Heartwood Farm is a 7 acre property at Newrybar in the Byron Bay Hinterland. The farm includes a mixed orchard, an intensive market garden, pasture, and a rainforest revegetation project, all managed organically.
WWOOFers will be exposed to the techniques of intensive organic fruit and vegetable production, including green manuring, composting, and crop rotation, along with rainforest regeneration. Heartwood is still in its development phase, so WWOOFers will also be exposed to a sustainability-focused design process emerging from landscape and climate observations of this unique location.
We are getting on in years, and need some assistance with the work required in running an intensive smallholding. Paul, who does most of the farm work, worked in horticulture and landscaping for over a decade, 30 years ago, before a career change to the healthcare industry. He has been gardening for 45 years, first developing an interest in alternative agriculture (organic and permaculture) in the 1970s. He has established school and community vegetable gardens in Sydney, and spent 20 years involved in a community bush regeneration project. While he is still very much learning particularly about commercial market gardening, he wishes to pass on his horticultural knowledge and skills.
We require someone to do 15 hours volunteering on the property in exchange for free caravan accommodation. The caravan is private with all facilities plus wi-fi. We are situated 10 minutes drive from the beach and 15 minutes from Byron itself. However public transport is non-existent, and the stay is best suited to someone with their own transport.
Organic/Biological methods we use
Green manuring, crop rotation, composting, seed saving, mulching, companion planting, biological pest management, focus on biodiversity, landscape process observation
