United States
Favourited 188 times
Situated in rolling hills 14 miles from Homer, at 900 feet above sea level, in a farm neighborhood with fantastic views of volcanoes, glaciers, ocean inlet and bay, and fields of wildflowers, as well as wildlife, our farm offers adventure and opportunities for recreation as well. We have a two acre farm and a three acre organic peony farm. Our family includes three grown children, and while we are just in our third year as a peony farm, we both have long term experience farming and planting trees.
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Farmstay
Help with Eco project
Language practice
One of us is a recently retired anthropology professor and the other is a professional chef, and we both love international travel ourselves. We make extra efforts to help our visitors connect with cultural events, visit other interesting farms and tour wild areas, as much as they wish. We will help with learning about sustainable agriculture and building, flower farming, cultures in Alaska, and language-learning.French, Spanish, Bambara spoken here, Hindi and Chinese speakers welcome. This summer we are setting up audio language learning programs for Chinese, Hindi, Spanish and French, and possibly other languages by request, for anyone interested to access on their phones and listen to while working in the fields. We also have access to online courses in sustainable agriculture that people can take part in while they visit, if they wish. We are part of a network of organic farms, including livestock farms with sheep, alpacas, yaks and other animals, and we make sure our volunteers have opportunities to visit these farms as well, if they wish.
Our primary activity this summer/early fall includes helping on a 2 acre organic peony field, including composting, weeding, and keeping our perennial peony plants healthy. We also maintain two small organic food and flower gardens, and will be cutting and putting up firewood. This year we are completing alternative building projects in two sites, using natural materials for the majority of construction. We would love to have everyone help with the building projects, to the best of their ability, whether they have previous experience building or not. We expect volunteers to put in 25 hours each week in exchange for three home-cooked meals a day and place to stay seven days a week. Hours are quite flexible, so volunteers can help three longer days and take four days off to explore if they wish, or do shorter days to have more free time each day. We work right alongside the workers. We can also provide basic camping gear for short trips across the bay or up to Denali National Park.
English, French, Spanish, Bambara. beginning Chinese
Separate accommodations are provided: cabin or wall tent with amenities, in a private half acre area with sheltering trees, across a stream from the main house. We will also provide prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and frequent transportation to Homer. Inexpensive bicycles can be purchased locally. Visitors have access to the main house for meals, laundry, shower, and internet. Lovely sustainably-built hot water outdoor shower building and full toilet outhouse in July and August.
This area is a highly sought after tourist destination for wilderness hiking, kayaking, canoeing, ocean and river fishing and beach walking. Many nearby attractions! Including: the Anchor River, and Homer, with many local beach and forest trails, Kachemak Bay State Park, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Swan Lake and Swanson River Canoe Trails, and within a half day, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward and Exit Glacier. Homer is also a recognized mecca for artists and writers, and we have many art galleries, art events, concerts, and a national writers' conference in June. Once volunteers contact us, we can provide travel details and suggestions. There is a local commuter flight from Anchorage to Homer, as well as a bus from Anchorage to Homer once a day in summer. It is fourteen miles from our farm to Homer; we will pick up volunteers in Homer, and provide regular transportation to Homer several times a week. Inexpensive bicycles can also be purchased locally. We have had wonderful experiences with both international exchange students and volunteers for the past few years, and welcome volunteers from anywhere in the world. We like to learn more about the world from our volunteers, and feed them well. Our volunteers have a great time!
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
Flexible hours each day, 4 to 5 days a week, Quite flexible which days volunteers work, and how long each day, as long as reach the weekly total.
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
