United States
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August 2020 edit: We paused our account for several months because of Covid, and are only now exploring the possibility of hosting guests in a safe manner. We are limiting ourselves to guests who are currently within a day's drive of the Farm. We are still working out the logistics, so please message us and we can figure this out together. Please stay safe and healthy!
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Help us with some restoration projects at our ocean view homestead originally established as a dairy farm in 1870, and reestablished by us in 2018. We have 3 acres on the rugged Mendocino coast. We recently moved to the country from Southern California and we are looking for someone to help us take care of our chickens, bees, dog, cat, and garden, and whatever other projects we dream up. We could use a little help planning and maintaining our homestead, in addition to miscellaneous other chores around the house. There will also be some yard work, brush clearance, cooking (if you want), reclaiming old lumber and planting a garden. There is such a variety of things to do around here, we will put your talents to good use! We would be grateful for about 3 hours per day (5 days per week) working on these tasks.
In exchange, we offer a comfortable room, shared bath, home cooked meals and the company of our ever-expanding menagerie of critters. Breakfast and lunch food will be available on self-serve basis and one home-cooked dinner will be prepared 5 days a week. Our ranch house sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean and comes with gated beach access. We have fast internet, which is uncommon in this remote area. Redwoods surround us. We are in between Elk and Point Arena, about a half mile from the ocean. There are many activities for the outdoors enthusiast, so bring your hiking boots and surfboard!
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Help around the house
Animal Care
The Mendocino coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it is also remote. We are a 1.5 hour drive from the nearest "big town" of Ukiah (population 15,000), so it is important to be self-sufficient, yet understand the value of community. You can't do it alone out here! I think travelers will learn how to work collaboratively, and see what rural America looks like. At the same time, we are three hours from San Francisco, so the big-city vibe is within reach (August 2020 update: Trips to SF are discouraged at this time, due to Covid). Suzy and Rod are from diverse backgrounds--she is a midwestern gal, and he is from Cuba. It's a win-win: Everybody has something to contribute, and we all have something to learn.
There are too many items to list! This had been a 200+ acre dairy farm from 1870 to 1966, then we bought the last three acres (plus nine old-growth redwood outbuildings!) in 2018. The "deferred maintenance" list is overwhelming, in addition to the projects we want to start. About half of your time will be spent on tasks such as brush clearance and running fence, but the other half will be tasks that will be more "interesting." What is your talent? Building, animal care, small engine repair, working with reclaimed lumber? Sewing, canning, social media, organizing, horticulture? We can keep you occupied with something that you will find engaging and worthwhile. Specifically, you will be asked to do the following from time to time: weed whacking, watering and maintaining flowers, cutting grass, feeding goats, feeding chickens, feeding dogs, brush clearance, white wash outbuildings, painting, help shopping for and cooking supper, canning, clean and maintain tools.
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
You will have a small bedroom, with wifi, twin bed, dresser, closet, and table. Wifi is great. You may have your own bathroom, depending on if we have another Workaway guest or not. We reserve the right to use it if the other bathrooms are occupied, but we won't be using the shower in there.
You will be provided breakfast and lunch on a self-serve basis, dinner will be a home cooked meal 5 days per week. Guests are welcome to take part in meal preparation, but it is not required.
This is a remote location, so you won't be able to walk anywhere, except to the beach. Ideally, you would have your own car. When we go to "town" (Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Ukiah, etc.), you are welcome to come with us. There is a once-a-day bus that goes to Fort Bragg and Ukiah, and then to Santa Rosa (Covid update: No bus service to Santa Rosa now). There is public transportation from Santa Rosa to Oakland and San Francisco. So, there is plenty of hiking and surfing here, but we are a day away from the big city.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Our internet is pretty good here. It's fast enough for streaming, gaming, and working online.
Two
3 hours per day 5 days a week
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