Tao Weilundemo

I'm looking for one volunteer from now(late August 2015) through mid-October, though if you can only stay a week or two I'm open to that as well. The volunteer will be provided room and board in exchange for 20 hours of work per week. They will have their own small furnished straw bale cabin to stay in.

I am specifically looking for help in the garden. I need help weeding, watering, harvesting, and then canning, dehydrating, and pickling the produce. No previous experience is necessary.

I'm also in the process of building a rainwater cistern with another volunteer and you would be able to get a little experience with that as well.

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I'm in my 6th year of building a sustainable bed & breakfast, education center, and retreat in rural central Missouri from the ground up. The goal is to create an environment for people to remove themselves from the often chaotic and unhealthy cacophony of modern society and to reconnect with nature while also exploring ways of living simpler, healthier, and generally more conscientious and fulfilling lives.

I will eventually host different types of organized group activities such as training courses, skill-shares, meditation retreats, potlucks and other social gatherings. I am not an expert on most of what I am attempting, but I am rapidly accumulating knowledge and experience of what works here since I arrived in 2009 and I gladly share it with anyone who is interested.

www.MayaCreek.org

I'm still taking applications for this position.

Are they going to be large trees? Did it look like the roots were growing into the original soil underneath the berm at all?

I live in central Missouri(Zone 5B) and I'd like to plant a nut orchard with chestnut, improved hickory, walnuts, and hazels. The area I'd be planting already has some hickory growing on it along with some oaks and small maples. It's on a slightly sloping ridge where the soil is maybe a couple of inches of darker clay soil and then underneath is orange heavy clay soil. I imagine the hickories will do fine, but I'm concerned about drainage for the other trees.

I read a few places on the forums here that planting into mounds made up of soil with a relatively high clay content so it bonds to the regular soil underneath can work. Right now I'm thinking that I'd build swales and plant the trees along the tops of the berms, but how deep do you think the mounds should be? Should I widen the berms around where I'd plant the trees? If so, how much? And since these trees will potentially be 50' tall, should I be concerned with them not anchoring well and falling over?

I'm in my 6th year of building a sustainable bed & breakfast, education center, and retreat in rural central Missouri from the ground up. The goal is to create an environment for people to remove themselves from the often chaotic and unhealthy cacophony of modern society and to reconnect with nature while also exploring ways of living simpler, healthier, and generally more conscientious and fulfilling lives.

I will eventually host different types of organized group activities such as training courses, skill-shares, meditation retreats, potlucks and other social gatherings. I am not an expert on most of what I am attempting, but I am rapidly accumulating knowledge and experience of what works here since I arrived in 2009 and I gladly share it with anyone who is interested.

Maya Creek Website

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***LOOKING FOR 1 LONG-TERM VOLUNTEER FOR 2015***

I'm looking for one long-term volunteer for 2015 from April through October, though I’m flexible on those dates. The volunteer will be provided room and board in exchange for 20 hours of work per week.

I am specifically looking for help in the garden and food forest as well as with preserving the harvest. No previous experience is necessary. Duties would include planting, pruning, weeding, watering, pest and disease control, and harvesting.

Secondarily, I'll need some help on natural building projects, such as finishing construction on the rainwater cistern and filtration system, as well as mixing and applying a finish coat of earthen plaster and earthen floor to the straw bale common house.

The volunteer should have their own vehicle and not have a very restrictive diet(ie vegan, raw food, gluten-free).

More Info on the Volunteer Information page

This position has been filled. Thanks to all those that applied.

I'm taking it slow this year, but it's still much easier and more fun to get things done with at least one other pair of hands. I can offer room, board, a small stipend, hands-on experience with organic gardening, permaculture, and construction, a beautiful piece of woodland to explore, a pond to swim in, a relaxed atmosphere, and some good company in exchange for your assistance on different projects and chores around Maya Creek.

Description

The work includes help with planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and preserving the 3,000 sq. ft. organic no-till garden. The critical project that needs to get done this year is to finish the 3,500 gallon concrete rainwater cistern. The hole has been dug, though it will need some more shaping. There may also be some work done on the shed and various other projects.

Other tasks will include things like helping to load/unload manure to build compost piles, general clean up, watering/harvesting shiitake mushroom logs, and taking care of the dog and cat if I'm away. We will either share or take turns cooking and doing dishes.

Having cooking experience is a plus, though I don't mind teaching what I know. You will need to be in moderately good physical shape, ie able to lift 50lbs. Based on my goals for the year I expect we'll have a leisurely work pace, but if you find yourself tired or feel overworked I expect you to tell me and we'll slow things down. I prefer a non-smoker and that you not be in the habit of abusing other substances.

Workload Expectations

I'm looking for someone who can start in April or May and who can stay for at least 4 months, although you're welcome to stay on up through October. I expect that we'll be putting in 20-30 hours of work most weeks, which will includes things like cooking, dishes, laundry, as well as the gardening/construction work.

I'll be gone for a week here and there during your stay, in which case I only ask that while I'm gone you do general maintenance ie, take care of the dog and cat, take out the garbage, clean up after yourself, etc. I'm also flexible if you would like to take some time off for trips during your time here though I ask you that give me as much notice as you can.

Housing

You will be given the other side of the straw bale duplex, which is roughly 180 sq. ft. including the loft area. There is no finish plaster on the walls or floor, but it will keep you dry and cool in the hot summer. There will be a full-size mattress and some basic shelving provided to you.

Food

I typically make mostly vegetarian meals, though I am flexible to your dietary needs or wants. Once the garden produce starts coming in we'll likely be eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables from there. All reasonable food requests will be provided, unreasonable requests would be things like filet mignon, caviar, microwave dinners, etc. Also, candy and beer are not included, though there will likely be some just don't count on it. I have a large collection of homemade wine that I'll gladly share.

Stipend

I will provide $100/month cash on the 1st of each month. If you stay at least 4 months as I'm asking, I will give an additional $100/month for each month that you've worked here. For example, if you stay 5 months, I will give you $500 when you leave.

To Apply

First, visit my website, www.MayaCreek.org and look around to make sure it looks like something you're interested. Then if you're still interested in the position, please send me an e-mail about yourself and why you're interested in it to tao@mayacreek.org. Please let me know about any skills or knowledge you have that may apply to working and/or living out here. Also, I ask that you include 2 people as references.

Hi, we're building a root cellar 6'x12'x7'. It's inside a new shed so it has about 10 feet of overhang from any wall and is up on a ridge so flooding should not be an issue. The soil is heavy clay.

My question is, do we really need to do anything to shore up the walls? Can we just leave them bare or is there a risk of collapse or other issues we're not considering?

Thanks for any input!