Come help us with our social media project at the farm !

United States

5

You can learn alot if you're willing to work. But pay attention to visa requirements.

5 days ago

Spain

5

From the first day, I was welcomed with unparalleled kindness, and they made me feel part of their family. The love and enthusiasm with which Michelle lives her day to day is very noticeable, with her family and community being the most important thing for her. What surprised me most was the quality of the food. Almost everything we ate was raised and grown on the farm itself, and cooked in a home-cooked way. I have unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for rural life. If you are looking for an authentic, enriching and learning experience, this is the ideal option.

11 months ago

Michelle replied

Thank you so much for your willingness and trust to become a part of our community. I am especially grateful for all the time you spent becoming family to William and myself. I can't wait to bring him with me one day to meet in person again. You are always welcome back. Anytime, this is your home from home.

Chile

1

Mi habitación era un depósito frío, oscuro, lleno de bolsas y arañas. Y terminé realizando labores de empleada doméstica; limpiar, ordenar, y muchas otras cosas, además de cuidar al nieto de Michelle, un bebé cuyo abandono partía el alma. No había instrucciones claras, ni horarios,ni herramientas necesarias. Las bicicletas no existen, y almuerzos/cenas eran chatarra (pizza, hamburguesa, fideos). Michelle me echó abruptamente por WhatsApp, diciendo que "no encajaba" y se negó a hablar, sabiendo que no tenía dinero ni dónde ir. Otra voluntaria duró -4 días, nos fuimos juntas. Tengo registros.

about 1 year ago

Michelle replied

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m genuinely sorry to hear that your experience with us was not as positive as we had hoped.

I understand that adapting to a new environment can be challenging, and I regret that you did not feel at ease during your time here. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all our volunteers, and it’s disheartening to learn that you felt disconnected. I am confused to why you stayed so long with this negative experience and only left after being asked to leave. I even tried to help you find another placement, but you refused.

I want to clarify a few points that might provide some additional context. When you arrived, you came with the intention to assist with our website writing. Given your background as a journalist, I hoped for a collaborative approach, including asking questions and engaging with the tasks at hand. After 17 days without any contributions or inquiries, I felt it was best to part ways, as I had hoped for a more active involvement. Yes, it was very chaotic with your schedule and lack of involvement. I do have bikes and kayaks for my guests to use, but you would have to ask. I did offer.

Our commitment to providing a comfortable environment extends to our meals, which are homemade with care, and our home, which has been lovingly maintained since 1997. We genuinely enjoy sharing our family traditions, including homemade meals and cultural activities, with our volunteers. It’s unfortunate that these efforts did not meet your expectations. We went sightseeing, camping for a week, swimming in a creek and group ice cream breaks at our local shop. We shared Christmas in July having a Ukranian Christmas Supper, a Mexican Feista and plenty of activities including gifts for you. Our burgers were homemade with beef raised on our farm. The pizza dough was made from scratch with homemade tomato sauce. The pasta was also made by hand. All of this in the 17 days you were here.

Despite our best efforts to include you in various activities and events, it seems there was a disconnect. Our goal is always to ensure that every volunteer feels valued and engaged. We only had two volunteers that came to work on the website and the other just finished his stay with us. Our agricultural students are paid interns and are very safe. The meals are geared to them. I feed several 20 year olds who are physically working on 5000 acre farm. They are well fed. Our crops are put in on time, our garden is sowed on schedule, our animals are cared for. We have proudly hosted over 100 "students" in the past 12 years and keep in touch with almost all. These students are family to us and share their families too as well as culture and recipes. My grandson is priviledged to be surrounded by a multicultural group that we call family.

We appreciate the feedback and will take it into account to improve future experiences for volunteers. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and hope you find a setting that better aligns with your expectations and needs.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m genuinely sorry to hear that your experience with us was not as positive as we had hoped.


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