruits, rather than raising cattle. Cows have always only been one small part of this farm - next to wine production, growing hazelnuts, firewood production, raising silk worms (yes!) and smaller livestock (goats, rabbits, pigs). The two brothers who lived here before were also working as builders - so this farm has always relied on a mix of things. :-)
Thank you Sharon for your beautiful words!
@@storiesfromthecascina, I love how you thought things through and are open to so many possibilities. Its great you let the farmers mow your hay and maybe cows graze on your land. You are creating a lifestyle channel that is becoming worldwide, making your place a holiday destination and allowing others to support you with your vision through your video and sharing of your foods, identifying trees and herbs, and your recipes, we become part of your life in a hopefully supportive and unintrusive way. That's why there is more than one of us!
Beautiful review and we look forward to the upcoming episodes! God is good! Love and trust in him. You have a beautiful place!
Congratulations on your anniversary 🏡.you’ve made such great progress and managed to share it with us in an interesting, visually glorious and very well considered way. Thank you for sharing and may all continue well 😊
Thank you so much! It's a joy to share the journey :-)
Look how much you 2 have accomplished in a short little year... you've been absolutely amazing! 👏🏻🥰
Thank you so much! Also for all your lovely comments along the way :-)
It’s nice to see this year summary of your careful work, carried out with contemplation and enjoyment of the moment as well as letting the future plans evolve.
Thank you Nathan, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
The first year always has it's challenges but the both have done an incredible job with the tasks that you had. Thank you both for sharing your journey. Lastly....both of you should be very proud of your first year!
Our pleasure! And we're definitely proud of year one, even though we might have been a little too optimistic about what we could get done. I'm sure in a few years we will look back and see how the first year was extra challenging :-)
I truly love your way of handling this property with caution and respect for all its history. I have just come across your channel which offers so much more than „just a couple renovating abandoned buildings“… nice comments that are worth listening to, carefully chosen footage professionally provided kept me entertained.
I can‘t wait to see more of it. Good luck for you both.
Thank you Sylvia! Welcome the the channel
@@storiesfromthecascina hey, I am glad your video went viral. You certainly deserve it. Subscribers almost doubled within a week. What a great success. Congrats. 🍾
You have made an amazing start and I think you are approaching your new home and life in the right way. You need to experience living in a building in order to really decide what you want. Same with the grounds. Get to know your land. Whatever time it takes you will have an amazing home that you will have a strong bond with. You will know how it works and know when to address the constant issues that arise with any old property. It’s a never ending cycle, but the truth is that you don’t want the cycle to ever end. Homes and land are dynamic and ever changing. That’s why we fall so in love with them. Well done both of you.
Yes, I will, and thank you for the invitation. I love how open to possibility you both are, and how respectful of the history that is layered into this property while still bringing it up to clean, functional, and lovely spaces. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Wat een fantastisch project. Het is veel, maar stap voor stap wordt het groots. Ik bewonder de rust en concentratie waar jullie ook de bestaande deuren, gebouwen etc. restaureren. Veel gedaan in de afgelopen 52 weken. Ik volg het met plezier. Na meerdere grote verbouwingen in mijn leven.
Hi Isis and Bertus,
Of course we will be walking alongside and keeping sending you positive energy and thoughts. I have been following you since day one and am just amazed by how much you have been accomplishing already. In truth, whilst I saw just as you did that this property was a true hidden gem, I must confess I was afraid it would rapidly overwhelm you. With hindsight I think you took precisely the only correct approach as DIYers that I would summarise as follow :
- Make rapidly a small part liveable enough to stop throwing money on renting a nearby place.
- move in to listen to the story the buildings, landscape, climate, people are telling you whilst you start renovating.
- If you’re DIYers and haven’t got a fortune to throw at the renovation, tackle it bit by bit ensuring little victories here and there so as never to never be overwhelmed or discouraged.
- Whilst having a rough vision of the end goal, be ready to see it evolve as you learn, discover and feel the place, and define sub plans that are getting you there one step at the time.
- Be prepared to be disturbed in these plans by urgencies you didn’t forecast and tackle them whenever not fixing them now is going to mean even more work and expenses later.
- Most importantly, ENJOY the process and celebrate each step when accomplished.
I think you both demonstrated this in a magistral way, with a sense of humour, amazing modesty and an interesting attention to preserve, re-use, re-purpose that not only honour you but will add to the character and soul of this stunning property.
We can’t wait to see where year two will bring you and are sending you our congratulations for all what you accomplished already and our thoughts and rays of positivity for the hat,sunny summer ahead. Cheers! To life, friendships and to those who dare !!!
Bestest’ Pierre
Thank you Pierre!
" It's the kind of freedom we would like to see more of in the world." Perfectly said.
Well said Isis, I embraced your path 50 years ago and I'm still evolving with nature and spirit.
Congratulations to you and Bertus for all you've achieved this past year, I have learnt new skills and been in awe in every one of them.
Thank you so much and happy to hear that after 50 years you are still finding ways to grow and deepen
Wow...i have always wondered how it feels like living in the country with such a vast space and being self sufficient. I have always lived in the city where everything is within reach so my children are not so keen about moving. I admire both of u @lululand1653 & @storiesfromthecascina for your perseverance and passion. My hats off to both of you! I will just continue watching and enjoying your videos from the other end of the world.
It's been a pleasure to watch your project unfold and I look forward to whatever you have to offer your subscribers.
Thank you both loving every moment of your journey!
Thanks for watching!
Every moment is a rainbow of happiness ❤
When a 42 minute video leaves me wanting more I follow the journey. You’ve captured such gorgeous images and edited and narrated this so beautifully. I laughed and smiled so big at the bit when the electricity made an appearance. This was really something special to see over time, thank you for sharing.
Amazing adventure-thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to watch the unfolding of your journey.
Thanks for watching!
Beautiful video - thank you!
You're so welcome Roxanne! Thank you for watching ❤️🐈⬛
Hello from Flemington, NJ! I've been following your journey since the beginning, and I can imagine how proud you must be of the incredible progress over the last year! Watching your dream come true inspires me to believe that my own dreams are possible with perseverance, planning, and hard work. There's a peacefulness to your videos that's so calming, and I love the beautiful scenery and learning the Latin names of the plants and animals. Your thoughtful approach to renovation, getting to know every inch of the place without changing its essence, is truly inspiring. The way you and your partner work together, respecting each other's individuality, is something special. I'm also amazed by how creatively you repurpose materials around the house. Thank you for sharing your journey and inspiring so many of us! Can’t wait for Velluto to join your outdoor dinners 🐈⬛
It's a small world lived in Three Bridges next door to you .
Ha! Small indeed, Branchburg here.... LOL @@charmingSaint
@martaborbon3271 @charmingSaint @frankn4618 - You could start a local fan-club :-P Get together every sunday to watch a video and chat about your own creative adventures for the week. Who knows? Big thanks to you all for being here and watching!
I should think first step to following dreams might be to get out of Flemington… no more of that circle!!! Lol
@@user-hy3jg2qo9m sometimes dreams need to be financed :)
Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I watched a couple of your episodes this past spring and soon went through a weekend of binge-watching your shows😍 I wait in anticipation for every Sunday to arrive with a new episode. You should both be so proud of yourselves for the loving work you put into everything you do. I can only imagine that working at this day by day, you maybe don't notice the progress as much. Was it satisfying to create this compilation episode to show how much you have done? Love your channel Isis and Bertis. Thanks for creating it!🤩
It was definitely satisfying to compile this video yes (and also a labour of love ploughing through 22 hours of video 😁)
I'm watching your journey right now, all I can say is this is an incredible project. I wish you every happiness in your stunning new home!
Rob
Thank you so much Rob!
What you're doing isn't crazy, it's amazing. It's taking control of the direction of your life and just going with it and doing something unique and throwing all the stuff away that keeps us worried and controlled. When my husband and I were about your ages, we bought a run down farm. The house, built in 1860 (which is old for California), had been abandoned for 30 years and was a mess. There was another house falling down, with three walls left. We spent several years renovating and removing decades of debris and brush.
Loved watching your progress - its been amazing and you are both very talented and respectful artists in your renovation. Whats impressed me most is that you seem to enjoy the process and savour the journey rather than rush forward and not enjoy the moment as a lot of renovations on YT do. Plus you both have huge hearts as the cat project demonstrates - all the best from now on - I'll always be following...
good to have you joe! big thanks for your beautiful words ❤️
Siete delle forze della natura, avete fatto,, costruito, riparato, eliminato; pulito veramente un sacco di cose. In questo video ho ripercorso con voi il vostro primo anno qui in Italia. Adesso è arrivato il momento di mettere al fresco una buona bottiglia di moscato e accompagnarlo con degli ottimi baci di dama o amaretti. Bravi. É sempre un gran piacere accompagnarvi anche se solo virtualmente, in questo vostro meraviglioso viaggio. ❤❤❤
I had forgotten how beautiful the glass turned out in the door , it’s just perfect. You guys have come along way ….Velutto as well..bless you both….see you next week…❤
Possibilities and not certainties. A road you can feel under your feet. Very well said. I agree.
Adoro a vossa tranquilidade, habilidade e organização 👏👏 parabéns.
thank you luisa ❤️🐈⬛
Thank you for a well put together film about your life for a year. It was refreshing to have the picture to tell the story. I can’t wait to watch your progress, all your discoveries and what you settle on to make the most of your location and life.
Thanks for posting and sharing this lovely recap. Very nice drone footage of the buildings, property, and terrain in winter.
Thank you for sharing your journey and for breathing new life into your project...Congratulations, it is clearly a labor of love, sweat and some tears....and plenty of joy for each accomplishment, one step at a time....❤
Amazing! Looking forward to seeing how the future unfolds with this property❤️
Wow this is wonderful! You did such a great job shooting it, it's mesmerizing to
watch. Love seeing all your hard work and can't wait to watch it evolve. Thanks for taking me on this journey with you.
Thank you for holding my attention forn the whole video. It was beautifully put together, and I wish you many blessings as you walk this path of discovery together.
Met plezier naar gekeken. Een enorm project waar jullie nog jaren plezier van gaan hebben wanneer het klaar is. Top!
WHAT a Property! & what a team!!! Congratulations ! It takes the Dutch to set the bar on methodical organizing. A lot of U tube renovations sold take a leaf. Look forward to yr progress. WELL DONE!
I love how neat, tidy, organized and clean you two keep things.
Very excited to find your channel and watching as you transform your property. The first year recap was so well done, I look forward to digging into the more detailed videos. I really appreciate your philosophy about how this project will progress in a very organic way.
It was a pure pleasure watching you two just getting stuff down. I hope you really celebrated what you already achieved here. You really found a beautiful peace of land there. So much potential. Thank you for documenting your commitment.
It is amazing how far you two have come in a year, six months really. You have turned it into a real home and that is not easy with such a large place. I have seen all your episodes and my favorite thing is how you save, repair and reuse items, but also know when stuff is useless to you and needs to go to make space for real life. Your organizational skills are top notch. My husband and I have remodeled eight houses in our 50 year marriage. We have a motto "take out anything that isn't a nice house." We also frequently say "let's play the game" which we call "shuffling $hit". I wish I had a nickel for every time I've had a temporary kitchen in a bedroom and washed dishes in a bathtub. I look forward to your second year, it might sometimes seem like you are getting nowhere but luckily you have these videos to show your amazing progress.
It's lovely to hear a little about your own renovation history! 8 houses is a lot!!! Well done you
You truly are on a worthy journey. There is beauty watching you find meaning in your hard work, always creating and preserving and undoubtedly feeding your souls. I think so many of us identify with your vision of working and living and seeing what time and work on your farm will lead you to next.
A lovely video, thanks for sharing your project with us! I'm intrigued and can't wait to see how it unfolds!
I am loving, how far you have come with your home. Can't wait to see what comes next.
So thankful that you are sharing your journey. We who watch are living vicariously through you! Thank you and may God bless all your endeavors! ♥️👩🌾♥️
This is really unbelievable😮. I have been paying attention to your project since last year. It is a great honor to see your update.😊，Looking forward to meeting you next time.
Amazing recap! Well worth watching. You have every reason to be mighty proud. And I really love your attitude. Just let it unfold. It is your project, nobody elses. To happy many next years!!
I just watched this video and I am hooked. Thank you so much for sharing your journey.
Fantastic! Here's to the road you can feel beneath your feet, even if you have no idea where it leads. My very best to you both.
Incredibly calming. Just what I needed today, thanks!
Amazing! Really admire what you two have achieved, looking forward to the updates.
Great content. I so enjoy the fact that all the visitors snd family pitch in on the work and that everybody is suitably skilled. So few people know how to use their hands skillfully anymore. Also appreciate that you let the journey unfold organically, what a sobering approach.
WOW!! You have made amazing progress! Your organization in all the separate buildings helps not only you but it shows how much progress and hard back breaking work has been done! I admire your tenacity and agree that what it becomes or what your vision is unfolds as you go along. Let the property speak as years of neglect are dealt with and cleared. I will continue to follow along as you learn and grow and experience all that this labor of love throws your way! Much admiration from California USA.
I loved your story. My husband and I watched the two of you work together like a beautiful dance. We have done many of the tasks that you are doing in our lives. We are in our seventies now but we remember how worth it was. The two of you are so industrious it made us happy watch your accomplishments.
Bravo. You guys are doing something meaningful. Thanks for sharing the process with us.
This was so so so gorgeous!!! Someone has a trained eye. I can't wait to see more! Thank you for sharing.
You two are a beautiful couple and it's obvious that everything you do is well thought out, orderly, and makes perfect sense. Plus you don't seem to be flustered by anything. Surely you two are perfect for the long-term project you have taken on. God bless you as you continue your journey. I look forward to seeing more of your inspiring and motivating videos.
You're living my unfulfilled dream!... The respect you gave for its social as well as physical history fills me with joy... can't imagine how wonderful it feels for you! I hope you both have the most wonderful joyous journey, and may all your cutting, scraping & painting continue to be be utterly satisfying ❤❤
beautifully made! very lovely narrating, i really enjoyed watching this!
Great team work on the renovation, and remodel. Thank you for sharing.
My dream. Living on an old farm in Italy. It’ll never happen for me, and I love seeing it happen for you. Thank you for taking me with you. I’m glad the cat found you too. 🌞
Thank you for this overview of your journey to this point. I truly look forward to seeing your updates each week - cheers to you both!
What an incredible video. The amount of work so far put into this home is truly unbelievable. I am so happy to see the reuse of other items instead of having to run out and buy everything fresh and new. God bless both of you. I look forward to more videos obviously when you can. It’s such an enjoyment and relaxing moment with just enough information to see. U2 are incredibly strong and powerful people to be able to do the majority of work yourself. Just unbelievable what you’ve been able to accomplish in a year I hope you live a very happy healthy lifetime in this home. You truly have brought it back to life.
Thanks for taking the effort to make a video like this and sharing. Scope of the project is big and exciting. Looking forward to catch the season 2
What a beautiful journey! You’re doing great, following the rhythm of the area, feeling what this space needs! 🤎
I so enjoyed watching your journey fixing up your beautiful home ❤. Thank you for sharing!! Can’t wait to see what’s next 😊
Loved watching this. You’re doing a fantastic job! Can’t wait to see more!
What you have accomplished in this short period of time is unbelievable. I like that you are being safe. Your video is very well done looking forward to the next.
What a beautiful property! I love everything that you have done so far and I agree with your plans for the future. I’m excited to watch your progress.
Just discovered your channel and all I can say is WOW. What a refreshing perspective . This video was so beautifully narrated and filmed. It was like I was watching a professional documentary . Look forward to seeing the progress in months to come as I too embark on my Italian dream from California.
Wonderful review of your year! You'e come such a long way. Thank you for sharing it.
You guys give me hope and courage that I can follow my dreams without fear of judgement. You both did an awful lot in a year's time considering your starting point. Be very proud of yourselves. You're doing it together and figuring it out together and that's the most important thing.
What a lovely property that you've become stewards of! I love your philosophy and intent for restoring at your own pace, for letting the vision unfold organically, and for repurposing as much as possible. Bellisimo...
You have worked so hard this past year, and it shows! Great video, thanks!!
So grateful that I stumbled upon your video. If I were much younger, I’d move from the US to Italy 🇮🇹. What a Beautiful place you have found. I look forward to following along your journey with you. Thanks again for taking the time to video your journey.
Loved the video, the calm and inspiring working on this beautiful estate. Thanks for sharing.
What a lovely treat that this popped up in my feed. Quite a "walk" you are on. Thank you for the effort you are embarking on and thank you for sharing the journey. My soul has been nourished.
extremely happy to see that you are keeping so much of the interior design and furniture, making it your own without carelessly throwing stuff out!! Renovation can be so wasteful
Amazing compilation and such a moving and important message at the end of this video. Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us.
Simply beautiful. So happy for you both! I look forward to following your journey. I don’t normally follow people on these kinds of channels, i do enjoy occasionally the videos, but something about your vision and how you are walking this out just tugged on my heart. Thank you for sharing.
Beautifully filmed and narrated - what a beautiful place and you are doing it right - what an amazing impact you've both already had at breathing life back into those wonderful old buildings - I'll look forward to the next stage -
Congratulations. My heart with you both. Blessings 🙏💖
You should be really proud. I love the way you tackle each project seemingly so calming 😊and with such a good ethos. Will enjoying watching your 2nd year of your incredible project.
I love your attitude towards this beautiful unfolding adventure. Thank you for sharing and I wish you well going forward.
impressiv how much both of you shrinked in that short time! It shows how much work you archieved! Well done!
I have been following you for a year now and found your recap of the year so inspiring. Your journey and process is refreshing. Your example has helped my husband and I set the pace for our restoration story. Making it one of discovery instead of drudgery.
We refuse to be pushed out of our rhythm by external pressures and expectations.
Your place looks happy and alive. Grateful
My grandma from my mother side was born in a small village near Aqui Terme. Her parents were running a farm. They had vineyards. I can relate to your channel and I enjoy following your life project. You made a good choice living in this beautiful region.
Love the way you did the bathroom. God bless you all.
Hello guys, very thrilled to see and to follow this project over the years to come. Buona fortuna e forza!
wish you guys a wonderful journey!
What a wonderful thing to do! Bravissimo!
Thanks for sharing your lovely place , I'm looking forward to the future.
Wow, what a power couple you are! What a thrill to learn new skills and being able to step back and know you did it. Bravo and all the best for the journey ahead!
Well done guys! Taking on a project like this is not easy, your attitude, hard work and skills are a great asset. Good luck. I’ll be watching your onward journey as I’m thinking of doing something similar. 🙏🏼
It is amazing to see the resuscitation of this beautiful property. It is amazing the quality of the video that you have created. I have no words, I'am totally in awe of your progress, energy and desire. It shows how much more desirable and creative life can be when you have the funds and time and the vision to complete this enormous project. I'am glad that you have escaped the trap of the senseless office work, mortgage prison and consumerism. Hat's off to all the people involved in this great project.
It feels liberating! Exactly. God bless you. Great job.
What a lovely recap of your year! I've watched along throughout, but it was so nice to see your progress in such an organized manner. Hope you have a happy summer!
Thank you! You too!