*I am now full for 2026*
If you choose to volunteer here, you are my guest, and I know you could go elsewhere. You will be treated with respect and your contribution will be cherished. You will be fully involved in choosing activities that 'grow', 'ground' and 'nourish' you.
My name is Naomi. I have travelled a great deal and lived in West Africa, USA, Jamaica and several places in the UK. I have had an interesting working life and now, in retirement, I am creating a hobby farm. I bought this property in 2021 and honestly some mornings I wake up and think, 'clever me!' and some days I think 'what have I f$*&ing done?' I am tackling a range of farm challenges largely on my own but being blessed with help from some wonderful people along the way.
With this hobby/small-holding farm I have provided enriching/learning experiences, with Workaway ( 2021-2022) and now with Wwoof. In 5 years (2021-2025) I have hosted a total of 149 people. I will host fewer people in 2026 as I will be focussing on my family, some returning wwoofers and my local community.
I pride myself in matching the right 'projects/experiences' to the right skill sets/ages, with a little challenge and freedom to create and surprise yourself. I hope the experience satisfies your thirst for this sort of life and you go away with additional skills and renewed/refreshed enthusiasm. I get the joy of watching you learn and seeing the hobby farm grow and flourish! Typical activities involve picking fruit (gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears, plums and damson), tending to the house garden and allotment areas, mowing and farm development, caring for chickens and ducks and whatever project is underway (sunflower garden, new growing areas, pond, plant sale/exchange, river defences, new raised beds in the 'wine garden', composting toilet, bridge and tree house in 2026). I will probably make some of the following; sourdough and other bread dishes, cheese, wine, pasta, jam, marmalade, pickles, sausages, dehydrated produces, cakes, pies etc, during your stay, and will be happy to show you the process.
My neighbours are really lovely and from time to time I encourage my wwoofers to assist them (about 5-10 days a year) with hedge cutting, planting or weeding, usually in exchange for manure or shopping trips. I also encourage volunteers to use the community shopping bus on Wednesday/Saturday and partake in the general gossip/banter. Please see feedback comments on the range of activities, community involvement/integration and my commitment to a cyclic economy and minimising waste.
The village is small/quiet and only has a single daily bus service to Carmarthen (an extra mid-day shopping service on Wed and Sat but none on Sunday). Carmarthen is 8 miles away, about 13-15 mins drive. Carmarthen has a good train service to other parts of Wales and UK. Taxis are available but they are more expensive and need to be booked to avoid disappointment. I don't drive but have several (busy working) friends who might help out from time to time with pick-up/drop-off or outings.
I can only offer wwoofing experiences because I supplement my small pension by renting out the static caravan further up in the farm, 2 garage/workshops, rooms in the house and a rather nice shepherds hut. So there may be paying visitors during your wwoof time here (or my friends/family), but that shouldn't affect your stay. It may even improve your experience although at times it may feel like organised chaos. Don't panic, I know what's happening and who should be doing what! There is only one rule in the house, don't touch my whiteboard (my vertical brain), otherwise the whole system crashes!
Meals are included in your entire stay. I enjoy cooking simple, hearty, nutritious, balanced meals. I am a fairly low meat eater and I try to be mindful of the animals' contribution so, for example, I make stews which include lots of beans/veg/dumplings and often have several vegetarian meals during the week. I use as much as I can from the garden and the local fruit/vegetable shop. But I also enjoy hosting an occasional BBQ, big roast dinner or a Paella feast. I can cater for vegetarians or any number of allergies or food preferences, as I usually cook from scratch. However if you are gluten-, egg-, lactose-, wheat-free please bring some of what you require. I don't stock shop bought chocolate, biscuits or crisps, so please bring what snacks you enjoy for yourself. I don't provide alcohol (please buy your own) and ask that you don't smoke/vape in the house.
I would appreciate about 25-30 hours assistance per week per person. This is based more on a 'get the agreed job done' basis, than looking at an hourly time, as different people work at different rates. The children's 'work' will include working alongside parent(s) and when that gets boring they can entertain themselves (safely), fetch stuff, do age appropriate jobs, craft projects, feed chickens/ducks, pick fruit or vegetables and cook with me. The weather and the period in the growing season greatly influences the task selection and time available to work. Once the main task is complete the rest of the time is your own to enjoy the farm. I am in a rural setting/village (with a limited bus service) so a car is advisable if you want to explore specific places further away. I always appreciate a little shopping trip. Or you can join me with card/board games/hobbies or social events. I now have a mini gym which you are welcome to use. In any case I will make sure you get your 'down time' and that you are not over or under- stretched! We will find the right/fair balance. And for goodness sake remember I am a lady of advanced years so there will be afternoons I would rather you were occupied with something so I can have a cheeky nap! Hehe
I keep chickens and ducks and incubate small batches of eggs, and in 2025 started hatching for sale. In 2025 I sold 17 chicks and 57 ducklings to local families/friends and this meant more wwoofers were able to see the process. I will hatch fewer animals in 2026 as I may have saturated the local market! In 2024 Woofer Jake made a video of the ducklings first 6 days which you can view on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DXCevF2SSM.
A BBQ/party area is near the river that cuts across the property, near the house. There are also 5 picnic tables dotted about, several places to sit and watch the grass (and wild flowers) grow and a swing by the river. The level area further in, has 2 shipping containers, one is a wine/mead/cider making area and one for garden tool storage. The space in between is now a bar/picnic/wine tasting garden with a splendid feature bottle-wall. I have some 'household use' solar panels and now also have two off-grid systems.
The main house is small(ish). I can only offer you one/two rooms in the cottage with good wifi/internet. The rooms contain a comfortable double bed and are large enough to put two smaller beds in, if a family/friend group want to stay together. There is a toilet on that floor, with the main bathroom downstairs. I have a separate but connected bedroom/living area. I am happy to supply bedding and towels but ask you bring your own personal washing supplies.
The views are very relaxing and peaceful. If you need noisy/busy entertainment this is not the place for you. If you long for fresh air and quiet reflection, with the sound of only a river in the background (and rather noisy ducks/cockerel and the odd chainsaw at 8am! Oh country life) then you won't be disappointed.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Poultry farming
Beekeeping
Cheesemaking
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Bakery
Renewable energy production
Methods or systems
Holistic management
No-till farming
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
8.9
Hectares
|
22
Acres
