Small holding - organic vegetable garden with fruit tree nursery

Midlothian
Small holding - organic vegetable garden with fruit tree nursery
Small holding - organic vegetable garden with fruit tree nursery Small holding - organic vegetable garden with fruit tree nursery
6 Updated 8 days ago
Hello, my name is Chris, I am an orchardist and community food grower. I am fortunate to have an acre of land which I am developing into a fruit and veg growing project with a food forest and a tree nursery. The location of the small holding is in sunny woodland clearing by the River Esk on the outskirts of the town of Penicuik, a town 10 miles south of Edinburgh. I live with my housemate/lodger, Jasper. For transport, there are regular bus service between Penicuik and Edinburgh. This summer we are undertaking a timber frame project with a living roof, 13m by 6m in size. There is an opportunity to learn wood working skills and the construction of a living roof build. Beyond the timber framing, the main jobs are around food growing from weeding to mulching, fruit tree care, and willow hurdle making. We would welcome your help of 5 hours a day for 5 days a week. Accommodation is in a tent, with access to the house with shower/toilet, lounge and kitchen etc. There is also internet access and good phone coverage. Opportunity to have meals together. I am enthusiastic about my hobbies of cycling, dancing (always happy to share the fun of a ceilidh), frisby, ceramics, outdoor swimming. I can share my knowledge in tree care from pruning and grafting. I can offer insights into woodland bird song and calls. You will be able to get a loan of a bike, access to a reservoir for a swim, invites to a ceilidh. Amenities in Penicuik include: leisure centre, community cinema, community shop, pub, bus stop to Edinburgh, all are just 5mins walk away. There are lots of woodland walks around Penicuik and nearby towns of Pebbles and Roslin, there are 2 ancient and giant sweet chestnut trees. I previously have had extended trips wwoofing in France, Italy, NZ and Japan. I am new to being a wwoof host and I look forward to welcoming you here.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Wild foraging
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Traditional crafts
Green Building
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Holistic management
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
Former WWOOFer
0.4 Hectares | 0.9 Acres
Accommodation
2 WWOOFers
Campsite
Children not accepted
Pets accepted
Meals
Omnivore
Vegetarian
Vegan
Length of stay
1 day (local)
Weekend
Less than a week
1-2 weeks
3-4 weeks
Over a month
Chris
Chris
Member since 2026
Languages spoken: English
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 3 days
Midlothian
Edinburgh Waverly train station and Edinburgh bus station is 10 miles away.
Feedback
Nerea
Nerea
Spain • August 2026
If I had to choose my first WWOOFing, I would definitely choose Penicuik with Chris again! I have learned many new things, contributed to the projects that are going on, shared conversations, delicious food, swims, ceilidh and many other good moments with Chris, my "wwoofermate", and with all the people I met in Bankmill, creating a little and a lovely community for a week. I left Penicuik with my backpack full of things I learned and good memories, so I can only say: thank you for choosing me, Chris and I hope to see you again someday!
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Eléonor
Eléonor
France • August 2026
What a great first wwoof ! We were 2 wwoofers, who didn’t know each other and Chris welcomed us very warmly (and taking us to ceilidh on the first night haha) I did different activities along the stay : harvesting, planting, weeding … and also quite a lot of painting 😉 Everything is a very fun atmosphere, with often croissants for the break ! I stayed in my campervan, and I had my dog Maïko with me. It brings me Such joy when my dog is at least as welcome as me. So thank you Chris for having been so nice to him, and for sharing your knowledge and your different activities with me !!!
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Rachel
Rachel
United Kingdom • August 2026
Communication was very good for setting up our visit. Chris was a very welcoming, friendly host who was patient and generous with his time. My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our day helping out, and lunch was first class. We hope to go back sometime. Thanks, Chris!
Agathe
Agathe
France • August 2026
Chris est un hôte absolument formidable, je le recommande sans hésitation ! Je suis restée chez lui moins d'une semaine mais cela a suffit à faire toutes les activités proposées dans la description (voire d'autres encore : Ceilidh, vélo, nage, marche, repas avec des amis ou de la famille, etc). Dormir dans la tente s'avère confortable (on est légèrement bercé par le bruit de la rivière en fond et la maison reste accessible tout le temps en cas de besoin) . Le jardin est très agréable, les tâches variables et établies en fonction des besoins et des envies. Je remercie encore Chris (et Sarah, colocataire provisoire pendant mon séjour) pour leur patience avec mon anglais, les anecdotes internationales, les bons plats et leur générosité en général.
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Chloe
Chloe
United Kingdom • August 2026
We had such a lovely stay with Chris! From the moment we arrived, he made us feel really welcome and at home. He took the time to explain everything clearly, and we enjoyed getting stuck into the different projects and learning new skills. The work was enjoyable and varied, and there was always a good balance between helping out and having time to relax and explore. Chris was incredibly generous with his time and even took us to see ceilidh dancing, which was such a fun experience, and to Pentland Hills Regional Park, where we got to enjoy some beautiful scenery. Those are memories we’ll definitely keep with us. We also really appreciated all the delicious meals and the chats together, they made the whole experience feel relaxed and welcoming. Thank you so much for having us and for sharing your home with us. We learned a lot, had a great time, and made some wonderful memories. We’d happily recommend staying with Chris to anyone thinking about WWOOFing and would love to visit again someday. Wishing you all the best with everything in the future! 😊
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Freya
Freya
Denmark • July 2026
We had a wonderful time at Chris beautiful garden! Chris is a really openminded and warm person, who was welcoming and showed us fun experiences during our stay! 🫶 we would 100% recommend visiting him, and helping out with a project ❤️ Cheers, Aksel and Freya