Volunteer in an experimental and educational farm in the USA

Organic farm, permaculture, gardening, sun, off-grid, agriculture, field, rays, blue sky, px, hospitality exchange, work trade, food and accommodation

Come have the learning experience of a lifetime!

prince bay farmPrince Bay Farm volunteer project โ€“ An experimental and educational farm, we are working to bring a high level of self-sufficiency here and to share our knowledge with our visitors. We offer farm-stay/English immersion vacation packages so folks can spend their holiday relaxing on a peaceful farm while improving their language skills. This is the farm’s 12th year hosting visitors. Fifty-two countries represented and over 450 folks staying, all have helped make the farm a better place. They have laughed, learned, sweated, grown and eaten some great food. We hope all that spend time here will take something positive away with them. Looking forward to another year of great helpers & guests!

General information

The Prince Family has been in the Carolina low-country since the 1670s, and here on this property since 1799. The farm and family have seen many changes throughout the centuries, and is looking to the future!
An experimental and educational farm, we are working to bring a high level of self-sufficiency here and to share our knowledge with our visitors. We offer farm-stay/English immersion vacation packages so folks can spend their holiday relaxing on a peaceful farm while improving their language skills. This is the farm’s 11th year hosting visitors. Fifty countries represented and over 475 folks staying, all have helped make the farm a better place. They have laughed, learned, sweated, grown and eaten some great food. We hope all that spend time here will take something positive away with them. Looking forward to another year of great helpers & guests!

Located in the Carolina Lowcountry, on the NC/SC border in the lower coastal plain, the farm is 30 miles NW of Myrtle Beach, SC, just outside a small rural town. I own 125+ acres of mixed pine/hardwood forest and fields, and a large 2-story 1880s farmhouse–the land has been in our family since 1799. We’re getting it back to the level of self-sufficiency of my great-grandparents’ day.

The property

The property has a small pond, an extensive network of trails (several miles), fruit (plum, persimmon, gooseberry, quince, loquat, apple, serviceberry, fig, black currant, hardy kiwi, pomegranate, elderberry, pawpaw, pear) and nut (pecan, chestnut, hazelnut) trees, grapevines, sugarcane, blackberry, raspberry & blueberry bushes, friendly barn cats, poultry (chickens, ducks, guineas, bantams), two goats (Pan & Puck), two Great Pyrenees dogs (Max & Dale), lots of wildlife, as well as a zone 8 growing season(4 season garden).
Current projects include organic raised bed & field mixed veg gardening, mixed flower and herb (edible & medicinal) gardens, high tunnel, straw bale & traditional cold frames, exotic plants–ethnobotany, permaculture, wildcrafting, mycoculture, mulching, composting, drainage projects/ditching, trail clearing and construction, recycled pallet and bamboo construction, remodeling the 1880s farmhouse, pecan, chestnut, blueberry, blackberry and grape & fruit harvesting, chickens, geese, landscaping, composting and a small nursery. Open to trying any new ideas, and always have something going on.

When we need volunteers

Times when we really need volunteers (from 3-8 people) are during the spring & summer season when things are the busiest. I accept volunteers during the off-season, but in limited numbers (2-3). Guests accepted year-round for farm-stays and English-immersion stays.

Things to do in your free time

I have a library of 10k+ volumes, covering a myriad of topics, plus most friends refer to me as a walking encyclopedia.

More information

An old hippie (56yo) from the Rainbow Family, I moved back to the Carolinas to run the farm and help my mom who had Alzheimer’s.
We are continually reshaping the property to self-sufficiency after a couple of decades of neglect. The farm contains a quail habitat conservation area, as well as Prince Bay, one of the many Carolina Bays that dot the southern coastal plain, a truly unique ecosystem of abundant fauna and rare flora.

volunteers, organic farm, wwoof, wwoofer, exchange, hospitality, united states, usa, self-sufficiency

Requisites

Looking for volunteers wanting to learn as well as helping out, 2 weeks minimum. If you contact me for a long-term stay, please follow through. Long-term stays are preferable only during the slow months. For long-term volunteers, I will sit down with you after a week to discuss how things are working out.

No alcohol on the farm.

I am a tree-hugging pagan hippie, so like-minded folks are appreciated. Participate in HipCamp & Couchsurfing and may have CSers visit from time to time. Myrtle Beach, the Grand Strand, is just down the road and is a huge tourist destination with almost everything imaginable thing you could want to do available. Lake Waccamaw and several rivers are also a short distance away.

How to reach the location

The closest train station is in Dillon, SC, approx. 1 hr from the farm. The nearest airport is Myrtle Beach, SC, approx. 1 hr. away. The closest train station is in Whiteville, NC, approx. 30 minutes from the farm (due to the covid pandemic, we are not accepting anyone travelling by bus). These are the only arrival spots from which I will pick you up. If you need to be picked up & dropped off, expect to pay about half of what Uber/Lyft would charge for the same trip.

Other things to keep in mind

I get many requests from volunteers each month and due to limited space, I can only accommodate a few… all requests are first-come, first-serve… when I accept someone for a stint on the farm, another is turned down…

Thus, every time I have a no-show or folks who fail to honour their commitment, it means that:

  1. Someone else was denied the time slot and opportunity to experience the farm;
  2. Projects have to be postponed;
  3. Perishable food purchased to feed the volunteers may go to waste;

Remember, I can’t snap our fingers and magically replace the volunteer at short notice… So, prospective volunteers, I count on you to follow through when you agree to help here…
Peace
Come join the crew!!!


CONTACT DETAILS ๐Ÿ”๐Ÿ“ง How to apply?


Thanks for visiting Prince Bay farm’s FB page, please ‘like’ it… The ‘photos’ section contains tons of pics of the farm and the fantastic volunteers hosted here, plus projects they’ve worked on while visiting… See our Blogspot page for the farm rules/guidelines, projects, feedback, etc…

Facebook page:ย https://www.facebook.com/princebayfarm

Please send links to your Facebook profiles for each person wishing to volunteer. โ—

Website: https://princebayfarm.blogspot.com/

When writing as to the availability of positions, include the dates you wish to visit the farm and your mode of transportation to get here. I prefer that folks driving in arrive on a Saturday. Keep this in mind when you contact me for a position.
A questionnaire will be sent to all prospective volunteers.

Video introduction to the farm:

 

Old video:

 

This announcement was posted by Nicholas on our FB volunteer group


See more volunteering opportunities in the USA

Go to the Organic farm section



Author: Voluntouring staff

Become a voluntourist and explore meaningful travel experiences worldwide! Discover volunteer opportunities that allow you to give back while you travel. New opportunities are added daily. Visit us at www.voluntouring.org and stay updated by following us on Facebook!

1 thought on “Volunteer in an experimental and educational farm in the USA

  1. Hello,
    my boyfriend and I want to have job experience in the USA, also communicate with native speakers and to do something good for the world.
    How do you like it?

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