Like minded helpers welcome to make our place sustainable in Bostic, North Carolina, USA

Detalhes

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  Descrição

  When my husband Chris and I (David) decided twelve years ago to escape the madness that Florida has become, we bought a 10.9 acre piece of land in Western NC. We recently secured a land-use contract on 20 acres attached. We're not in "the mountains" but the views are OK. The more we learned about where our food comes from in the US, the more disgusted we got. We moved here to be as self-sufficient as possible. We have nearly accomplished that and want to progress to providing healthy food to the community in exchange for the things we can't produce (cheddar cheese, potato chips, gasoline, electricity, cell phones).
  
  We're looking for like minded folks who are able to devote time into making our place sustainable to feed all of us. We've done a great job with dairy, beef, pork, goats, & chickens, as well as swans, exotic birds, rabbits & guinea pigs sold as pets. We own the only pet supply store in Rutherford County, North Carolina. That is our income. The farm is just a hobby so far.
  
  As a gay couple in a fairly conservative region, we've experience less homophobic aggression than we did in Florida or Michigan before that. We own the only Pet Supply store in Rutherford County and the subset that "ain't gonna buy dog food from queers" is much smaller that we'd anticipated.
  
  There are two barns built in the 1950's that house the goats and cows now. Chris rebuilt the hayloft last year and it is much more functional. We built a large aviary for the swans, macaws, cockatiels and bunnies we raise. The hoop tunnel up by the main house is covered with corrugated fiberglass and has a grey water stream to the upper pond. The tractor is a '75 John Deere with a passable front loader.
  
  We have a dairy cow named Maybelle, and her daughter Hallie Belle is due to give birth any day now! A bull and two steers are currently growing for beef. We have two goat moms, and a gruff old billy goat named Basil is daddy. Eight American guinea hogs are growing for meat. We also have a flock of chickens producing eggs and meat, but we want to change our approach to chickens next year. I've had varying degrees of success with vegetables. Cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini and blueberry do very well for me. Of the seven fruit trees we planted, we’ve only been successful with pears.

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  Tipos de ajuda e oportunidades de aprendizado

  Ajuda em projetos ambientais

  Jardinagem

  Projetos de construção/faça você mesmo

  Cuidar de animais

  Ajuda em fazenda

  Criar/cozinhar refeições caseiras

  Ajuda a cuidar da casa

  Manutenção geral
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  Objetivos de sustentabilidade da ONU que este anfitrião quer atingir

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  O que é isso?
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  Oportunidades de intercâmbio cultural e aprendizado

  We would love to share whatever knowledge and skills that we can with others, and hope to also learn a few things ourselves! We get into a few other activities here such as pressure canning, making cheese/yogurt, and occasionally baking. The property we're on also has a lot of interesting history.
  
  The land we now call the farm has been farmed since the 1800's by John Braddy, his son Charley Braddy, and then in the 1920's through early 80's by grandson Claude Braddy. The property fell into serious disrepair as Claude's widow Alda aged. She died about a year before we found the property. We've been told how Claude was famous for miles around for sweet potato starts and watermelon. He kept cattle on the back 20 acres that is now a pine forest. Their only living daughter shared pictures of the last in a long succession of mules used to create the prolific terraces and innumerable other tasks. She says the very poor family never really had to buy any food because everything they ate came from working the land. Several Braddy's are buried in the cemetery directly across the "highway".
  
  Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, was an indentured servant to Abraham Enloe just up the road from our farm in Bostic when Tom Lincoln took her away in 1807 to Kentucky. There is compelling evidence you'll see at a local museum, that Abe may have already been born before they left. It is certainly worth the three or four hours it takes to digest the story.

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  Ajuda

  We've got plenty to do around the house and gardens. You will be expected to put in about five hours a day five days a week. The rest of the time is yours. Morning chores include milking (a second milking is also done in the evening for our cow Maybelle), feeding pigs and cows, taking care of swans, and feeding the adorable pet store animals we raise on the farm. This time may also include other farm work such as barn mucking, unloading hay etc. Once morning chores are done the rest of your working time can go towards one of the many projects we currently have going on the farm.
  
  - Building a woodworking shop
  - Setting up a new milking parlor
  - Relocating the aviary
  - Constructing new pig pens
  - Indoor seed starting (late winter)
  
  We have our sights set on starting a farmers market stand to sell dairy products, but that plan is still in the works.

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  Idiomas

  Idiomas
  Inglês: Fluente
  Sign language (American): Iniciante
  Espanhol: Iniciante
  Italiano: Iniciante

  Este anfitrião oferece intercâmbio de idiomas
  Este anfitrião indicou que tem interesse em compartilhar seu idioma ou em aprender um novo.
  Entre em contato com ele para obter mais informações.
  
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  Acomodação

  Our farm is the last property up Bostic-Sunshine Highway before you enter the town of Bostic. We have just over 30 acres in all and three separate living spaces (as well as spaces to camp)
  
  A few years ago we started building a cabin with a sleeping loft. It has a functional tub/shower and toilet installed and a nice southern facing window where the kitchen will go. Unfortunately it has no kitchen under it yet so we would love your help to move the project along. We have some capital that can be put into the existing structure, but no time to work on it. We have some of the appliances purchased and are getting started on the cabinets. It is a very peaceful and quiet space.
  
  We also have a two bedroom single wide mobile home. It has a fully working kitchen and single bathroom with a tub/shower. The availability of this space may vary depending on when you come. This space would be great for a family, or for two workawayers to share if they are comfortable.
  
  Finally we have a trailer RV with a full size bed and a small twin in the rear. This space also has a functioning kitchen and bathroom.
  
  As another option, we also own a pretty riverfront property cut off from roads or electricity by the railroad that would be suitable for someone looking to camp off-grid. The compensation we ask for from primitive campers is to complete projects out there that make the space more usable. You can bring your ideas or we can brainstorm together, but final decisions on which projects to do will be ours to make.

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  Algo mais...

  Halfway from Charlotte to Asheville, this region grew up as the last place to stay before you get into the mountains on your way Out West. Both cities are must-see locations in North Carolina.
  It is a beautiful 50 mile drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway and all it's majesty.
  Lake Lure, where Dirty Dancing and parts of Last of the Mohegans were filmed is a half hour away.

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  Mais alguns detalhes

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    Acesso à internet

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    Acesso à internet limitado

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    Temos mascotes

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    Somos fumantes

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    Pode hospedar famílias

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  Pode hospedar nômades digitais

  The internet speed here is slow.

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  Espaço para estacionar campervans

  We can accommodate any size camper or RV.

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  Pode aceitar animais

  Depending on how many workers are already on property, we may or may not have a safe space for worker's pets. Ask in your first correspondence if you plan to bring a pet.

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  Quantos Workawayers pode acomodar?

  Mais de 2

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  Horas previstas

  Basic chores take 2-4 man hours per day. That gets split evenly among workers and hosts. Beyond the chores there are many projects. We expect all workers to be involved somewhere around 5 hours each of 5 days.

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