Help at an Incredible registered not-for-profit charitable community learning farm near Todmorden, UK

Details

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  Description

  We are a community built learning farm, to model and teach sustainable farming in a changing world. We grow veg, keep two jersey milk cows, teach school children, and plot to survive after the end of civilisation as we know it.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are a learning centre, our style is to advise, not dictate (in most cases) we welcome open learners and experts. We are learning from the old and the new from around the world. The town, 2 miles away is a lively place with a fantastic music pub run by Gig a crazy Thai artist lady, great thai food too!

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  Registered charity

  This host is a registered charity in the UK and is looking for help with their charity project. Guidance on charity worker sponsorship by a UK registered charity, can be found here.

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  Help

  Our Farm is a not for profit social enterprise. we are re learning and teaching farming skills for the uncertain future so your efforts are for the common good.
  
  Longer term stays are usually preferable for us then we can get to know you and build on your streingths. In an average year we have 30-40 guest workers (only one or two at a time though!). We welcome students on internships.
  We are located near a small town the heart of the Pennine hills, in a stunning landscape.It rains a lot here, but there is a really friendly local culture and several interesting big cities within easy reach.
  
  We are currently expanding our veg growing to meet demand on a second site about half a mile away. This will involve some weekend working (with days of in the week to compensate) and taking a packed lunch with you.
  In addition to this we need somebody with growing experience & leadership potential & planning capability who can coordinate local volunteers working at the weekends. This might be a paid role for the right person.
  
  
  We use permaculture methods and many innovative teqniques to produce almost year round for direct sales to local houses, farm shop and and local eateries.
  We also produce fruit trees, and have two young Jersey cows and poultry.
  We are very hard working but have an informal atmosphere. We also host school parties and go out to teach growing in youth clubs and schools.
  You might find yourself helping to grow veg, scything hay, milking the cows,or giving a tour of the site to a group of Chinese visitors. Anything is possible!
  
  We have two main staff, Nick our director, Mike our grower and community volunteers two days a week.
  
  We we have a communal farm lunch most weekdays this is our main meal. Evening meals are usually self catering and there is a well equipped and stocked kitchen (potatoes, onions, rice, lentils, noodles, etc etc) a big oven etc free for the use of helpers there are are also usually eggs, veg etc avaliable to harvest and pick. Helpers who can cook a simple and speedy lunch for the rest, keep the kitchen tidy and cooking skills are particularly prized here.
  
  There is a pub within 5 minutes walk and the lively town of Todmorden is 2 miles, or a bus ride away.
  Accommodation is a caravan which can sleep two,and another for one, then theres the hay barn with the cows!.......
  
  We are totally off grid but have good infrastructure. There is a fast 4g signal on 02, compost toilet and a shower. We have no mains water and our electricity is all from solar panels so we need to be economical with their use, USB powered devices can be charged, but laptop charging can be a problem outside of high summer.
  There are wood burning stoves in the caravan, and plenty of fuel, but it can be a cold muddy wet place to spend the winter, so hardyness is required.
  
  We are an experimental farm with an interest in research and teaching, we welcome students of agriculture and disciplines related to food culture and security. We like to tell the world what we are doing so if you can take good photos and write happy blogs for social media (in any language) that would be magnificent.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  Caravans, and camping, compost loo. 100% off grid site but with ample solar power in summer for I pads/phones and good 4g this all gets a little tight in winter if the sun forgets to shine!

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  What else ...

  Close to pub and only 2 miles from our lively town and 40 minutes train to city of Manchester. We featured in the French documentary Demain, and you can find us on social media.
  
  A recent visitor wrote this...Having been traveling for a while and having visited quite a few farms, I found myself feeling most at home here to the Farm. The vision, the people, the land, the local history all meld to create a truly lovely place with so much room for developing new skills, knowledge, and the practical applications of sustainable living with a focus on local community. Nick and Mike truly take their time to educate (this was the first place where I was asked specifically what I want to learn and gain from this experience, rather than hey this needs done do that) and share their wide array of knowledge with volunteers and visitors. They are integrated and woven within the local communities on a multitude of levels saving the community college to develop of Sustainable building and agriculture program (protesting peacefully with cows outside the building, haha), sell at multiple local markets, stay involved in local politics, and lend a hand in creating mixers for other local venders to sell their products and creations. The community around is also amaaaaazing! Todmorden is town filled with unexpected character, eccentric, and approachablility. Go to the golden lion for fantastic music, an open mic (often the entire pub joins in on a giant jam sessions, a very very special place, great food as well), tour the skeletons of the industrial revolution, visit the bride stones an ancient Viking hand-fasting site, the stoodley pike for a great view, the reservoir for a swim (even when its cold, its a great experience), and the alternative, liberal town of Hebden bridge equipped with co-op’s, vegan restaurants, and craft beer joints all walkable from the farm as well as by a small local bus. The farm is also not far from Skipton, Pendle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, and endless town with their own unique history in between. It’s this great location of being secluded but very accessible to towns, hikes, strolls, wanderings, and bike rides. Accommodation is basic but it’s a great opportunity to challenge ourselves and rethink what we really need to be comfortable, content, and independent. There are two caravans available both with wood burning stoves, ports to charge electronics, wifi, and are very simple but homey. While I was at the Farm for a month I helped feed the cows, care for the chickens, general garden mantaince (weeding, transplanting, de-slugging), clearing grasses, fertilizing, and preparing beds for future crops. So! Treat yourself! Enjoy the beauty, knowledge, and unexpected quirkiness of The Farm and Todmorden.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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