This historic small farm consists of 54 hilly acres of managed forest and pasture just north of Brattleboro, Vermont. The farmhouse is about 250 years old and retains its historic interior, but has modern kitchen and bathroom facilities. We raise Icelandic sheep, the requirements of which vary depending on the time of year, and carry out a range of other farm activities, including forestry, gardening, and endlessly constructing and repairing things. There are two of us here: Matthew is a professor of rural sociology who earlier studied organic farming at UC Santa Cruz. He has lived for 5 years in Norway, where he taught at an agricultural college. Patti is a naturalist, author, and wildlife rehabilitator. She spends more time roaming the woods than on the farm.
Farm activities vary with the seasons. In the winter, the sheep are in the barn and need to be fed hay and given water in the morning and the evening, but it is easy and takes very little time. In May, the lambs are born. During this two-week period, they require constant attention. During the summer, the sheep are out on pasture. This is the most work, although it doesn't happen every single day. The sheep get moved to a new pasture every three days. This involves putting up portable fencing for the new pasture; putting the sheep and their water tubs in the new pasture; taking down the previous pasture fence and moving it to the next spot; and other tasks that can add up to three or more hours. Other summer and fall tasks include gardening, cutting grass in the pasture, yard work, cutting and stacking firewood, cutting and dragging brush, building and repairing things, stacking hay, and an endless array of other tasks. Some tasks need to happen at specifically scheduled times, others need to happen when they need to happen (dealing with emergencies), and others are very flexible. Needs will vary depending on the time of year and the number of WWOOFers. We will make a work plan according to each WWOOFers skills, what they want to learn, and what kind of experience they are hoping to have. The length of time a WWOOFer is staying will also affect what it is possible for them to learn and therefore what kind of tasks they will have. (The longer the stay, the more opportunity there will be for a WWOOFer to learn advanced skills and to take on responsibility. Shorter stays might mean simpler physical work, like stacking firewood or dragging brush.) WWOOFers are expected to work approximately 3 1/2 hours per day on average. Some days it might be 8 hours, other days it might be little or no work. To the greatest extent possible, we will plan the work schedule each week so that WWOOFers can know in advance when and how much they will be working and which days they can take off entirely. We hope that WWOOFers will take advantage of days off to explore the area and surrounding towns. Those coming for a longer stay will have the opportunity to meet friends and neighbors and to engage socially in the community.
At the current time, WWOOFers will be living in the house with us. We have two guest rooms that will be available to WWOOFers. Anyone who prefers to camp is welcome to.
On most days, WWOOFers will help themselves to breakfast. During the school year, they will also help themselves to lunch while Matthew and Patti are at work. During the summer we might eat lunch together. Dinner we will normally prepare and eat together. Patti is a vegetarian, so meals always involve vegetarian options.
The local area provides ample opportunity for hiking, swimming, skiing, and other outdoor activities, as well as sitting in cafes in town. We enjoy being outdoors most of the time. In the winter, we are avid skiers. In the summer, Patti is often exploring the woods and Matthew is generally too busy to do anything. We have two canoes that we occasionally use. We also like to play music (guitar and harmonica) and to make dinner with friends and neighbors. On our own, we usually read novels to each other while cooking.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Sheep or goat farming
Forestry
Wild foraging
Green Building
Food justice / sovereignty
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Regenerative agriculture
Rotational grazing
Host type
Production farm
Former WWOOFer
21.9
Hectares
|
54
Acres
