Handmade Archery on Valdonedo

This summer was packed - not just with work, but with the kind of energy that a good volunteer group brings. We had a mix of people from different places, all jumping into the daily tasks, and somehow we still managed to create a few completely unexpected side projects that turned into highlights of the season.

One of them was our handmade archery setup. After some clearing and cleanup work in the back part of the land, we suddenly had a pile of leftover branches and straight pieces of wood. Instead of burning them or tossing them aside, someone joked that we should build bows out of them. Five minutes later it stopped being a joke. We all went for it.

For almost all of us it was the first attempt at building bows and arrows — except for one volunteer who had done it before and gave us a few solid tips. That tiny bit of experience made a big difference. By the end of the day, we had an improvised shooting range, a handful of workable bows, some questionable arrows, and a group of adults laughing like kids because the whole thing actually worked.

And that wasn’t the only side project. A DIY volleyball net also appeared this summer. It started as “maybe we should set something up for evenings,” and a day later a volunteer was stretching rope, tying knots, and marking lines on the event meadow. It wasn’t perfect, but it held - and we played nearly every warm evening. Those matches were loud, chaotic, and full of laughter. Exactly what we needed after long workdays. Thanks for that.

Looking back, we got a huge amount done this summer. But what made it memorable wasn’t just the progress. It was the mix of hard work and spontaneous fun, the small inventions, the shared meals, and the evenings of laughing until it got dark. Those handmade projects - the archery setup, the volleyball net - were a big part of that. Simple things, but they made the place feel alive.

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