Real Organic Permaculture Food Forest Farm in Michigan Countryside

Michigan

15 • Updated 1 year ago

We have an ambitious, cutting-edge farm project and business located in Plymouth, Michigan. It is putting into practice a regenerative, permaculture-inspired design that weaves together USDA certified organic market gardening, food forests, land regeneration and re-wilding, and is a demonstration site for these approaches. Gateway is a place of abundance and beauty; a community hub offering nutrient dense food, education, events, sanctuary, and hope for the future. This is a unique farm business and wonderful learning opportunity for anyone interested in Permaculture, Regenerative Farming, Eco-landscaping and Rewinding. WWOOFer Daily Activities: Farm and gardening tasks including caring for the food forest on certified our organic farm. Help with farm events - workshops, farm to table dinners, markets. We are especially looking for international WWOOFers who like to cook and teach us new recipes. We have room for WWOOFers in a house on the farm where our directors Bridget & Charlie live. We also have some tents where WWOOFers can stay on the farm. We are building an out doorshower and bath. And we have a full indoor bathroom is available for use. We do have an indoor/outdoor Farm Cat named Ghost. He is not a fan or welcoming of other pets. WWOOFers are welcome to farm food, our kitchen, and the outdoor grill and family meals. We are located 10 minuets from Plymouth and Canton city centers that have all the shops that you could need. 20 min from Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor and 30 min from Detroit were you have tons of activities, arts, music, and entertainment opportunities. We are with in a 15-60 min drive of many beautiful lakes, hiking and outdoor activity areas as well.

Learning opportunities

Vegetable farming

Fruit or nut farming

Beekeeping

Flower farming

Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas

Seed saving or production

Vegetable or fruit preservation

Food justice / sovereignty

Methods or systems

Biological pest control

Holistic management

No-till farming

Permaculture

Regenerative agriculture

Mentoring opportunities

Woman-operated

Host type

Production farm

Certified organic

5.3 Hectares | 13 Acres

Accommodation

2 WWOOFers

Bedroom

Campsite

Children not accepted

Pets not accepted

Meals

Omnivore

Vegetarian

Vegan

Length of stay

1-2 weeks

3-4 weeks

Over a month

Bridget

Member since 2023

Languages spoken: English

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 4 days

Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap

Michigan

Ann Arbor Amtrak Station, Detroit Airport

My past WWOOFers

Emily

September 2026 • Illinois, United States

Sky

September 2026 • Nevada, United States

Andrew

August 2026 • California, United States

Sean

August 2026 • Oregon, United States

Lia

August 2026 • California, United States

1 - 5 / 20

Feedback

Emily

United States • September 2026

Bridget & Charlie are wonderful hosts. I WWOOFed for four weeks, working 8am–3pm Monday through Friday and sticking around on the weekends for a permaculture workshop, farm-to-table dinner, and other events. Being a total newcomer to farming, I was worried about impeding their operations—Bridget & Charlie assuaged that worry immediately, bringing me into various sides of the farm and sharing their expansive experiences. Gateway grows a wide variety of produce (at least 50 in the summer from my incomplete count, not to mention their food forest), runs a CSA program, partners with neighboring farms, hosts weekly events... If you're interested in any aspect of organic farming, chances are you can learn about it here. The lodging was comfortable; the food was plentiful; the work was flexible and fulfilling. I can't recommend it enough, either to WWOOF or just to stop by their farm stand, volunteer on a Saturday, or take a tour.

Sky

United States • September 2026

Talk about a huge project with so much to learn!!! Gateway is filled with magic, intention, delicious food, and great energy. Note that you will be working alongside the crew hired there as opposed to direct mentorship from the directors, but there is much to learn from the crew and Charlie and Bridget and so kind and happy to field all your questions and nerd out with you over shared family meals fresh from the farm. Accommodations are beyond comfortable and you will certainly get your fair share of kitty cuddle time. So much to explore and learn here!

Sean

United States • September 2026

Bridget & Charlie are magnificent land stewards, educators, and designers. They were incredibly welcoming and went out of their way to insure myself and other WWOOFers were well-fed & accommodated. Gateway Farm is a tremendously impressive operation, and you become a fully immersed member as a WWOOFer staying there. The community of employees are friendly, easy-going, and happy to help you if you're new to something. From the unique foreign varietals they grow, to their dedication to seed-saving, to the community they've built in their area, they are truly making an incredible impact with their presence. I would highly recommend this space as a place to stay for a while, or simply a place to visit on a free day. Many thanks to Bridget & Charlie and I will most definitely be coming back next time I'm in the area!

Lia

United States • August 2026

I had a lovely experience at Gateway! I appreciated the balance of working as a team with the other staff members (who are so knowledgable and very friendly!) & being trusted to take on tasks independently. This is a bustling production farm with a wide variety of work, and I felt like I learned something new every day. Bridget & Charlie were accommodating of my evening remote work schedule & were great about checking in and making sure I had what I needed.

Nick

United States • July 2026

Bridget is super nice and a wonderful cook. She puts a tremendous amount of thought and care into the farm. It's a truly amazing place, and I recommend it to anyone interested in a farm with amazing people and beautiful wildlife. I learned a lot here.

Phoebe

United Kingdom • October 2025

This farm was such an amazing experience for me and my boyfriend! Everyone there was so welcoming and happy to teach us new things. Bridget was incredibly kind and made us feel at home - she made sure we were comfortable and got to try a bit of all the different types of work. We didn’t get to meet Charlie in person due to circumstances but from our chats online, it was clear he’s just as friendly and passionate about what they’re doing at the farm. They both have a lot of passion and care for the work they do. We left feeling super grateful for the experience and the people we met and the farm’s cute cat. I would definitely recommend this farm to everyone!