Welcoming volunteers for 2026 (April thru September)! Ongoing tasks include garden clean up, soil prep, plant propagation, greenhouse management, transplanting, woody invasive plant removal, building projects, soap making, beekeeping, splitting & stacking firewood, harvesting, processing the harvest (making pickles, sauces, jams, etc).
The farm sits on 20 acres located in the beautiful rolling hills of southern Ohio (1 hour south of Columbus). The nearest town is just 5 miles away and we are very close to a beautiful nature sanctuary and several state parks with lakes, creeks and several miles of hiking and biking trails.
I officially moved back to Ohio and began my solo farmsteading venture in 2020 (thanks, in part, to COVID). I acquired some raw, undeveloped land (both forested and open acreage) and have been slowly building up some infrastructure and gardens. The land now consists of my small home (less than 400 sq ft), a small pond, a moderate vegetable garden, 4 tiny cabins, an outdoor kitchen, 5 designated camp sites, a small greenhouse, a sauna, a stage, a few outhouses, and about a mile of nature trails. There is also a little chicken coop with a small flock of laying hens and I have a couple of honeybee hives.
Most of the work between spring and fall is in the vegetable gardens. I grow a variety of vegetables, flowers, berries and herbs and use organic intensive methods to produce a lot of food in a small area, focusing on soil health and biology as a top priority. I am still figuring out the best avenue for selling fresh produce. I tried the local farmer's market during the first year in production and, for the past two years, I have been experimenting with a small CSA via weekly harvest share subscriptions. Farm goods are also sold at a small self-serve farm stand on site. I am making an effort to preserve more of the harvest and create new value added goods, so look forward to getting creative in the kitchen (ie: canning, dehydrating, pickling, fermenting, smoking, etc)! I also want to do more seed-saving this year. In addition, we are continuously working on woodlands restoration (removing invasive plants), establishing more pollinator habitat and tending to the fruit trees and berry shrubs throughout the property. The farm hosts many tent-campers and cabin guests throughout the year and an occasional community event for additional income, and I can't wait for the day that I have a barn where I can also offer yoga classes.
The farm is guided by regenerative/permaculture practices and, although no extensive experience is required, any knowledge or background in regenerative farming, permaculture, natural building, carpentry, appropriate technology, etc could be helpful. WWOOFers generally work an average of 5-6 hours a day or 25-30 hours a week (usually with me but sometimes alone or with other volunteers). I often ask for some amount of flexibility in the work schedule to take advantage of better weather conditions or to meet a harvest deadline. For now, I am the sole farmer, so I greatly appreciate my WWOOFers. Farm work can be physically demanding at times and you should also be prepared for all kinds of weather. Work can entail anything from planting, harvesting & weeding to chopping/stacking firewood, canning & pickling, tending to chickens, removing invasive plants, flipping guest cabins and helping prep for events on the farm, etc. There are always building projects going on, too, as well as opportunities to get artsy and have fun (the goal is always to have more fun)! Volunteers will be accepted based on a combination of skills, availability and attitude. Having your own transportation is required. Pets are negotiable. Please be open-minded, kind and excited to get your hands dirty!
Accommodation is a tiny off-grid cabin (Fern Cabin), when available, or a tent (provided or you can bring your own). Camper vans & small RVs are welcome, too. There is a simple composting outhouse near the cabin and you also have access to the guest bathroom (outside entrance) with hot shower and sink, and the laundry facilities at my house (bring your own eco-friendly detergent). There's also a sauna that you can use. There is WiFi but it doesn't reach everywhere on the property. Please note that here is no air conditioning or flush toilets.
WWOOFers can stay from 1 week up to 2 months with potential to stay longer. A longer stay is ideal so that we can establish a nice flow and also WWOOFers can have a more full and dynamic experience. There will be a 10-day trial period for any long-term volunteers (just to make sure it's a good fit for both you and me).
Food is provided and meals are prepared in the outdoor gazebo kitchen. We often do at least one shared meal each day but it depends on the given schedule that week. I like to make a cooking schedule to take turns with meal prep and we all help with clean-up, so plan to do your share of cooking. I eat a primarily vegetarian diet and provide plenty of healthy, wholesome vegetarian food, supplemented by what is growing at the farm. While I am happy to host people with different diets and restrictions, you may have to prepare most of your own meals (using provided groceries).
If you are interested in joining us this year, submit some suggested dates! Then I would like to set up a call or a zoom to see if we would be a good fit for you and vice versa and work out any logistics. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Poultry farming
Forestry
Beekeeping
Wild foraging
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
8.1
Hectares
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20
Acres
