Farm Stay Information
I am delighted to be participating in WWOOF, which stands for Worldwide Opportunities On Organic Farms. WWOOF offers people the opportunity to travel the world while living on organic farms, room and board provided. WWOOFers are provided with room and board on my farm in exchange for 25 hours per week of labor on the farm. There is no monetary compensation provided. WWOOFERS will learn about and participate in all aspects of running a small scale organic flower and vegetable farm, and can use their hours of work towards the experience requirement for a USDA farm loan. If you are an agriculture student, we would be happy to work with your college or university on helping you obtain college credits for the farm stay.
About our Farm
My farm is a small, 4 acre certified organic vegetable and flower farm. I grow close to 100 different types of vegetables and flowers, and sell them to a local food co-op, in my farm stand, and through a CSA. I have a part-time employee who lives across the street, and my parents help out on the weekends. 2022 will be my fourth season of farming. You will get to learn about every aspect of the farm operation, from no-till farming techniques, to seed starting, to record keeping for organic certification, to flower arranging, weed management, sowing, propagation, fertilization, harvesting, and bringing produce to market. We have two high tunnels, and you will learn about greenhouse growing.
Times when I can host WWOOFers
I am able to host WWOOFers late February through the end of October. I require at least a one month commitment for any WWOOFER, with longer stays preferred.
Work hours
7am to noon Monday, Tuesday*, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Wednesdays and Sundays off
During CSA season (July 19 through the end of October) Tuesday hours are 10am to 5pm with a one hour lunch break,
two personal days and one sick day are permitted per month. Please notify me of your personal day at least one week in advance.
Minimum commitment of two months, longer stays preferred.
About the surrounding area
The farm is in the center of town in a small rural farming community. We are walking distance from a lake, the post office, a convenience store, the library and the town hall. There are several other small sustainable farms nearby that you could tour during your stay, including a turkey farm, a hemp farm, an apiary, a blueberry farm, an alpaca farm, a dairy farm and a beef farm. My part-time employee, Dustin, operates an apiary across the street and is happy to teach beekeeping to those willing to volunteer at his apiary. My other neighbor is a hemp farmer and manufactures CBD products and is likewise offering volunteering/learning opportunities. We have 50 acres of beautiful woods with paths and streams adjacent to our farm that you can walk in during your time off.
About the Acommodations
I can host up to three WWOOFers at one time. You will have your own bedroom in my 2,800 square foot, three story farm house. You will be sharing a bathroom with one or two other WWOOFers. You will be sharing a kitchen with myself and the other WWOOFers. Your bedroom will have basic essentials such as fans, a window air conditioning unit, a bed, pillows, sheets/blankets, towels, a dresser and closet. I have a ring alarm system installed on the house for home security. There is a clothes washing machine and dryer in the house for you to use. The house has high-speed broadband wifi. I have a cat who lives in the farm house, so this may not be the best fit for you if you have a severe cat allergy. The cat does not go in the WWOOFer bedrooms or bathroom.
You are expected to clean up after yourself, sort your trash and recycling appropriately, wash, dry and put away your own dishes, and spend 30 minutes per week helping with household chores such as vacuuming, cleaning the WWOOFer bathroom, taking out the trash and/or loading the trash into my car to take to the transfer station.
I am having my first baby in early April 2022. The baby and I will mainly sleep at my boyfriend’s house, about a 15 minute drive away from the farm, so that you will not be awoken at night from a crying baby. I will sleep at the farm for the first week of your stay as a WWOOFer to assist you while you are adjusting to living at the farm, and occasionally will sleep at the farm if I am having an early start to my day the next morning.
Pictures of Acommodations (Gallery)
Food
I keep the house stocked with a variety of staples (listed below) that you can use to cook/prepare your own meals. I will occasionally cook lunch or dinner for the WWOOFers, but you will be primarily cooking your own food. If you desire additional food items beyond the staples listed, you may purchase them with your own money and I will provide you with a cabinet or section of the refrigerator to keep your personal food items separate from the communal food. Please reach out if you have food allergies or other dietary needs, I may be able to modify the list of foods to accommodate accordingly.
Food list:
White rice
Brown rice
Pasta
Tomato sauce
Crackers
Potato chips
Tortilla chips
Sweet/dessert item (varies)
Salsa
Whole wheat bread
Dairy milk
Cereal/granola
Shredded cheese
Sliced cheese
Apples and oranges
Onions
Potatoes
Frozen chicken
Frozen ground beef
Frozen hot dogs
Frozen hamburgers
Frozen veggie burgers
Frozen tilapia
Hamburger buns
Canned beans
Tofu
Eggs (local, pasture-raised)
Butter
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Sugar
Salt
Spices
Local raw honey
White flour
Whole wheat flower
Whole rye flower
Whole wheat berries
Whole rye berries
Ketchup
Mustard
Salad dressing
And of course . . .
An abundance of organic vegetables from the farm!
The Kitchen
The kitchen in the farm house includes dishes, all standard cooking utensils, an electric stove, a toaster oven, microwave oven, vita mix blender, food dehydrator, vacuum sealer, and a wide variety of pots, pans and strainers. The kitchen will have all the tools you need to prepare and serve a wonderful meal. It is the WWOOFers responsibility to promptly clean any mess you have created in the kitchen and to throw out any spoiled leftover food.
Pets and Children
Children are allowed to stay with you during your time as a WWOOFer. Well-behaved pets that are up to date on their vaccinations may be considered for staying at the farm.
Languages
I speak English fluently and am conversant in Spanish. Yo hablo ingles perfectamente y yo puedo hablar espanol en una conversacion simple.
How to Apply
Please visit the WWOOF USA website to create an account, find my farm on WWOOF, and send me a message. Also please email a resume, three references, and a cover letter explaining why you wish to stay at Sterling Flower Farm (formerly known as Sterling Organic Farm). Also please email me proof of covid-19 vaccination.
