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Host 7681 |
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Devon
All Year: Yes
Area (ha): 2.4
Persons: 1 or 2 sometimes 3
Category: Organic Farmstay
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Host ID: 7681
Region: England
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Last Updated: May 21, 2013
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We are now fully booked for 2013, we will be looking for help again early in 2014, and we look forward to hearing from any volunteers after the New Year.
Due to our lifestyle we believe it would be hypocritical to host vegetarians, so please only apply if you are happy to eat home grown free range meat.
We are 4.5 years into setting up a 6-acre smallholding in West Devon, a lengthy all consuming project. The land has many natural springs, a small lake, paddocks and a 2-acre wood. It is situated in a small village called Clawton, between Holsworthy and Launceston, approx 12 miles from the beautiful beaches around Bude and 20 miles from Dartmoor, ideally situated for surfers and walkers. There is limited public transport but there are buses to Bude and Exeter from the next village throughout the day.
We have 30 egg laying chickens, with 1 Welsummer cockerel called Batman who has been forced into retirement by his son Robin who is enjoying his time in charge. We have a 1 year old British Blue calf called Bluebell, and a 13 month old Limousin bullock called Boris. Also 2 pigs for breeding, Phlox who is an Oxford Sandy and Black one of the rare breeds and Mrs B, a Saddleback look alike, and some little girl Saddlebacks.
Our first Bee Hive produced 24lbs of honey the year before last, but unfortunately did not survive the autumn wasp attack, we hope to get some more this year.
Our aim is to be as self sufficient as possible, we have one large polytunnel to extend the growing season and another smaller one for this years onions and garlic. We have planted an orchard, we chose very old varieties of apples from the local area to be as traditional as possible, as well as other tree and soft fruits. Unfortunately the terrible wet weather has all but destroyed our efforts, so onward and upward.
Our accommodation is usually a king size bed in the main house with us but when we have lots of helpers the last booked is in a single z bed in my sewing room, all meals will taken with Sally, Pete and Sally's mum Stella, life is lived pretty much as a working family.
There are a large range of jobs and we plan each day from a massive "to do" list once we see what the weather is like, we are looking for flexible people who are willing to have a go at all different types of jobs, even if they have not done them before, some of which will require muscles and determination. It can be heavy work, so if you are strong it will be a great advantage, but we never ask people to do anything beyond their ability. We need assistance in filling raised beds with manure,digging trenches for services, making a path and putting up an industrial size fruit cage, all this as well as the general day to day animal care, household chores and gardening jobs. During wet weather there is not always work to do so be prepared to enjoy a less busy day on some of the rainy days. The soil is clay so can be heavy to work and challenging in wet weather.
Ideally we would like people to work approx 6 hours a day, 5 days a week in return for all meals and accommodation, the work is done in spells throughout the day, not as one 6 hour session, due to the needs of such a wide variety of animals,the weather, and the need for frequent tea breaks in the English traditon, the last jobs of the day are helping Stella wash up the dinner dishes and make sure all the chickens are safely locked up in their coops. Days off are by group agreement to make sure we always have some helpers working, and are not necessarily at weekends as animals need looking after 7 days a week.
We look forward to giving a warm Devon welcome to our helpers.
We have wireless internet access, but slow download speed, because of our monthly useage allowance Helpers may only use the internet for Facebook, Skype or e mail. Please be certain you are prepared to live without downloading or streaming TV/films etc as we rely on our internet for our business. There is a TV in the room for playing DVD's, and we have a good supply of them, along with tea and coffee making facilities if required.
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