Temporary update: Temporarily, the accommodation is not the spacious apartment pictured, but rather a small single bedroom with shared bathroom, or a four person tent on the covered back porch with blowup mattress.
We have a small 13.5 acre property which we are slowly turning into a small farm, not commercial, but rather raising food for ourselves and friends. We are emphasizing perennial plants such as fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, etc. We have a veggie garden, and would like help putting up a greenhouse. Animals so far are one horse, four adorable pigs, for sheep, and one goat. Considering a dairy cow. We make Christmas wreaths made from our evergreen trees. We are not a registered organic farm, but will farm that way.
We live in beautiful western North Carolina, outside the small towns of Murphy and Andrews. It is rolling hills near the Appalachian Mountains. We are a family of four. Our interest in farming comes from our backgrounds. My husband grew up on a sheep farm in New Zealand. I have a master's degree in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development. We also have one kid at home.
Our expectations of WWOOFer visitors: We welcome you to our home as a visitor. We enjoy meeting new people and cultural and idea exchanges. We welcome visitors who are interested in learning about the process of setting up a new farm and want to share our lifestyle and chores, which might take around four hours a day. Chores could vary, depending on your interests, but could include normal activities such as weeding, harvesting, preserving the harvest, mowing, pruning, animal care, creating raised garden beds, stacking firewood, invasive species eradication, native plant planting, handyman repairs, and similar. Or someone with carpentry skills who knows how to build a horse run-in shelter would be particularly welcome!
When WWOOFers are needed: Any time
Suggested length of stay: Pretty flexible. A week or two might work out well, but there is always a day or two of activities, or if we get along, and you are a good fit, longer might work out.
Children or Pets okay: Yes. We have two kids ourselves. I have been a WWOOFer with a child. A well behaved, quiet dog would be okay, with the caveat that you would need to keep the dog under your control at all times This area has coyotes and stray dogs which could hurt a loose dog. You would need to pay for any damage your dog causes.
Accommodation: Small bedroom with a single bed. Shared bathroom. Or a large four-person tent on the covered back porch.
Transportation options: It would be best if you had a car. Sometimes, we might be able to pick you up in Chattanooga, TN or Asheville, NC.
Languages spoken: English, Japanese, and basic Spanish
Meals: We eat a variety of foods including American, New Zealand, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, etc. Omnivores, vegans, and vegetarians who can eat with meat eaters and share cooking pans are welcome. Usually for breakfast and lunch everyone cooks for themselves, and we eat dinner together.
Nearby sights and fun things to do: Outdoor activities, primarily. Hiking on the Appalachian Trail or other trails, lots of waterfalls, boating or swimming at lakes, white water rafting on the Nantahala River. Most of these are about 30 minutes away. Two hours to any big city. One hour and a half to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Close to home we have the John C. Campbell Folk School with contra dancing twice a week and free concerts. Murphy, NC has a casino.
Organic methods: Mulching, no till, organic fertilizers, avoid monocultures, high diversity, chop and drop with perennial legumes and deep rooted plants, etc.
Certifications: Not organic certified, but farm that way.
Current projects: Building more raised beds for veggies. Planting lots of nut and fruit trees, pruning existing trees. Eradicating invasive plants. Planting native plants. Feed the horse and pigs. Stack firewood. Carpenter skills? Build a three sided run in shelter for horses or cow.
Internet access available
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Forestry
Beekeeping
Wild foraging
Flower farming
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Bakery
Methods or systems
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
Former WWOOFer
5.3
Hectares
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13
Acres
