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
Read more
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
