Permaferry

We are a 1 acre permaculture smallholding growing a variety of fruit and vegetables in mixed poly-cultures. We also forage a lot of our food in the wild and eat many of our weeds. If you are interested in learning about REAL natural food production, we are your place.

We are also in the process of setting up an eco-village 2 miles from our property. Building has not yet begun, but we have started planting young trees. This year we will be spending a lot of time planting more trees and maintaining the ones already planted.

We prefer volunteers with a reasonable level of English. Our system is complex and we have had too many incidences of people not understanding instructions correctly and 'weeding' out actual food plants.

We are a 60-something couple. We have hosted hundreds of volunteers and couchsurfers through various channels over the years. We expect anyone joining us to become part of our little micro-community and show independence and initiative. We like people to find their own niche and see jobs that need to be done, rather than us having to constantly find you something to do. We prefer to macro-manage rather than micro-manage, so if you are somebody who needs precise and detailed instructions, we are not your place. You get from the experience what you make from it. We also occasionally need responsible people house sitting for us during short periods we are away. Specifically we will need somebody for October 2023.


Reviews

5.0
(27 reviews)27

Staff & Host

5.0

Hours & Tasks

4.5

Hostel

4.5

Learning & Fun

4.5

Brazil

5

Staying at Heiko's was a blast! He and Susan were awesome hosts, always up for a chat. Despite the weather, hanging out with them was a highlight. And Finn, their playful dog, was a joy to be around—always ready to play fetch! Heiko's cooking was top-notch, and daily beach or park walks with him and Finn were energizing and relaxing. The house wasn't clean and this the only thing I would change. And using a compost toilet might be a problem for some people, but it's all part of the eco-friendly vibe Heiko's got going. Keep an open mind, and you'll have a great time!






about 1 month ago

Canada

5

Heiko and Susan and both lovely people who will make sure you are very comfortable! The accommodation is comfortable and the work is very light and flexible! I truly have nothing but positive things to say about this experience and would recommend for anyone looking to relax and learn new things!

about 2 months ago

China

5

Heiko and Susan are both generous and warm hearted, besides providing a nice room to sleep and variety of good food to fill you up(many of them are fresh from the gardens!), they also care your feeling and daily life. You could learn a lot if you are interested in permaculture, ecovillage, foraging, even cooking, music or anything as Heiko is knowledgeable and full of life experience. The works are neither difficult nor heavy, the schedule is flexible, most of the time I work on my own and at my own pace. I feel very trusted. It would absolut be an unforgettable experience in my life.

7 months ago

Poland

4

Permaferry is a place, where you can learn about sustainability and nature. Heiko has an impressive knowledge about edible wild plants which later he uses in the kitchen too, creating delicious dinner! The stories I heard and experiences I had here made me realise some things about myself and the world. Although weather was usually miserable there, I had fun indoors, reading books from Heiko's library and playing with Finn and Tedd. The things which I did not like were worse than expected living conditions and the fact, that lunch was not provided, while it's stated differently in description.

10 months ago


Heiko replied

Lunch IS provided, it's only that you help yourself to anything that is available and we had plenty of food in the house and garden, which you used plenty of. We are not in the habit of 2 or 3 cooked meals a day. As I said at the outset, you become part of the family with everything that entails. Living conditions are simple to live lightly on the planet and I would have appreciated you using the compost toilet. We are also not wealthy and it costs us a lot of money to host.

United States

4

It wasn't quite what I expected but good none the less! I was able to learn about a way of living I'd never thought of and can appreciate what Heiko and Susan are contributing. Absolutely great people with a wealth of knowledge! If you enter with an open mind, you can learn a lot!

10 months ago


Perfect for you if you're looking for

Contact with nature

Rural

Contact with animals

Beach