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.

Sadly It is getting very difficult for volunteers from many countries, especially from Africa, to obtain a visa for the UK. We cannot assist with any such visa applications, so unless you have a pre-arranged travellers visa, you need not apply.

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.

Top Host
This host receives a lot of worldpackers and has a high average rating.

Reviews

5.0
(31 reviews)31

Staff & Host

5.0

Hours & Tasks

4.5

Hostel

4.5

Learning & Fun

4.5

Mexico

5

Heiko and Susan are a very lovely couple. I'm thankful I was able to learn from them during the time I was volunteering even though there were not many activities as they had a previous voluunter. Fynn is a very lovely dog, it was amazing being able to walk with him everyday, to learn about nature, specially plants. Heiko wrote a book about them and is just fascinating everything that he has done and the volunteers he has welcome in his home. I can not wait to see the next project that he has taking place. I felt safe and home during my stay and I appreciate all the conversations we had.

5 months ago

Spain

5

Being a volunteer in Heiko and Susan’s house was an incredible experience. They’re such an amazing people, always open to help and to share their knowledge about plants and permaculture. Not only you are going to learn about plants, but also about life. They have an incredible life that will teach you a lot about life experience.
The work is very easy and sometimes even relaxing and there is not a lot of work to do.
Finn, their dog, is just amazing and will help you to feel at home since the first day.
If you love being in nature this is definitely your place. I highly recommend staying wi

7 months ago

United States

5

I had a lovely stay with Heiko and Susan on their farm. The work load was light and I found many of the tasks meditative. This experience is exactly what i needed right now and I am truly grateful for it. The microclimate of the peninsula was surprisingly pleasant. (Best weather I have experienced on the island of Ireland). In addition, it was great working in an environment without the worries of snakes and ticks around . Lastly, it was a delight playing with their border collie Finn each day . I hope to come back to Northern Ireland one day to see how their eco village turns out .ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

8 months ago

Spain

5

Mi estancia con Heiko y Susan ha sido simplemente maravillosa. Son dos muy buenas personas con las que es muy fácil convivir. Se preocupan por ti y quieren que estés a gusto. Las conversaciones con ellos son siempre muy interesantes y divertidas.
Estar con ellos es como sentir la paz del hogar. Llevan un estilo de vida tranquilo y la casa está llena de naturaleza y verdor. Es un lugar muy bonito para vivir. Además, el perro Finn es muy bueno y cariñoso.
Sobre todo recomiendo este lugar por lo amables y hospitalarios que son Heiko y Susan. Durante este tiempo he sido un irlandés más. Gracias

9 months ago

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!






12 months ago


Perfect for you if you're looking for

Contact with nature

Rural

Contact with animals

Beach