Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
5 Mar 2024
Reply rate
52.9 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
4
Email verified
Badges (1)
Details
Description
We are a dairy farm based in Kilkenny, We have lots of animals including - Dogs, hens, cats, peacocks and cows! We live in a house built in the 1700’s which is set in the countryside surrounded by beautiful trees and a walled garden.
There are six of us in the family, ourselves & our four grown up children who come and go as they travel, study and work on the farm. We love where we live, enjoy farming, country lifestyle and working with animals. We also enjoy visitors and welcome their stories and lifestyles.
We are new to Workaway so we currently have no reviews however we have been hosting volunteers through another online volunteer exchange platform for the past 2 years.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
Animal Care
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
An opportunity to experience farming, Irish country lifestyle, work with animals & practice English. We live near the historical medieval city of Kilkenny and encourage our visitors to experience the rich cultural diversity there.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We have a number of projects which we would love some help with:
- Spring calving (February - April)
Spring is a busy season on the farm when all of the new calves will be born.
We will need help feeding, caring for & looking after our newborn calves! This is hard physical work in all weathers.
- Farm chores - Includes herding and moving livestock, managing grassland, cleaning, power washing sheds after the winter.
- Gardening - Last year we started an organic vegetable garden so we need lots of help weeding, strimming, planting, watering, harvesting etc.
- Housework - Cooking, cleaning, tidying, dusting, painting, vacuum cleaning etc.
- Maintenance/repairs - Around the gardens, grounds, farm & house. Pruning, weeding, clearing, chopping timber, cutting the lawns, cleaning & organising sheds.
We also have a couple of small plastering projects if someone has experience in the area.
People with carpentry/stone wall building/plastering skills would also be more than welcome.
- Eco compost heater - We are considering building a Jean Pain style compost powered water heater at some stage in the future. Ideally this would use farm waste to generate hot water for the house or farm, however we are open to suggestions on this project! If anybody has any experience in this area and would like to take this project on that would be great!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Irish: Fluent
Accommodation
Accommodation is in our home in a large double room (couples/friends), or in a single room. Bathroom facilities are shared.
All food is provided & assistance with cooking welcomed, we would love to share your traditions too!
Wifi is provided & a large open fire!
No Smoking please
What else ...
There are regular buses to & from Dublin city & airport. (Approx 2 hours)
We are 12 miles from Kilkenny City and 2 miles from the nearest village where there is a good bus service. Bicycles are provided as well as occasional lifts to town or we can drop you to the bus.
Kilkenny is a beautiful medieval city with lots of artistic and craft based traditions and has many major Irish tourist attractions such as Kilkenny Castle, Butler Gallery, St. Canices Cathedral & Round tower (One of the only 2 climbable towers in the country), Smithwicks Irish Ale Brewery, Black Abbey, Rothe House & The Kilkenny Design Centre.
We are also close to Dunmore Caves, Castlecomer Discovery Park, Jenkinstown Woods & Heywood Gardens.
Other attractions around Kilkenny include Woodstock gardens, Reptile village, Jerpoint Abbey & Kells Priory. We also have plenty of brochures/ local tourist information to help you plan your days off.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (3)
Mary, James, Jack, George and even the dogs polly, connery and the hardworking sepp have such a big heart. Their hospitality is incredible. Polly will jump onto your lap and so you will feel integrated in the family from the first day on.
The work was physical demanding but… read more
Mary and James, and their sons Jack and George, are really nice people. I felt very welcome from the moment I arrived.
The work with the calves was really great; they are just so adorable. And the cows are so lovely animals.
Mary gave me and the… read more
Feedback
Mary, James, Jack, George and even the dogs polly, connery and the hardworking sepp have such a big heart. Their hospitality is incredible. Polly will jump onto your lap and so you will feel integrated in the family from the first day on.
The work was physical demanding but… read more
Mary and James, and their sons Jack and George, are really nice people. I felt very welcome from the moment I arrived.
The work with the calves was really great; they are just so adorable. And the cows are so lovely animals.
Mary gave me and the… read more
