We are a beautiful farm/homestead situated in Windham, Vermont, with a 200-year-old classic farmhouse at the heart of it. As a large functional Homestead, Wwoofers learn by taking part in the daily & seasonal tasks (basic care of animals, seasonal maintenance and labor). Wwoofers work 30 hours a week (see schedule below for more details).
Our mountainside farm, established in 2007, is focused on agroecology and education. Meadows Bee Farm sustains a permaculture-oriented structure via its many ponds, streams, wild and heritage apple and other perennial fruit trees growing throughout the orchards.
What we do
We preserve our harvest through fermenting, canning, dehydrating and freezing to enjoy our own wholesome crops year round. We rotationally graze our Jersey cows and sheep throughout our pasture. We operate our own micro dairy and make yogurt and cheese. Our sheep are shorn to create yarn and woolens. We raise beef cows to be as self-sustaining as possible. Our many gardens grow vegetables and flowers for herbal remedies and salves, including groves of blueberries, patches of black currants and gooseberries and many other edible perennials. We approach farming holistically with organic, biodynamic and permaculture practices. Our cooking and eating habits align with the vision of the Weston A. Price Foundation. This foundation focuses on fat-based and nutrient-dense food such as pasture-raised meat and fermented foods all within the guidelines of ancestral diets from around the world.
What we have
Our farm has ~20 sheep, as well as two Jersey dairy cows a calf. We have an apiary, which provides a home to our incredible pollinators. Our poultry flock consists of approximately 60 chickens of varying breeds, 10 turkeys and a handful of striking-looking peafowl who watch over the farm. There is a sugar house that is used during maple syrup season.
Programs
Meadows Bee staff work with children several times a month for our Young Farmers Badge Program, where they learn about food, farming, forestry and the joyful significance of hard work. We teach 30 subjects at two to three levels, in which kids get to explore and learn. Some of these topics include dairy, poultry, cooking, agroecology, fiber arts, ceramics and herbal medicine just to name a few.
We have a 4-week minimum stay, and then up to 3 months.
WWOOFers are considered through an application process and reference check before being accepted to work and stay at the farm. Be mindful, spots fill up quickly! Those who come to work are expected to learn and experience homesteading and farming by participating in routine chores, cleaning and organizing for general farm maintenance, and working on various, seasonal farm crew projects. With this, WWOOFers must be able to lift at least 50 pounds and perform manual labor on a regular basis.
What a typical day is for a Wwoofer at MBF
Tuesday–Saturday
8–9am animal chores / milking
9–10am morning project
9:30–10:30am morning break
10:30am continue with projects
12pm livestock chores
1pm lunch
2pm afternoon project
3:30pm afternoon chores and say goodnight to the animals
Seasonal Projects:
Fall: building, harvesting, preserving foods, splitting/stacking firewood, deep cleaning, taking down summer livestock fencing
Winter: Shoveling, sugaring, seeding, deep cleaning
Spring: Sugaring, orchard maintenance, planting, lambing, seeding, calving, deep cleaning, putting up fencing, big barn clean outs, chicks, weeding & lambing.
Summer: Calving, planting, orchard maintenance, rotational grazing, deep cleaning, weeding,
Off-farm activities
For off-farm activities, every Friday we have pizza night at the West Townshend Country Store’s wood-fired pizza oven down the road. There is excellent local hiking, swimming, visits to the waterfall, skiing and snowboarding.
Housing
Housing for WOOFers is the Yellow Farm House, with three bedrooms. There is a full kitchen, two bathrooms, Wi-Fi, a wood-burning stove. Across the driveway is where our rams live, and upstairs is the fiber arts craft barn, which can be utilized as a creative space. We ask no pets or children accompany you when coming to work and live at our farm.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Cattle farming
Dairy farming
Forestry
Beekeeping
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Meat processing
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Traditional crafts
Methods or systems
Biodynamic agriculture
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Rotational grazing
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Nonprofit / Community
26.3
Hectares
|
65
Acres
