Información de perfil
Host is looking for help immediately
Evaluación del anfitrión
100 %
Last replied
29 abr 2026
Porcentaje de respuesta
100.0 %
Normalmente responde ≤ 6 dias
Comentarios
20
Facebook verified
Correo verificado
Medallas (4)
Detalles
Descripción
Participate in daily life in our Florida Forest Home
About Us
We’re Joseph and Deborah, living in a large, older home on ten wooded acres surrounded by lakes and protected wilderness near Gainesville, Florida.
Joseph is a retired professional photographer, and Deborah is a voice teacher who has worked both at the University of Florida and in her private studio. We’re well-traveled, enjoy thoughtful conversation, and genuinely like meeting people from different backgrounds.
Our home was originally designed as a hunting and fishing lodge and has evolved into a comfortable, lived-in space with plenty of character. The property includes a small pond, abundant wildlife, and a quiet, peaceful setting with very little light or noise pollution. Nights here are especially beautiful.
We value a calm, respectful household and a sense of shared responsibility. If you enjoy a slower pace, nature, and meaningful cultural exchange, you’ll likely feel at home here.
Tipos de ayuda y oportunidades de aprendizaje
Jardinería
Cocinar para toda la familia
Ayuda doméstica
Mantenimiento general
Intereses
Deportes acuáticos
Vida en autocaravana
Idiomas
Cuidado de plantas
Jardinería
Naturaleza
Navegar / barcos
Objetivos de sostenibilidad de las NU que intenta conseguir este anfitrión
Intercambio cultural y oportunidades de aprendizaje
Cultural Exchange & Free Time
Nearby attractions include:
-Historic village of Micanopy
-University of Florida
-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
Ayuda
Please Read Before Reaching Out
To help ensure a good fit, a few important points:
* We are not a working farm
* We are currently hosting short stays only (about one week to start)
* The help is primarily:
* housework
* cooking
* light gardening
* occasional simple maintenance
* organizing/maintaining projects in the workshop
When you write, please:
* Address us by name (Joseph & Deborah)
* Tell us specifically about your experience with cooking and household tasks
We tend to respond to thoughtful messages that show you’ve read our profile.
What We Need Help With
This is not farm work. Think of it as helping keep a large home and property running smoothly.
Typical help includes:
* Keeping shared spaces clean and organized
* Preparing simple, healthy meals (we eat a protein-focused, mostly low-carb/keto style diet — beef, poultry, fish, some vegetables)
* Light gardening and outdoor tidying
* Occasional small projects around the house or on a boat we’re preparing for future travel
We’re not looking for perfection — just someone who notices what needs to be done and takes initiative.
We usually aim for about 4 hours per day, 5 days a week, leaving you with plenty of free time to relax, explore, or take short trips into nearby Gainesville.
⸻
What We Offer
In exchange, we provide:
* A comfortable, private space in our home
* A peaceful, natural setting with lots of privacy
* Shared meals (focused on high-quality, protein-rich foods like grass-fed beef, poultry, and fish)
* A relaxed, respectful environment with flexible routines
* Opportunities to experience both quiet, country living and nearby cultural activities
We try to keep things informal and collaborative — more like working together than a strict work arrangement.
⸻
Length of Stay
We start with a short stay (about one week) to make sure it’s a good fit for everyone.
If things go well, we’re sometimes open to extending — but we don’t commit to longer stays upfront.
⸻
Good Fit
You’re Likely a Good Fit If You
* Are comfortable contributing to a home environment (not just outdoor labor)
* Can cook simple, healthy meals
* Take initiative and don’t need constant direction
* Communicate clearly and follow through
* Are traveling as a couple, with a friend, or independently with a clear purpose or plan (for example, a gap year or transition period)
This Is Probably Not a Fit If You
* Are looking for farm work or heavy construction projects
* Prefer to arrange long stays right away
* Need detailed supervision for basic tasks
* Are sending the same message to many hosts
Living Here
You’ll have your own comfortable private space. We aim for a balance between shared time and personal independence.
Our setting is quiet and rural, but we’re within reach of Gainesville, which offers museums, music, and university life. We’re happy to help you explore the area if that’s of interest.
We enjoy good conversation, but we also respect downtime — the atmosphere here is easygoing rather than structured or busy.
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.
Idiomas
Idiomas hablados
Inglés: Fluido
Español: Principiante
Francés: PrincipianteEste anfitrión ofrece intercambio de idiomas
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.
Alojamiento
Workawayers may 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 / Expectations
We aim to keep a relaxed, respectful, and drama-free environment. A few basic guidelines help everything run smoothly:
Communication
We value clear, open communication. If something isn’t working or you have a question, just let us know — we’re approachable and prefer to address things early.
Work Ethic & Reliability
We don’t expect perfection, but we do expect consistency. Showing up on time, putting in a solid effort, and taking pride in your work go a long way.
Independence
We’re not a structured “program.” You should be comfortable managing your time, staying on task, and working independently once given direction.
Cleanliness & Shared Spaces
Please keep your personal space tidy and be respectful of shared areas. This is a lived-in home, not a hotel, and we all contribute to keeping it comfortable.
Lifestyle & Environment
We live in a quiet, rural setting. This is a good fit for someone who enjoys nature and a slower pace.
Late-night noise, parties, or disruptive behavior wouldn’t be a good match here.
Substances
Moderation and good judgment are expected. No illegal drugs, and excessive drinking isn’t a fit for our environment.
Phones & Distractions
We’re flexible, but during work hours we ask that you stay focused and limit phone use unless needed.
Flexibility
Our schedule can shift slightly depending on weather, projects, or Deborah’s recovery. We appreciate a flexible, easygoing mindset.
⸻
A Note on Fit
We’ve found the best experiences happen when there’s mutual respect, good communication, and a shared sense of purpose.
If that sounds like you, we’ll likely get along very well.
Important Requirement
To confirm your stay, we require ID verification through Workaway or a copy of your ID (passport or driver’s license) for safety and identity verification as recommended by Workaway.
Algo más...
A Final Note
We’ve found that the best experiences come from clear expectations and mutual respect.
If this sounds like a place where you’d feel comfortable contributing and spending some time, we’d be glad to hear from you.
Un poco más de información
Acceso a Internet
Acceso a Internet limitado
Tenemos animales
Somos fumadores
Puede alojar familias
Puede acoger a nómadas digitales
Starlink internet is dependable and has reasonable speed and WiFi is available throughout most of the ten acres.
Espacio para aparcar autocaravanas
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.
¿Cuántos voluntarios puedes hospedar?
Más de dos
Mis animales / mascotas
Habla con usuarios que han visitado a este anfitrión
Comentarios (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
Fotos
Habla con usuarios que han visitado a este anfitrión
Comentarios
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
