Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
18 Aug 2025
Reply rate
92.9 %
Usually responds within 6 days
Feedback
24
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Badges (4)
Details
Description
Laurie and I are homesteaders, living off-the-grid in rural upstate New York in a strawbale, timberframe house, which we built primarily from material we gathered directly off the land. Our home is at the southern edge of the Adirondack State Park (largest state park in U.S. and largest wilderness in Eastern U.S.) with easy access to some of the most beautiful forest and mountains in the world. We're just 200 miles from New York City, Montreal and Boston, and 250 miles from Niagara Falls. We live on 68 acres of mostly forested hillside and heat our home with wood and the sun. Our electricity and hot water are also solar powered. We have done many presentations on simple living and homesteading skills, and in 2012 we were named Mother Earth News Homesteaders of the Year. Our lifestyle is one of self-reliance, and as such we engage in a wide variety of activities on a daily basis. We grow much of our food, and gardening is a big part of our life. We also keep a flock of chickens for eggs (and entertainment!), a couple of dogs and a cat. We always have building projects to work on, and we're active in our community. Laurie is a trained herbalist and yoga instructor as well as science professor at our local community college. Jim works at carpentry and other trades as circumstances require, and as a writer of both fiction and non-fiction . (Search for J. Lee Strickland to find examples of his writing both online and in print.) We're vegetarians committed to the struggle of living in the 21st Century and walking lightly on the earth.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Politics / Social justice
Vegetarian or vegan
Pets
Self development
Charity work
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Camping
Mountain
Outdoor activities
Hiking
DIY & crafts
Plant care
Music
Books
Languages
Gardening
Cooking & food
Writing
Carpentry
Astronomy
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We offer an opportunity for travelers to experience a glimpse of our self-reliant lifestyle where we work directly with the land to provide the basics of our day-to-day existence. We live a hands-on life where our first question is always. "How can I do this?" rather than, "Who will do this for me?" We are political liberals with an interest in and appreciation of all world cultures. As experienced teachers, we're ready to share our knowledge and to learn from others. We're also amateur musicians with a large collection of instruments available for group playing. Laurie is an avid hiker/backpacker and birder with a great store of knowledge about the Adirondack mountains. Jim is interested in languages and would love to practice his Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Greek, Italian, or any other language a workawayer might bring along. Jim is an experienced language tutor, happy to help others in their pursuit of improved communication skills.
Help
Garden work is big from May to November. We grow without pesticides or chemical inputs in our deep mulch, no-till garden. Firewood gathering, splitting and stacking year-round. Building projects both large and small(no experience necessary, enthusiasm is your most important talent). Maintenance projects from plumbing repairs to realigning solar panels. Food preservation (canning, fermenting, pickling, root cellaring, etc.), as well as making yogurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, bread and more. The chickens need love and attention every day.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
German: Intermediate
French: Intermediate
Portuguese: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
Though we live off-the-grid, our accommodations are not rustic. We have a private guest room with queen-size bed, wireless high-speed internet, and access to laundry and modern kitchen facilities. The setting is rural and private but less than 4 miles from downtown shopping and entertainment. Our house is small by American standards (huge by other standards!) with just one bath, and our shallow, hand-dug well sometimes requires careful water use. Because we make our own electricity, that can be limited by the amount of sunshine. Our circumstances provide the opportunity for becoming conscious of the limits of the earth's resources. By the way, we have beautiful tenting sites as well. We would like to restrict original commitments to no more than two weeks. Longer stays can be negotiated on an individual basis.
Please note: Both our water supply and our electricity are limited! If you are the sort of person who feels the need to shower every day, or if you carry a blow dryer among your grooming supplies, we are probably not a good fit for you. We expect visitors to practice conscious conservation, to carefully examine their impact on the earth, and lighten it wherever possible.
What else ...
Adirondack State Park with its 46 high peaks, hundreds of miles of well-marked hiking trails, lakes and waterways, countless sites of historical importance. Bus station to Schenectady/Albany and all points beyond (e.g. NYC or Montreal) is 15 miles (25 km) away in Amsterdam. Train station is 15 miles (25 km) away in Amsterdam. Albany International Airport is 40 miles (64 km) away. Uber has recently become available in our area, and there is traditional taxi service as well.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have reliable high speed internet, wifi, and a relatively distraction-free environment.
Space for parking camper vans
Our driveway is narrow, winding, and steep in spots, but we have had campers as large as a 23 foot Winnebago here.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
My animals / pets
Lupercalia (11 years)
Lupi is a mixed breed (German Shepherd and Golden Retriever) older dog. She is professionally trained, obedient, and like Bruno, very affectionate. She’s a very laidback dog who never misses an opportunity to lie down and rest!
Bruno (4 years)
Bruno is a male, pure bred German Shepherd. He is professionally trained, obedient, and very affectionate. A very active dog, he loves chipmunk patrol and all forms of fetch.
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J&L were extremely welcoming and generous. They introduced us to their… read more
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J&L were extremely welcoming and generous. They introduced us to their… read more
