Blueberry, Sorghum syrup (molasses), and Maple syrup

Virginia
blueberries ripening
One of two private bedrooms blueberries in bloom
8 • Updated 3 months ago
We live on approximately 100 acres of property. Our son graduated college and has moved away. The upstairs is now empty.It has two private bedrooms, full bath, and balcony. We live in the downstairs, and do not go upstairs.We have a cat and a dog (husky)who loves the blueberry field and the woods. He will be your best friend before the end of the day. We are a full time farm that produces blueberries in the summer, sorghum syrup in the fall, and maple syrup in the winter, and odd jobs in between. We have a sugar shack to boil maple syrup in the winter and sorghum syrup in the fall. We have our own personal garden and we just recently built a greenhouse. We mainly use heirloom seeds and a lot of seed saving in the fall. My husband and I hold ourselves to a high standard on how to treat a WWoofer. We will provide a very easy going laid back atmosphere and respect your privacy. You'll be provided with a clean private bedroom. The kitchen is always open. Any and all food here you are welcome to. All meals are provided for you. Our goal is for people to have an enjoyable experience and to be well fed while your here. We live in a mountainous area there is 30,000 acres of national forest in the county and 50,000 in neighboring counties. There are numerous hiking trails where you can see waterfalls and views into neighboring states from the top of the mountains. As an example we are 5 minutes from a lake on the national forest Pound Lake which offers swimming, hiking, and other activities. Within 30-40 minutes of our home there are 3 state parks named Kingdom Come, Breaks Interstate, and newly formed Clinch River. We also have Bad Falls which is a nature preserve. There are no roads only hiking trails with some of the most beautiful scenery in the area. We currently have space available for May - July during our blueberry season. We will be putting up bird netting, planting our sorghum, picking blueberries, and getting our garden set out. A typical week we work 5 days from 8-1 you would have the rest of the the day and weekends to relax or explore the area. Our schedule is also weather dependent. If it is pouring the rain we may not be able to work in the blueberries that day. You would have the day off but we may have to work a little extra the next day.We are also putting in an off grid solar system to our sugar shack this summer. If blueberries or solar sounds like an interesting summer. Reach out and let us know.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Forestry
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
No-till farming
Host type
Production farm
Accommodation
2 WWOOFers
Bedroom
Children not accepted
Pets not accepted
Meals
Omnivore
Vegetarian
Length of stay
Weekend
Less than a week
1-2 weeks
3-4 weeks
Over a month
Brian
Brian
Member since 2023
Languages spoken: English
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Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 2 days
Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap
Virginia
Between Tri-Cities regional airport and Lexington Ky airport
Feedback
Frankie
Frankie
United States • April 2026
My review is long overdue but my stay in pound was one of the best memories I’ll make for myself. Amanda and Brian are the best hosts and make you feel right at home as soon as you get there. I learned so much about blueberries and maple syrup from Brian and tasted the best food from Amanda. And Grey and Chloe were the best company as well. I miss the farm and I’ll have to come back.
Maja
Maja
United States • July 2025
Amanda and Brian are the most welcoming and accommodating people I have ever met. My Woofing experience with them was extremely enlightening and educational. Brian is extremely educated about the things he does. He is more than willing to share his wealth of knowledge with others and you could talk to him for hours about blueberries, maple, sorghum and gardening. He is happy to go in depth about any topic you are interested in and will always find answers if you have a question he isn't sure about. Amanda's cooking is some of the best you will ever have. Very willing to accommodate different tastes and try new things you will never go hungry at Amanda and Brian's place. I am extremely grateful to have had such a wonderful experience staying and working with Amanda and Brian and would highly recommend them. Whether you are new to Wwoof or already experienced in it this stay is a wonderful and enriching opportunity .
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Corbin
Corbin
United States • March 2025
I joined Brian & Amanda’s farm in January and February to learn about maple syrup production. Brian has a wealth of knowledge about maple syrup and he’s definitely a MacGyver too as he always has new ideas or solutions to fix a problem. I had the opportunity to participate in a variety of tasks which included: fixing sap tubing due to fallen trees or pesky squirrels with a sweet tooth, replacing drop lines, cleaning lines, tapping trees, collecting and boiling sap, and bottling syrup! Being able to work in the sugar shack and see all of our work turn into syrup was truly a rewarding experience. Brian is a great teacher and he did a great job at explaining the science behind maple syrup as well. I learned a ton while I was here, and I found it fascinating how there were so many little details that could impact maple syrup production. For example, there’s multiple steps to ensure you tapped a tree correctly such as drilling at a slight upwards angle, tapping in a certain pattern, and listening for the right sound while hammering the taps into the tree to ensure a proper fit! Brian & Amanda were also super friendly, great to joke around with, and we shared some good laughs together. The food was also delicious, especially Amanda's buttermilk biscuits! Their cat Chloe and trusty sidekick husky Grey were great pals as well. I am super grateful for everything I was able to learn here as it opened my eyes into all the work, time, and waiting that goes into maple syrup.
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Audric
Audric
Belgium • July 2024
During my trip to the Appalachians, I spent two weeks at Brian & Amanda's blueberry farm. I had been looking forward to a new adventure for a long time, far from home, where I could experience today's America in a unique way. Southwestern Virginia is also the perfect place for a banjo player like me to reinforce my love for traditional American old-time and bluegrass music. Brian & Amanda are two hardworking, caring, and warm-hearted people with their hearts in the right place. During my stay, which coincided with the peak of the blueberry season, I helped with picking and sorting the incredibly tasty berries. Brian and Amanda are very accommodating and always consider your own wishes and preferences. (For instance, I impulsively decided to head east for the weekend.) Brian's passion for his blueberries is contagious, and he is very helpful and easygoing. If you want to delve into the entire process from sowing to harvesting berries, this is definitely the right place. In winter, he also makes delicious maple syrup, which he collects using an efficient tubing system. Amanda ensures that your stomach is always filled with blueberry pancakes, fresh biscuits, and Brian’s family sauce made from 'Pocahontas tomatoes'. Amanda, by the way, speaks fluent French since my stay (and if you don't believe that, I’ll make you believe something else). For those considering a stay: they love Belgian chocolate. It's a great way to make a good first impression! Thank you, Brian and Amanda.
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David
David
United States • January 2024
Brian and Amanda were excellent hosts. They were super easygoing on working, and I was always well fed and taken care of, and they paid extra attention to my dietary restrictions, which I really appreciated. Their property and the surrounding area is beautiful, and Brian is very knowledgable about the history and culture of the region, a topic I found especially interesting. I also learned lots about the production of maple syrup from start to finish - again, Brian was extremely knowledgable about the subject. All in, I would highly recommend this host.
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Madison
Madison
United States • November 2023
Brian & Amanda are super generous folks - truly the textbook definition of "southern hospitality!" They welcomed me with open arms & made me feel so comfortable during my stay. I visited in November, so I was "in between" seasons for the blueberry plants, as well as maple syrup & molasses collection / production - but that didn't stop me from learning! Instead, Brian used the down time to focus on my specific areas of interest. We worked on general grounds maintenance, such as repairing maple lines & pruning blueberry bushes. However, I also got to try my hand at operating a backhoe, working on a sawmill, & *welding!* When we worked on the maple lines, Brian taught me how to identify different types of trees in the woods. Additionally, we spent some time doing minor renovations on their sugar shack. During my off time, I explored the property, & went on nearby hikes with Brian & Amanda. I also devoured Amanda's cooking (especially her homemade biscuits & the "greasy beans!"). My accommodations were a very comfortable private bedroom & bathroom. When I left, I was sent off with a large bundle of goodies, including some of their maple syrup & dried beans to jumpstart my own garden. I got to learn about many different things thanks to Brian & Amanda's willingness to do a little bit of everything. I am so grateful for their hospitality & mentorship. I hope to visit again soon to lend a hand (& pet Grey & Chloe!)
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