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16 Apr 2026
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Details
Description
NOTE April 15
—-Currently available—
Space for 1 or 2 volunteers with their own camper/ van. Water and electric hookups provided. Short term.
—-Other accommodations may become available. Please inquire.
Participate in daily life in our Florida Forest Home
About Us
We’re Joseph and Deborah. living in a large, old house surrounded by thousands of acres of lakes and protected wilderness near Gainesville Florida USA.
Joseph is a retired professional photographer and Deborah was a voice teacher at the University of Florida as well as in her private studio.
We’re well‑traveled, easygoing, and enjoy cultural exchange with people from all backgrounds.
Your English doesn’t need to be perfect — we’re patient and happy to help and accommodate you at your current language level.
We live in a large, old house, originally designed as a hunting and fishing lodge, which has served as a family residence for the past 30 years.
You’ll find the architecture interesting and comfortable with plenty of room and your own private space.
This ten-acre property is mostly wooded and features a small fish pond. The air is clean, with hardly any light or noise pollution and stellar views day and night.
If you enjoy peaceful country-living and enjoy wildlife, you’ll love it here.
Our area is also rich in cultural opportunities. We can help you arrange trips to several nearby museums and historical sites.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Water sports
Van life
Languages
Plant care
Gardening
Nature
Sailing / Boating
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Cultural Exchange & Free Time
Nearby attractions include:
-University of Florida
-Historic village of Micanopy
-Florida Museum of Natural History featuring a Butterfly Rainforest exhibit
-Harn Museum of Art
-Theater and music at the Phillips Center and Hippodrome and other venues
-Hiking, boating, fishing, birdwatching, photography
-Crystal‑clear springs for kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddleboarding
-Historic St. Augustine
-A canopy zipline adventure
Help
PLEASE NOTE: You will not be expected to contribute to any form of business or market activities.
THE HELP
No skill required, we just need more hands.
Outdoor:
Living a bit on the wild side, our garden can often use some general weed-pulling, raking, and flower planting.
Indoor:
We use a professional cleaning service in the house but we often get involved with projects like tidying, sorting and organizing in the house and workshop.
And of course help with meal preparation and cooking are especially appreciated!!!
Hours: 20 hours per week (averaging about four hours per day on weekdays). Weekends free.
We value curiosity and those who are highly organized, fit, adventurous, and open-minded.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
French: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Languages We speak English fluently and are beginners in French and Spanish. We’re happy to help you practice English and would love help improving our French or Spanish.
Accommodation
Workawayers can stay in a private room or our self-contained motorhome, depending on what is available.
We can also provide a site with electricity and water, where volunteers can park their own R.V.
We currently have two private guest bedrooms with Queen-sized beds in our home and a shared bathroom down the hall. You are also welcome to use the laundry services and kitchen during the day.
🤝 What We Provide / What You Provide
What We Provide
Private guest room or motorhome (whichever is available)
Simple meals on volunteer days
Laundry and kitchen access
Peaceful wilderness setting
Local recommendations and cultural exchange
What You Provide
20 hours of help per week
Respect for the home and wildlife
Your own toiletries and personal items
Your own transportation or Uber budget
Specialty foods or meals eaten out
Cleaning up after yourself & your area, including your bathroom, is required. The area is to be left clean when you leave.
We expect you to be self-sufficient financially and with your own personal maintenance and hygiene products.
🏡 House Rules
Respect the home and shared spaces; clean up after yourself.
Keep your room tidy and leave it clean when you depart.
No smoking inside the house or motorhome.
Quiet hours: 10 PM – 7 AM.
Use tools and equipment responsibly; ask if unsure.
Be punctual for agreed‑upon work times.
Communicate openly if you need something or want to adjust your schedule.
Respect the wildlife — do not harm animals or leave food outside.
Bring your own toiletries and personal items.
You are responsible for your own transportation and recreation costs.
Expectations
Clean your own space, including your bathroom.
Be financially self‑sufficient for recreation and personal expenses
Important Requirement
To confirm your stay, we require a copy of your ID (passport or driver’s license) for safety and identity verification as recommended by Workaway.
Transportation
There is no public transportation in our area.
A personal vehicle is strongly recommended.
Uber to Gainesville typically costs $25–$30 each way.
You will be responsible for the cost for your own transportation, recreation and your personal & toilet items.
IMPORTANT. To confirm your stay, WE REQUIRE A COPY OF YOUR PERSONAL ID (PASSPORT and/or DRIVER'S LICENSE.)
What else ...
Please Note: You are responsible for your own transportation. Other than UBER, there is no public transportation here and you should have access to a dependable vehicle or be willing to pay approximately $25-$30 for a one-way Uber ride into Gainesville.
This area abounds in natural beauty and wildlife. Also, we're near Gainesville, Florida, home of The University of Florida, with museums, and many cultural and sporting events.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Starlink internet is dependable and has reasonable speed and WiFi is available throughout most of the ten acres.
Space for parking camper vans
We can host people with campervans/motorhomes and travel trailers. We have 30 amp electric and water hookups and there is a dump station nearby.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (10)
We had the chance to do various tasks (from gardening to driving a tractor!) and took part in interesting project.
Joseph took the time to explain everything and shared with us his experience, knowledge and vision.
We are very grateful for th way we were… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
We had the chance to do various tasks (from gardening to driving a tractor!) and took part in interesting project.
Joseph took the time to explain everything and shared with us his experience, knowledge and vision.
We are very grateful for th way we were… read more
here in the big city I'm already craving your place's peace and freedom. It's the perfect surrounding to find your "own" peace and freedom. I really enjoyed my whole stay. We had some utterly nice dinners. A lot of healthy vegan (and it is not only accepted/ tolerated, it is normal) food and different conversations.… read more
So: it was such a very nice experience to stay at Joseph's farm! I planned to stay 3 weeks at the beginning and i stayed... 2 months!
It is more than a volunteer, it's like a family for a while! You'll meet many nice people: the roomates, the volunteers, Joseph… read more
It was my first workaway experience, took me a couple days to get comfortable and know where I should contribute, but when I did.. Man my mind never stopped thinking about what great project I wanted to help out with next. I was here for two weeks which went by too fast but the group said " it seemed like… read more
