Restoring an old orchard & fruit/Nut/Veg plot on 1.5 acres on the edge of the Somerset Levels.
Somerset
We have moved in to a three bedroom property in rural Somerset. It sits in a quarter acre garden but about a minute's walk away (literally) is the orchard and veg plot, complete with overgrown natural pond. Everything needs a bit of tlc, as the land hasn't been properly tended in possibly two to three years.
I don't think the previous owner specifically cultivated organically, but I have all my life, as did my mother before me (we still have her original Laurence Hills' book from the 60s!!) Inevitably there are compromises to make, so yes we have a ride-on mower, two-stroke strimmer, and so on. But we grow comfrey for fertiliser/mulch, bees not only for the wax and honey but for the orchard. We will be clearing the pond not to make it 'twee' but to allow the water to breathe, as it's been swathed in brambles for some time. We won't be cutting all the orchard moving forward, likely just paths. We're planning to allow the hedges to grow a bit and be taller year by year. We'll preserve fruits and veg, make juices, cider & perry (I say 'we', it'll be me plus whoever volunteers....my son's health hasn't been great for a while so he's unable to help the way we'd planned.)
We have a few hens plus the inevitable cockerel, so eggs come usually in abundance.
We have a dog, a cat and a tearaway-but-learning kitten.
We have two sheep, to help keep the orchard grass down, and to talk to and laugh at!!!!
The list of tasks to do and learn is extensive. Pruning trees, trimming hedges, weeding, digging, creating compost bins (and filling them), collecting manure as available, harvesting wild foods and our cultivated fruit/veg, helping with preserving/drying/storage, cutting firewood. Restoring old greenhouses, putting up a poly tunnel & sheds. That's the outdoor stuff. In the house, we'd love whatever help anyone can give with general DIY/painting etc, even if that's not strictly WWOOFing. But it'll be up to the individual and what they're happy doing.
I'm usually up early but I suppose a start time for work might be 8.30/9am ish? I would expect the WWOOFer to have talked through with me the previous evening what needs doing and have chosen what they'd like to do (I tend to make a long list of what needs doing then offer a choice so the helper is actually going to enjoy their task rather than find it a chore). Happy to have cups of tea, coffee, etc., as work progresses, then aim for lunch 1.30/2? So there's about a 5 hour 'working' day? As far as I'm concerned the single most important thing is that both I and the WWOOFer benefit from the experience, so they need to be happy doing something that will also help me.
*I work part time three days a week but my son is at home much of the time so there's usually someone around.
I don't have hobbies as such, I like board games, preserving, talking (lots!) and interchange of cultures particularly around language. I speak rusting Spanish.
My son Charles loves music, F1, rugby, and is a native Spanish speaker. As we've only just moved in I'm no expert at the local area, but I do know Somerset has lots to offer, particularly if you have your own transport, even a bike. We have bikes you can borrow if you feel inclined.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Poultry farming
Beekeeping
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Bakery
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
0.6
Hectares
|
1.5
Acres
Fiona
Member since 2023
Languages spoken:
English, Spanish
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Response rate: 0%
Somerset
Train station: Taunton, Airport: Bristol or Exeter. Bus station: Ilchester/Ilminster, Taunton
My past WWOOFers
Maren
September 2023
•
California, United States
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