Your hosts
My wife, Jennifer, and I, Rory, are a retired couple living according to the ethics of permaculture – Care of the Earth, Care of People, distribution of fair share. We moved onto this property in 2024 and are developing it using Permaculture Design Principles.
To date we have installed solar panels, dug a wildlife pond to increase biodiversity, planned fruit and nut trees, and turned the front lawn into a vegetable garden. we will shortly plant over 10,000 trees to create a native forest, build a tunnel house to extend our growing season and dig swales, more ponds, and an orchard. Your help is welcome.
What we ask your help with
The activities we will ask your help with are typically: general landcare, growing vegetables, etc. We also need help implementing our permaculture design. Marking out and digging swales and ponds, constructing a berry house and tunnel house, planting our orchard, pruning, etc. Here is the permaculture design we are planning to implement and need your help with. Much will depend on the time of year you visit.
We ask your help for up to four hours a day (mornings or afternoons) for five days, giving you plenty of time to explore.
Our experience
We hosted volunteers (wwoof) on our farm in New Zealand for many years and know what works for us and for the type of woofers who appreciate what we have to offer. We do not offer an “in your face” experience. Instead, you will live independently to us in our comfortable self-contained flat. You can either self-cater, or we can provide you with food you prepare yourself, most of which will hopefully come from our garden. We will eat together at least once a week.
What is there to do
We live, pretty well in the centre of Ireland in view of the Slieve Bloom Mountains and close to the historic towns of Roscrea, Nenagh, and Birr. The amazing wild west coast is an easy drive only a couple of hours drive away. You will best off with your own transport, although we can give you a lift to Shinrone where you can collect to the local bus service. This will take you to towns with access to the wider train and bus network.
Best time to visit
Winters (November to February) in Ireland are wet and cold and working on the land can be quite unpleasant so most tasks are indoors and not suitable for volunteers. However, if you do not mind the inclement weather then you are welcome to join us as there is always plenty to do.