Smallholding, woodland
Cheshire
Our inbox is only monitored Monday - Thursday 0830-1630. If you message outside of those hours there may be a delay in replying to you.
We ask that all overseas visitors have the relevant visa's prior to applying to visit us as we cannot assist in securing these.
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Our site is a family run 23.5 acre permaculture farm. It was established in 2016 and 13.5 acres of this is certified organic with The Soil Association. Since 2016 we have planted ~5,500 trees (1,200 fruit and nut), dug 2km of swales and started work on the design and implementation of edible forests, traditional orchards, annual beds and a variety of other projects. We have had a lot of help from visitors so far including the detailed design and implementation of some of our growing areas.
Our farm is never empty! We have a lot of people who make up our community and they all bring something different with them. We try to incorporate as much of each person’s creativity as we can and we are always up for a party!
Our site is run on permaculture principles and incorporates many systems that you would expect to see on a resilient farm. We are keen to try new ideas and experiment with crops that may not be traditionally present in the area. We are spending a lot of time trying to improve the soil quality on the site. The site has been transformed from grazing land to a rich and diverse habitat that has had its canopy layer planted and is ready to start looking at the next phases of planting.
In 2018 we completed a purpose built bunkhouse on site which can accommodate up to 6 visitors in a mixed sex shared dormitory. Other facilities in the bunkhouse include a full kitchen and lounge/diner, storeroom and bathroom. The bunkhouse is fully insulated and incorporates passivhaus design.
We are looking for visitors who can commit to 2 weeks and over. We will provide food (visitors make their own meals note the site is strictly vegetarian) and accommodation and of course the sharing of our knowledge. Depending on the time of year and your experience the activities you can participate in will of vary from helping design part of the site, managing small projects, propagating and growing annuals, maintenance of the kitchen garden, grass maintenance across the whole site (using mechanical tools/scythes), specialist mulching of the trees, pruning trees, construction of things such as wood stores and compost bins, swale management, tool sharpening, tree planting, and much much more. One of our ongoing projects has involved us drilling 4 water wells and we have already begun installing an irrigation system from these.
We begin our day at around 0830 breaking for lunch at midday and then commence activities at 1300-1530 with Wednesday afternoons and weekend at leisure.
The farm is on a bus route and close to local train stations at Action Bridge, Hartford and Greenbank. There are shops, pubs and takeaways within walking distance in Weaverham and the main shopping centre and cinema etc. is in Northwich which is a 10 minute drive away and in Warrington a 15 drive away. Main line trains come into Warrington and Hartford. As we are close to both the river and the canal there are walks a plenty and Delamere Forest is close by.
We have two friendly dogs on site (Brooke and Zeke) and three semi-feral cats (Jane, Tom and Lily). We also have a thriving duck community who live on two of our ponds.
We would like Wwoofers to be fluent in English and preferably to have some experience on other permaculture sites or organic farms so we can exchange ideas and practices. We ask that Wwoofers bring suitable waterproof footwear and clothing with them. It is always a good idea to bring a refillable water bottle with you also. We provide bedding and towels for your use.
We have an active Facebook page that can be viewed here https://www.facebook.com/merebrowfarm
Please do get in touch with any questions you may have and to introduce yourself if you would like to visit us. Please note messages are only read in office hours 08.30-16.30 Monday - Thursday. If you message outside of those times we may delay in replying to you.
Organic methods: As we are certified organic by the Soil Association we are restricted as to what we are permitted to use on site. We do not use pesticides in any form and the vast majority of new plants brought on site are sourced from organic suppliers.
Certifications: Soil Association
Current projects: Edible forests
Irrigation systems
Farm design
Lasagne mulching
Internet access available
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Forestry
Beekeeping
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Traditional crafts
Methods or systems
Permaculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
Certified organic
9.5
Hectares
|
23.5
Acres
Ian
Member since 2019
Languages spoken:
English, Spanish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 90%
Response time: typically within 1 day
Cheshire
Trains (Acton Bridge, Hartford, Greenbank) Airports (Liverpool or Manchester)
Reviews
Lea
France
•
April 2026
A huge thank you to the whole farm for such an incredible welcome 🙏
I had an absolutely amazing volunteering experience. The welcome was perfect from start to finish, and the accommodation for volunteers is more than great — you feel at home right away!
Paula is such a kind and caring person, always pleasant and open to conversations about so many different topics. It was truly a pleasure. Her husband Ian is just as interesting and thoughtful.
I also really loved working and talking with Hugh — an amazing person, funny and incredibly kind. I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate! His family is wonderful as well.
I wish them all the very best and hope to see them again very soon 🙂
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Reply from Ian
Hi Lea,
We really enjoyed you staying with us and we are glad you enjoyed staying with us too. You are of course welcome back at any time!
Megan
Italy
•
March 2026
My time at [Host] was incredibly lovely! The farm itself was charming with so much to discover, especially with Hugh always teaching about a new plant or method, the Madej family’s warm hospitality, Sadie’s sourdough starter, and not to forget the animals! Majority of my time was spent working on securing mulch matting around a field of newly planted trees, but there was always a variety of tasks each day for a change in rhythm. The farm is well connected by rail to take a day trip or two into the city. I was the only Wwoofer during my stay, which im told is not often the case, so i had the bunkhouse all to myself - can’t complain! Overall, would strongly recommend ☺️
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Gautier
France
•
August 2025
We had a wonderful four weeks during our first woofing experience. From the first day to the last, everyone was very kind and welcoming to us. We shared some great moments with everyone. The work was different every day, and it was a pleasure to learn alongside Hugh and Clare. The house where we stayed was cosy and well equipped. Access to major cities is easy and quick from the farm.
We have nothing but good memories of our stay and hope to return to Mere Brow Farm one day. We highly recommend it.
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Silas
Réunion
•
June 2025
Great experience in this farm! Hugh and Clare are adorable and it is a real pleasure to work with them, the place is magnificent and close to small towns, bicycles available and firewood jacuzzi after work! With Hugh you will handle tools, perfect for those looking for an immersive experience! With Clare, board game night and shared meals. The bunkhouse looks like a small Airbnb, great.
Louis
Réunion
•
June 2025
I really enjoyed my stay in this farm !
If you want to meet wonderful people, do many activities (work, game…) and come back with a lot of good memories, you are in the best place !
Thank you very much for everything and I hope I’ll come back soon ;)
Erik
Germany
•
June 2025
I spent four weeks at [Host]. During that time I got to know two other volunteers and the long term workers Clare and Hugh. They were there for us from start to finish everyday and always found ways to make work as enjoyable and varied as possible. Even tho Ian and Paula have a lot to do everyday they tried to spend as much time with us volunteers as possible. Dinners with you were really fun!!
All in all I had a great experience at this farm during which I met lots of wonderful people. I would come back every time!
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