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We are a young 40's couple with a 4 year old child living on our organic, ecological, off-grid homestead in Mendocino County, Northern California. Our location is in the forest 35 minutes away from the town of Ukiah, along an unpaved road. A volunteer would be best to have their own vehicle, or at least be prepared for periods of solitude and off-grid self reliance.
Aside from experience and cultural exchange, we offer most dinners and lunches daily, and a converted van with a futon as private sleeping quarters. There is a shared structure that includes a small kitchen and relaxation area with electricity. We have a beautiful hot shower, and even a solar hot tub in the summer.
Our homestead is super tranquil, with great options for listening to sounds of the forest, relaxing in a hammock in the shade, and even enjoying an evening soak at Irie Springs, our solar hot tub on a hill! With a view! We occasionally invite a few friends to socialize around the campfire, or we may invite you on trips to the ocean or to a reggae show.
Seth is an avid gardener,carpenter, and surfer, fluent in Spanish. Dandelion is an herbalist and medicine maker. We both love food experimentation, world travel, music and dancing, and our friendly dog Yuri.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
General Maintenance
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
There is much to learn here about homesteading and permaculture skills here, e.g: gardening, harvesting, food preservation, etc. As well as operation and maintenance of off grid power and water systems. Solar power, small scale drip irrigation, etc. There may also be opportunities to learn natural building techniques such as strawbale construction and earth plastering, or more conventional construction techniques involving carpentry or tile work.
We regularly need help with garden tasks, landscape maintenanace, and off grid systems maintenance. In winter we need help thinning the forest for fire protection. In spring we are cleaning and weeding garden beds, planting seeds, moving compost, weed mowing, e.t.c. Harvesting, drying, canning, and freezing our personal food crops happens throughout late summer and early fall.
We also are regularly building new infrastructure, as well as completing construction of our straw bale house.
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
We offer a private sleeping area (a converted van!), and semi-private kitchen and relaxation area in a large tent carport. You also have access to a beautiful bath house shared with us. These areas are slightly removed from our personal living zone and offer plenty of privacy. We will supply you at a minimum with organic garden fruits and vegetables, eggs from our chickens, and some basic provisions that we purchase such as grains and seasonings. We do love to cook as well, and will invite you or prepare for you most dinners, and many lunches and snacks. We love to cook in our solar oven all summer.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
The gravel roadway to our location is in poor repair, including potholes, ruts, some sections of mud in winter and spring.
1 dog may be acceptable. Other smaller pets? Sure why not.
Two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week