Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
18 Apr 2023
Feedback
13
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Join my mom and I as we live and work on our 13 acre permaculture homestead. We are located on a quiet, dirt road in Shutesbury, MA only a short 3 mile bike ride from the center of Amherst. On one side of our road is the house as well as 2 acres of mostly lawn space (with a small kitchen garden and several perennial flower beds). Directly opposite the house stands the solar panel covered animal barn. Here we house laying hens, ducks, three sheep, two draft horses, one livestock guardian dog and three pregnant goats (set to kid out in June!). These animals have free range within a 10 acre fenced in pasture. North of the pasture is an outdoor riding ring, our large no-till annual vegetable garden, a collection of fruit and nut trees as well as berry bushes/shrubs. A constantly flowing stream edges these 11 acres (pasture+garden space).
Our mission on this land is to be almost entirely self sustaining, living off the land in a way that regenerates the life in the soil and, simultaneously, produces little to no waste. We are also trying to create a space for others to learn homesteading skills
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Travelers will benefit from living and working on a homestead that embodies the permaculture philosophy of surviving (and thriving!) off the land while at the same time improving the health of the natural ecosystem. Volunteers will learn strategies to catch and store natural energy, grow their own food, create healthy soil life and recycle EVERYTHING back into the farm system.
More specifically volunteers will have the opportunity to acquire hard skills in the following areas:
Food preservation (canning, drying, fermentation, root cellar storage...etc)
Animal care (goat, sheep, horse, chicken, duck and dog)
Cooking (learn to make tasty use of our garden veggies, homegrown eggs and goat cheese! We also make grind grain and make our own bread)
No-till gardening (sheet mulching, broad forking, composting, seed starting, pest management...etc)
Beyond what volunteers will learn on our particular farm there are also many opportunities to learn about permaculture and homesteading at farms in our local community. The Pioneer Valley is a regenerative agriculture hub. In their free time volunteers are encouraged to visit nearby nearby gems such as Laughing Dog Farm, Wildside Cottage and Gardens, Paradise Lot, Sirius Community, Triplebrook Farm and many other permaculture sites. The area outside of the farm also offers travelers many opportunities to develop mushroom foraging skills. My mom is an expert and loves to explore the surrounding woods for forest edibles.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
My mom and I need help with a wide variety of farm projects. These will include animal care (clipping goat hooves, scooping horse manure, milking goats, feeding all animals...etc), gardening, cooking, tree pruning, food processing and preservation, harvesting..etc
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin): FluentThis host offers a language exchange
I’m trying to get better at Spanish! My current level is intermediate.
Accommodation
We have several screened in cabins along the edge of our stream. Each workawayer will have their own cabin to make their home. Bathroom is a nearby compost toilet.
What else ...
Our area offers lots to do in a volunteer's free time! There are numerous nearby town centers offering yummy food, shopping, live music and other events. Amherst, Northampton, Greenfield, Turners, Montague and Shelburne Falls are especially worth visiting. Volunteers can also take time to explore the local nature. There are plenty of hiking trails and swimming holes many of which are within walking distance from our farm. We have three bikes (one of which is electric!) and two cars available for transportation.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (9)
Living in community with Dani… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
Living in community with Dani… read more
I fell in love with all the animals and will miss them very much..
I can’t believe how much I learned during my stay;… read more
We did and learned so much is a short period of time, ranging from permaculture, sheet mulching (hay mulch), no-till gardening, feeding the… read more
Zoe and her mom are super nice and they made… read more
