Certified organic farm and independent, multi-faith monastic community in Sonoma County, CA
California
WHO WE ARE:
Located in beautiful northwestern Sonoma County, we are a certified organic farm (CCOF) and so much more! Founded in 1976, this is an independent, multi-faith monastic community. As a multi-faith community, we welcome those who are interested in spiritual exploration and experience, not doctrine or dogma. Some of our spiritual practices include tending to the land, serving our community, practicing meditation, and (optional) meetings throughout the week. We welcome volunteers from any and every religious background but an interest in spirituality (however you define it) and mindfulness is highly encouraged. We are politically progressive and strive to be an inclusive space for all. This is a 501c3 non-profit corporation. The forest which surrounds the property is designated "Forever Wild" while all 91 acres are protected by a Conservation Easement that ensures our property will be perpetually protected from over-development and agribusiness.
Farm activities vary depending on the season. During the spring we prepare gardens, start greenhouse seeds, and maintain the olive fields. Throughout the summer, there is extensive gardening, harvesting, canning, and preserving. In autumn, there is harvesting the olives and pressing oil. In winter, we begin with our Christmas Faire and packaging wreaths. Then it is time to prune the olive trees and the cycle starts again. If you're new to gardening or preserving, don't worry! We can teach you.
We make award-winning Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil from our CCOF-certified olive groves. We raise and preserve a wide range of fruits and vegetables, which are usually sold at our Honor Farmstand, and other times given away at our bi-weekly Food Pantry where we serve our neighbors in need.
In addition to the tasks listed above, we can often use household help. For example, cooking simple vegetarian meals and light housekeeping. Additional areas where you can volunteer your creative abilities include graphic design, photography, and social media management.
For some people, our farm will be a step along the way. For others, it may be a long-term association.
**COVID-19: We invite only vaccinated workers to apply, as some residents here are quite vulnerable.**
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
We welcome 1 to 4 WWOOFers at a time. Length of stay varies, but we typically ask for at least a two-month commitment. Usually WWOOFers work 4 hours per day on weekdays. You are free to eat from our gardens while they are producing. Our WWOOFers stay in a charming 1902 farmhouse with remodeled kitchen and bathrooms. They cook and eat on their own. We cannot accommodate children or pets. Our primary language is English; one of us understands Italian.
OPPORTUNITY:
We are in Annapolis, CA, just 7 miles from the Pacific Ocean. As our area lacks public transportation, having a car is helpful although not essential. That said, we have limited capacity to take in individuals without a vehicle given our remote location. We have a swimming pool. In addition to being near ocean beaches and the picturesque coastal town of Gualala, we are not far from hiking trails in the Redwoods. We are 1.25 hours from Healdsburg and the popular Sonoma County wine country.
If you wish to join us, please take a few minutes to answer these questions in an email, and we'll take it from there!
1. Why you would like to WWOOF with us?
2. When could you come, and how long would you like to stay?
3. Would you please tell us more about yourself and what is going on in your life?
4. If there is a spiritual component to your trip, what were some significant steps in your spiritual/religious/philosophical/etc. journey? (optional and kept confidential, of course)
5. Do you have any experience with gardening, tree pruning, construction, or other trade skills?
6. Can you handle solitude? There’s not much (any!) night life in this remote location, and we value the quiet nature of our home and farm.
7. Will you be arriving by public transportation, or do you have a car?
8. What is your age and birthday?
9. Is there anything medical we should know about? Bee sting allergy, etc.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. We really appreciate it!
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Transportation – getting here. We are in the hamlet of Annapolis, in the northwest corner of Sonoma County, 7 miles from the Pacific Ocean and near Sea Ranch and the village of Gualala. It’s a 1.25-hour drive from Healdsburg, north of Santa Rosa on Hwy 101, and about a 3-hour drive from San Francisco and Berkeley. Because of our remote location and limited transportation options, we require participants and residents to have access to a personal vehicle for most of the year. Exceptions are generally made only during olive harvest season, typically from late October through November, when we are able to accommodate individuals without transportation more easily.
For those using public transportation, limited coastal bus service is available. Please inquire with us to discuss transportation planning if you will not have a car.
• Telephone and Internet. Verizon service works well; unfortunately there is no other service for cell phones. The land line is available if necessary. There is wifi.
• WWOOFers help 4 hours per day, Monday-Friday.
• Accommodations. WWOOFers stay in our remodeled 1902 farmhouse, which is furnished with towels, bed linens, cooking utensils, etc. Bathrooms and kitchen are shared. The kitchen has a blender, coffee maker, toaster, and basic cooking utensils, as well as washer and dryer (bring your own laundry detergent). There is no television. The house atmosphere is quiet. We have a Zero Tolerance policy for sexual harassment. No pets.
• Health & Safety Note: Local medical access is limited. Redwood Coast Medical Services (30 mins away) provides basic services, and the nearest pharmacy is 1.5 hours away. While we do have basic first aid kits onsite, guests are advised to arrive prepared with all necessary medications and medical supplies.
• Atmosphere & Free Time. This is a peaceful place where we respect nature and each other. WWOOFers typically have afternoons free. Folks spend time in various ways: exploring coastal trails, doing yoga, cooking, strolling among the olive groves, reading under the redwood trees (we have a small collection of books available), playing board/card games, going down to the ocean or river, and watching the amazing sunsets. Sometimes WWOOFers go in to the “bustling metropolis” of Gualala for a cup of coffee or dinner!
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Flower farming
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Host type
Nonprofit / Community
Certified organic
36.8
Hectares
|
91
Acres
Julie
Member since 2013
Languages spoken:
English, Italian
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 88%
Response time: typically within 4 days
California
San Francisco International Airport
Reviews
Leonardo
United States
•
September 2025
This was my first wooffing experience and probably the best experience I’ve had so far with the farm’s I’ve been at so far since wooffing for 3 years, the property is beautiful, the hosts were wonderful, and I’ve learned a great deal from my 6 month stay there, the environment was welcoming and i always felt safe with the work I was given, the work hours and stipend are very generous, I recommend this place to anybody who is looking for a great time.
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Robert
United States
•
August 2025
This review is under review by WWOOF admin.
John Grady
United States
•
December 2023
This is a great community that attracts great people. I stayed during the olive harvest and was able to see the entire process, from shaking the olives from the tree to watching the series of machines that make the oil itself. The property is of course gorgeous. I would gladly come back for another harvest and would recommend the community to anyone.
El
United States
•
January 2022
Starcross was my first WWOOFing experience, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. From the other volunteers I lived with, to the tender-hearted and sensible farm manager, to the characters that Brother Toby and Sister Julie are… every part filled my soul.
I fell in love at Starcross. With precious souls, with the olive trees, but mostly I fell in love with my own humanness. Staying here ushered me so lovingly into a different kind of abiding. My humanness was celebrated, cherished, and encouraged daily. The olive grove itself seems to woo you into a liminal space, and the trees breathe as if to say “tell me about your heart today, beloved.” Starcross really carries an atmosphere where you cannot help but to heal.
Some more practical details: I stayed for almost 2 months, beginning with 2021 Olive Harvest, into the first 3 wks of December. After the Olive Harvest and “wreath season”, there wasn’t much to be done. We still found different and diverse tasks to fill our agreed upon 4 hrs of work/day. Some forestry and greenhouse work. What you can count on is to learn something new everyday, although it may be different than what you expect.
Great beaches and hiking in the surrounding area. I had my own private room. All facilities in the farmhouse are up to date and functioning properly (bathroom, kitchen, laundry). We received a grocery stipend weekly, and were able to pick through food pantry items. You will never be lacking nourishment or resources. 10/10 stay
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Jeremiah
United States
•
December 2021
As a first time WWOOFer this farm was the absolute best farm to get started at. My time at Starcross has easily been the most spiritually transformative time of my life. There is a trail going through their huge forest that's filled with giant Redwood trees, and it makes for a very peaceful, adventurous walk. During our time here my girlfriend and I participated in the annual olive harvest, this consisted of living in a house with 9 people, working, living, and relaxing together. While this sounds stressful it really was quite the opposite, all of us got along beautifully and had the best times of our lives together (including friendsgiving!). Julie, one of the owners of the farm, was a great communicator, and was always very polite with me. Living life with such a high degree of impermanence requires you to be ready for anything! We had arranged to stay at Starcross from the end of September to the following August, but due to the heavier rain season this year, the farm could not start on new projects and we were asked to leave 8 months earlier than we had arranged. Julie was extremely nice about it and gave us a month's notice to search for our next farm which we greatly appreciated. Like many WWOOFers who were here for this years harvest, we plan to return to Starcross once again to help out and experience the magical energy that this place possesses. There's lots of rich history here at Starcross!
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Juan Pablo
Chile
•
December 2021
Starcross was my first experience as a Woofer and it was perfect. There is plenty of food, the surrounding areas are amazingly beautiful, they respect your four hours, and sometimes they even offer you extra hours (paying for them). Besides those more "utilitarian" things, it's a perfect place to find yourself, and Siste Julie does an amazing work selecting the right crew (with similar principles, goals, and values). I would always recommend it.
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