Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
14 May 2025
Reply rate
77.8 %
Usually responds within 40 days
Feedback
42
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Host offers payment
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Details
Description
We have a family owned farm. We operate on our family's 32,000 acre cattle and exotic animal ranch. Guests who come to the ranch want to experience real ranch life. We have over 250 exotic animals many of which are rescue animals and a cow calf ranch. The ranch is located in the beautiful rolling hill country of the central coast of California, about 45 minutes from San Luis Obispo and 35 minutes from Paso Robles. We are a husband and wife with 4 grown children (who come to visit often :)! ) Our ranch consistent of an organic garden, fruit orchard, 15 different species of exotic animals including North American Bison, Fallow Deer, and more. We also have ranch horses and a herd of Mangalitsa pigs. If you are looking for a real ranching experience, this is the place. We are looking for help 4 to 5 hours 5 days a week. Our ranch is not close to town so we raise our vegetables and have chickens to be sustainable and live off of the land. it would be helpful to have a car but not a must. We go to town frequently and could take you to town when buses and trains are available. Our ranch is also about 1 hour from the beach. This area of California is also known for wine and olive oil. We have been blessed with a very unique lifestyle and feel that it is our mission to share it with others. We love having visitors from other countries so that we can share customs and cultures. Other visitors have come as strangers and have left as family! Please notice that we do not take helpers from November- February because our garden is dormant and our animals aren't having babies yet.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
This is the opportunity to live and work on a real cattle and exotic animal ranch . You will learn animal husbandry, vegetable gardening, Living off of the land, flora culture. Depending on the time of year you could be helping with canning or preserving food , birthing animals, bottle feeding, branding. For people from different countries we give the opportunity to practice English.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Help
We are looking for people who are hard working and fun loving to join our family in living off of the land, care of our organic garden (weeding, planting, harvesting) Animals ( feeding and watering, caring for their needs) general house hold chores. Depending on the time of year you could be helping with canning or preserving food , harvesting and drying herbs.Every day is a new day so work here is diverse and never boring. This is a beautiful healthy place to Experience a new culture . We have added the tab that there is the opportunity to work for pay.
This is only for those who have proof of a working visa in the United States or a US social Security card and ID Card. It is based on knowledge and skill. In order to work for pay we have a training\probation period of 1 week and this needs to be discussed before you arrive. We also require all workaway helpers to have proof of health insurance or travel insurance.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Accommodation
We have A guest house where they can stay so that they can also have some privacy. You might have to share a house with another helper, but you would have your own room and access to a kitchen. We provide all the food most of which is grown on the ranch. We also supplement food from the store whenever needed. Your house has a kitchen so food is provided to eat whenever you’re hungry and we will also eat meals together.
What else ...
Many people come to the central coast of California to vacation. We are 45 minutes from the college town of San Luis Obispo and 1 hour from beach towns like Morro Bay, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach. The famous Hearst Castle is 1 hour and 15 minutes from the ranch. Santa Barbara is 2.5 hours by train from San Luis Obispo. We go to town at least a few times a week and can give helpers a ride. We go to Los Angeles to visit relative so there is a possibility to get a ride to L.A. We have hosted international exchanges students who would go on family travels with us. We are very open to share our lifestyle with others.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Feedback (20)
And we just arrived at the right time ! We were privileged to help plan and participate in the wedding of Felicia and Marc's son,… read more
Photos
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And we just arrived at the right time ! We were privileged to help plan and participate in the wedding of Felicia and Marc's son,… read more
Here are some things I did on the ranch:
-Worked… read more
We are so grateful that Eva Nd Flo’s path lead them to the ranch. Each day they helped with smiles on their faces. They did all the tasks asked of them. Even if they weren’t sure how to do something they were quick learners. Never complaining about anything. They helped with Milking the cow, feeding and watering over 300 different… read more
And Felicia&Mark is very kind for us. We are not good at English and not used to live in ranch life, but they tell us real ranch life and real American life! We can experience a lot precious things.
We think that we couldn't experience the wonderful life if we… read more
The work is diverse : picking eggs, cleaning pens cleaning guest houses, Gardenning, taking the little Pony :)
Everybody you'll meet are very nice and… read more
These 2 helpers were SUPER!!! We loved having them on the ranch. They were full of energy and life always willing to do any task asked of them. They were very responsible. We felt that we could leave the ranch in their hands and everything would be taken care of. On the ranch we have all kinds of jobs they took care of,… read more
What a pleasant person to be around! She has a helpful, calm presence and in whatever job she is doing she does it with a smile. Isabelle has a good sense of humor too! While she was on the ranch she helped in the garden, feed animals, clean animal pens, cooking, helping with guests. Any job that she did, it was always done to the best… read more
Really great helpers these 2!!! They pitched right in and helped where ever necessary. On the ranch they did gardening, feeding animals, house cleaning, cooking, entertained guests, cared for the dogs and chickens, anything that was asked of them and always with a smile. These girls were very responsible and we felt comfortable… read more
You girls are missed very much!!! They were here during the Christmas and New Years holidays and they fit in like part of the family! While at the ranch they helped with gardening, feeding animals, cleaning houses, picking up chicken eggs,, cooking, branding cattle, preparing for a swing dance. We really miss them! Estelle is an… read more
Wonderful!!! Workawayers!!! We loved having them at the ranch. Their gentle nature, was easy going with all the guests at the ranch. They were here during Thanksgiving and they fit in very well with all of our family. They even made Swedish food to share at our Thanksgiving feast! While on the ranch they helped in many areas,… read more
WONDERFUL!!! These 2 girls were a wonderful asset to our ranch. Always cheerful and willing to do all kinds of work. Some of their jobs were to clean guest houses, feed animals, garden, help with events, help entertain guests, pick fruit , vegetables and herbs, cook, take care of our dogs, work cattle and Kari even sheered our… read more
We agree with the comments of the other volunteers who have stayed here, so won't repeat all they have said.
The work was not… read more
I stayed 2.5 weeks and the work was mainly guesthousekeeping and gardening, but also some eggs picking, cooking and tidying.
The ranch by itself is amazing and you will be able to go hiking around with the dogs if you'd… read more
We were at this amazing ranch during the holiday season and got to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years with them. They are all wonderful, generous people and… read more
