Organic Permaculture homestead with small flower field for Market
Tennessee
I’m a Nashville native who moved to Texas and spent nearly 30 years in Austin, where I was a teaching artist and professional percussionist. I recently sold our Austin home and returned to Tennessee, where I purchased 18 acres with a rambly barn and a 1944 farm house. Peppertree Family Farm is named in honor of our home of 18 years in Austin and we are in the beginning stages of developing a regenerative, permaculture, farmstead. While we have no plans to develop a large-scale commercial farm, we do have a small farmstand open late March through December, and have developed a small flower field for market and on-farm sales. Aside from myself, there 5 goats, a gnarly rooster, 14 hens, and a mischievous shih tzu named Sirius on the property.
This is a small, rural town of approximately 2,000 people. With a larger town of 7,000 people a 15 minute drive away. There is no public transport or ride-share service. WWOOFers would ideally have their own transport. This is a creative, open-minded, and tolerant household. We are open to people of all faiths and traditions, but have a zero-tolerance policy towards religious proselytizing of any kind.
We have no internet or television on the property, but we do have an awesome projector and we use the local library, 1.4miles away, to download shows and have movie nights
WWOOFers will have an opportunity to learn a variety of homesteading skills: dehydrating, canning, fermentation, cheese/yogurt making, bread baking, starting seedlings, planting. Additionally, skill sharing, such as using power tools (drills, circular saws, table saws, etc.), designing and building necessary on-farm structures, gardening, and rudimentary construction during projects.
As a new farmstead in our third growing season, we are learning new things daily, and are happy to share any and all knowledge gained so far! While I’ve gardened on a small scale for many years, this project is far beyond the scope of anything I’ve done before, and I’ve been expanding almost continuously for the past couple of years. Currently, there’s a large kitchen garden comprised of 14 raised beds; a pumpkin and corn patch; a small flock of 24 chickens; a small “orchard” of around 20 fruit saplings; and a large cut flower field. My average day changes with the seasons….except chicken chores…those are year round! Chicken chores include feeding and watering daily, securing the ladies in the evening, moving chicken tractors every couple of days, and moving electric netting and solar fence chargers every couple of months. And while skilled labor is always welcome, if you can rake, shovel, hold boards or be an extra pair of hands during building projects, that is always appreciated.
Spring days typically begin around 8am, rotating and watering seedling trays and adjusting light (if they’re still inside), making soil blocks and starting trays of seeds, planting out seedlings, top-dressing beds with compost or manure if needed, mulching, and general garden clean-up and prep.
Southwest Tennessee can get very hot in summer, since our high rainfall leads to very high humidity, so as the season progresses, the work day begins earlier in order to beat the heat. I generally try to get outside no later than 7am (earlier if my body allows), in order to wrap up outdoor garden chores by 10am, then working under the shade of the barn until noon at the latest. Summer chores may include things like watering the garden, harvesting, and processing the harvest indoors by canning, dehydrating, or freezing. Typically in the summer, there are also wild blackberries and wild passion fruits to find and forage, and in late summer, I try to beat the creatures to the pecans that are scattered across the pastures.
First frost here typically hits anytime after mid-October, so mid to late summer is busy seeding beds with fall crops and crops that can overwinter, and as October approaches, I’m busy harvesting the last of the tender annuals, and installing simple hoops and frost cloths to protect those few veggies we’ll have growing all winter. This is also the time to clean the rest of the beds out, add compost, and cover deeply in a bed of leaves, leaving the beds to rest until the following late winter/early spring. This is also an excellent time to build new beds, either raised or in ground, by layering with materials from the woods and fields, hugelkultur style. Beds prepared this way in Sept/Oct are ready for planting in Feb/Mar. Additionally, there is seed saving and sorting for the following year.
Winter chores typically involve gathering mulch and compost materials, clearing brush, and working on building projects, like chicken coops, animal pens, and shelters. This is also the time to make decisions about next year’s crops, work out the rotation plan, and order seed if needed.
WWOOFers will have a guest room in my home, and generally speaking will have the main bathroom and shower to themselves. In the event I have family visiting, the bathroom will be shared, but your sleeping quarters will still be private. WWOOFers may also choose to camp—there’s a nice camp spot with a large 10’ x 10’ tent platform, and compost toilet setup, near to the pond—or they may choose a spot to park a small camper or van if they have that set up.
For meals, I always make sure there’s plenty of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fresh bread and an assortment of cereal, oats, or granola for a grab-and-go breakfast. We don’t typically eat large lunches on work days, but sandwich fixings are available, and there are often leftovers from dinner the night before. I do prepare dinner most nights, and would also welcome any WWOOFer into the kitchen who would enjoy preparing a meal. If I cook, I do expect help with cleanup, and vice versa. Please be aware that we are omnivores, and while I do prepare many vegetarian meals, I also prepare meals with meat/egg/dairy products. If you are vegan, you should come prepared to cook some of your own meals.
….I’ve had ALL the hobbies, from weaving, to candle making, to a long time obsession with broken tile mosaic, and finally gardening. Which led me to sell my mosaic-covered Austin house, “retire” from music (but I mean, you can’t really leave music if it’s in your DNA), and return to Tennessee to prepare for the Old Wild Hermit phase of life :) There are guitars, drums, and percussion instruments around my home, some collected on my travels around the world, and others built by me (another long hobby—primitive instrument making), and I sometimes like to sit by the pond and make a racket when I'm not swimming in there.
The Tennessee River Valley area has a long and unique historical and musical legacy. The farm is located 7 miles from the Shiloh archeological dig site and civil war battlefield. We are approximately 5 miles from the Stantonville Amish community, and this offers a unique opportunity to explore the area. There are 7 state parks within an hour’s drive of us, which are free to visit, and we are approximately 7 miles from the Tennessee River.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Poultry farming
Wild foraging
Flower farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Cheesemaking
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
BIPOC-operated
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
7.3
Hectares
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18
Acres
Sevylla
Member since 2024
Languages spoken:
English, French, Spanish
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Mon
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Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 1 day
Tennessee
Jackson, TN
Reviews
Ed
United States
•
April 2026
Great place to woof. nice host, big property, small town, lots of plants and animals. lots of things to learn including building, landscaping, animal processing, disc jockeying, campfire karaoke, and roller skating! :]
Valerie
United States
•
March 2026
The accommodations were extremely nice. I was responsible for morning chores including tending to the goats and chickens. daily task varied depending on the weather and our bodies and mind. this is a good look into an independent homestead with valuable information along the way. I have Verizon and had extremely poor service. I recommend the book store in town!
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Inga
United States
•
July 2025
I had a wonderful stay with Sevylla! She was very communicative and organized, which made for a great environment to work and live in. I spent my mornings doing animal chores, weeding, and helping with projects like building compost bins and chicken coops. She has a lot to share about her organic methods and getting into flower farming and homesteading. I spent afternoons and off days exploring the area and relaxing at her pond. I also enjoyed getting to know her friends in the area! Beware there is spotty cell service and no internet, but you can head into the library or cafe if need be - though it’s incredibly peaceful to read and journal without looking at your phone every other minute at her beautifully decorated home. Sevylla is fun, passionate, and kind. Would recommend!!
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Reply from Sevylla
Inga....your review may have made my eyes well up a little! Thank you so much for your willingness to jump in wherever needed, and I wish you growth and expansion as you journey onward!
Elise
United States
•
June 2025
I stayed with Sevylla almost 3 weeks and it was delightful. I weeded, planted seeds, hauled mulch, cared for animals, worked on eliminating fire ant beds, learned about flower gardening, and helped build a chicken coop.
For fun, I went to the Tennessee River
Museum, the Shiloh Civil war park, Native American ceremonial mounds, the farmers market, visited some Amish farms, and went two hours west to Memphis and toured Graceland.
I had a nice bedroom and my own bathroom. We ate good food and had interesting conversations. I think she is the most interesting person I have ever met.
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Reply from Sevylla
Elise!! You are missed! Thank you so much for the lovely review, and I hope your new adventures continue and leave you filled with satisfaction!
Sara
United States
•
April 2025
This was my first time WWOOFing and I could not have asked for a better experience! I stayed for two weeks during the spring time, which meant the farm was on its prepping stage - I got to help Sevylla plant new seeds in the garden and tend to seedlings and the tasks were not grueling at all. I also helped with turning compost, caring for young fruit trees, and got to learn about the basics of organic farming and chicken rearing. As a lifelong Midwesterner, this was not only a learning experience but a cultural immersion opportunity as well. The Tennessee River Valley is full of history, and the people I met in the community were very kind and welcoming. Sevylla is an awesome host, her homestead is super cozy and if you are lucky when you go it might be full of baby animals. I got to spend time with baby chicks, baby goats, and the cutest newly hatched ducklings. I would definitely come back here next time I need a break from city life, and I highly recommend Sevylla's farm for all first time WWOOFers.
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Reply from Sevylla
Ay Sara! Thank you so much for the lovely review, and for all your help! Wishing you all the best in your new job!
Chris
United States
•
February 2025
My stay with Sevylla was wonderful. I enjoyed every day the farm. Sevylla was welcoming and accommodating. She cooked many delicious meals and made fresh bread on a consistent basis in her bread maker. I got to learn about goats with Sevylla and help set up the goat pen. I also cleared and burned some brush and painted many pinecones. I know some people aren't keen about not having wifi, but I liked being unplugged from my phone and the small library right down the road had free wifi if I needed to catch up with anything. Since I love hiking, I went to Big Hill Pond State Park which was only 30 mins away and had several trails. Sevylla and her friends were nice to talk to and get to know. I would highly recommend this farm.
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Reply from Sevylla
Chris!! Thank you for this wonderful review! You were a powerhouse and a tremendous help over the winter, and I wish you many new adventures and opportunities down the road!
