How to Get Involved
A working homestead has a never ending list of projects. Getting dirty, doing hard work, seeing beautiful things, and marveling at nature are par for the course. For those yearning to learn new skills, experience the joys of growing food or seeing what it takes to make our place thrive, we encourage you to contact us.
Volunteer/
WWOOF
Join us for fun, learning, job training, and a good time on the mountainside under the sun and stars. Contact us directly to volunteer once or on an ongoing basis, workplace volunteerism or for a longer college credit internship (40-120 hrs depending on your university’s requirements).
Behind-the-Scenes Homestead Family Friendly Tour
Customized 1.5 hour walk n talk across our hills and through our home
Email us to learn more and sign up, space is limited. Come and learn what it takes to live on a homestead, from food growing and preservation, to infrastructure, and animal husbandry on a partial off-grid mountainstead.
Come Visit Us
Find us on AirBnB
Book a stay through Air BnB starting at $65/night.
Guests climb a ladder to the third floor guest room and sleep under the stars next to a large picture window. Explore and experience our partially off grid mountainside homestead under renovation. You are guaranteed an unparalleled experience in a home that looks and functions differently from typical homes.
Sturdy shoes and the ability to climb a ladder to the guest room are required.
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Weekend Homesteader
Customized weekend homesteader immersion for the fearful or intrepid, scaled to your interests and abilities. Try your hand at living as we live. Itinerary is seasonal and includes indoor and outdoor activities such as feeding the sheep, collecting duck eggs, working in the terraced garden, food preservation, moving fence, earthworks for erosion control, baking artisan bread, seed starting, collecting and cooking maple sap, foraging for wild foods. Includes your very own pair of gardening gloves, a cozy place to sleep, all meals, and free time each day to rest and relax. Friday - Sunday 11am. Maximum two people willing to share a bed. Contact us to book through AirBnB.
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Artisan Shopping Excursion
Book a customized day-long shopping excursion with a local who is a former art director from Los Angeles, starting at $145/person. West Virginia, known for its traditional arts such as glass, pottery, textiles, wood, basketry, and jewelry, features a mountainous landscape and strong regional culture. We will make it easy to find WV artisans across the countryside and discover fantastic treasures to take home.
Rate includes a farm fresh brown bag lunch or upgrade to dinner. Add-ons such as local wine tasting and van rental can be built in. Insurance is included through AirBnb.
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Contribute to the Legacy Garden
If you would like to contribute plants or seeds in the name of a gardener, please contact us. Plants may come and go, ephemeral with the seasons, but the legacy of a woman’s hands in the soil and her character goes on forever here at the Legacy Garden. The Legacy Garden honors all women who garden. It was dedicated May 19, 2019 in the memory of Elena Sette Bruning, Margaret’s dear mother who many came to call Mom.
Mountainstead(ing)
Life on the hillside is different than on flatter terrain. David has learned to build structures on slopes. Margaret gardens on terraced rows. We’re always walking up or down hill. A while back we rented an excavator and made a flat spot for three things: a high tunnel (unheated greenhouse), a barn (under construction), and a flat spot for our picnic table
Bees
We got bees in 2018 after taking a series of classes in town at S&T’s Bees. Our volunteer Max was checking things out during the fall. When the temps drop below 50F the bees cluster in the hive to conserve energy and stay warm. For winter, David elevates the back of the hive and he puts an insulation board under the lid. He stays out all winter, careful to not “wake” the bees up which consumes energy and honey stores.
Ducks
Duck eggs have 50% more nutrients, less water and are richer than chicken eggs. They’re also bigger and make excellent baked goods due to their higher protein and fat content. Our ducks are feed a premium soy-free organic feed and are available every week at The Charm Farm Market and Butcher in downtown Elkins.
Please contact us if you’re interested in eggs.
Maple Syrup
February means maple syrup. But to get there, we tap trees and boil many gallons of clear sap into thick and delicious syrup. We like to think ours is something special, to learn more about the process and tasting notes from our 2019 batches.