Beautiful 1700-acre sheep ranch and vegetable garden near McCall, Idaho
Idaho
We are four people here on the Ranch. David s a cattle rancher; Jamie is a neuroscience writer; Leo is our property manager and cattle rancher; and his wife Fer. David and Jamie come and go so you will primarily be working with us when we are around or Leo during your stay. We have 3 lovable house dogs and one outdoor sheep dog, Bear, chickens, horses, sheep, cows and a donkey and a pig. A happy family by all accounts.
We have a flock of around 200 sheep plus all the new lambs. We need help looking after them, feeding/watering, looking out for anyone in distress. We could use help building new fences in the fields for the sheep!
Our primary need for help in the spring, summer and fall will be in the vegetable garden and harvesting/maintenance of the raspberries. We participate in the local Farmer's Market every week from May to October. We also have a lot of building projects underway so handy people are welcome.
It would be ideal if you had your own means of transportation since this is a rural area (around two hours outside of Boise.) We are happy to arrange a pickup location if you do not have a vehicle. We have bicycles available for use, and we are about four miles outside the hub of Council. The town is about three blocks long and it boasts a coffee shop, thrift store, small grocery and a lovely herb shop. Starkey Hot Springs is a 10-minute drive from the ranch, and McCall is a sweet mountain town about 45 minutes drive with weekly farmer's markets. There are plenty of hot springs in the area and national forests to go hiking and mushroom hunting. There is a reservoir nearby which will be perfect for swimming in summer or taking the kayak out. The ranch is on three miles of the Weiser River so there could be fishing and swimming here too.
Your accommodation will be your choice of one of two campers by the river (about 2-3 min walk to main house), or a cabin next to our house. There is also a rustic cabin up the hill (5 min walk to main house) with stunning views of the surrounding meadows and mountains. We are building a solar bathroom and kitchen that will be ready by this summer..
We eat organic vegetables and ethically, sustainably-raised meats. We can easily accommodate vegetarians, and we welcome vegans, though you may need to be in charge of your own meal prep. Breakfast and lunch are mostly self-serve. Please note that due to COVID we are not having Wwoofers in our main house and will not be making dinners. You are welcome to cook off our meats, and eat from the garden.
We prefer a minimum stay of 2 weeks, and we welcome longer stays of a month or more if it's a good fit for all of us. We ask for an average of five hours work per day, with one or two days off a week. Days off will be determined by what we have going on at the time, and may not always be consecutive. Of course, we want you to make the most of your time here and we'll do our best to accommodate specific days off.
We can welcome one or two wwoofers at a time. No pets, as we have plenty of dogs here. No drugs, no smoking, though light social drinking is okay. We are looking for hardworking folks with a positive approach to life on this planet. Clean up after yourself, be kind and respectful and we should get along just fine!
Organic methods: Antibiotic and pesticide-free ranching, our animals graze on grass and organic alfalfa in the winter; river water; and love.
Certifications: We have not applied. We are organic farmers.
Internet access available
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Learning opportunities
Cattle farming
Sheep or goat farming
Host type
Production farm
688
Hectares
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1,700
Acres
Jamie
Member since 2019
Languages spoken:
English, Spanish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
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Sat
Response rate: 97%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Idaho
Reviews
Caitlin
United States
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June 2026
I never thought I’d have a place to call home in Idaho, but after Jamie’s remarkable hospitality, I now do. Not one day passed on the ranch where I didn’t laugh, feel loved, or learn something new. Jamie, in addition to be an amazing cook, is a truly rare kind of person that you only meet every so often, and she made me feel accepted and at home in a place otherwise entirely unfamiliar to me. Additionally, David has a plethora of knowledge from all things sheep to company acquisitions, and there is never a boring moment talking to him. In short, go to Weiser River Ranch.
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Elizabeth
United States
•
November 2025
Jamie is a wonderful person and mother and cooks amazing food. She is very loving and warm and caring. I am so glad I was able to stay in the cozy little cabin. The lambs and cats are adorable and the dogs all have different personalities. David is a walking encyclopedia, especially when it comes to politics and history. I learned a lot from him about ranching also.
Brooklyne
United States
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May 2025
This was such a fun place to wwoof! Jamie is SO funny and adorable, she cared for us so well and although we only got to spend a few days of our 2 weeks with her she will definitely be a lifelong friend :) The lambs are so so cute, the chickens & turkey are funny little critters, the cows are beautiful, and all the doggos are full of personality. We got to work on establishing their garden for the summer, raspberry cane maintenance, some odd job tiny house cleaning, horse tack, and daily sheep duties like bottle feeding the lambs and doing rounds on the herd. Aine their newly hired ranch hand is awesome, has so much experience and has big plans to get the farm on a more regenerative path (i.e. getting the sheep rotationally grazing as they are not doing any of that at the moment :/ ). We loved our time here so much, the Weiser River on their property and the 1,800 acres are magical. We hope to be back again some day!
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Loic
France
•
October 2024
Jamie and David are good, generous people, and they live in a beautiful place in a small town in Idaho. The ranch is a peaceful place where working will be a pleasure for everyone. You will be warmly welcomed, and you’ll have the privilege of tasting Jamie’s cooking, as she is very skilled in this area.
As for the work, it can vary, but it mainly involves taking care of the sheep on the ranch. You’ll need to watch over them, prevent them from escaping, and feed the lambs.
Wishing a great stay to the next woofers, and a big thank you to Jamie and David for their hospitality and kindness!
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Monica
United States
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September 2024
I had a great time, enjoying the ranch’s life, working with the animals, taking walks with the dogs, outdoor activities with the other two woofers, delicious evening meals and nice conversations around the table.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to experience real country life in North America.
Thank you Jaime!! Thank you WWOOF!!
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Molly
United States
•
August 2024
My time here was everything I hoped for and more! To start, the ranch is located in a small town that offers much more than one might think. I went to my first rodeo in town, went to a Huckleberry Festival and Mountain Music Festival, and got to enjoy the Weiser River and hike in the nearby Payette National Forest. There are also farmers markets that we worked at twice a week, and those were always so sweet and fun! Next, the work schedule is flexible and not overbearing. Jamie and David are open to you working independently and seeking out projects of your own. Aside from herding sheep and feeding lambs and Hank (a precious calf) daily, I cared for the chickens and cats, did repairs (fences, etc.), picked raspberries, and worked in the garden often. And lastly, Jamie is to thank for making my experience as lovely as it could be. She is so full of love and life, and never hesitates to show her gratitude for your being there (it doesn’t go unnoticed!). Jamie has many stories to share, and most of them are ridiculously funny. We laughed a lot. And her husband, David, has an abundance of interesting knowledge to share with you. In all, I couldn’t recommend it more! <3
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