Volunteer at Starcross
There are many ways that folks come to volunteer at Starcross.
Many families or individuals come for one-time, half or full-day volunteer activities,
while some people choose to stay with us for longer for Harvesting Retreats or
as Farm Interns with WWOOF-USA or WorkAway.
We invite you to contact us directly about any questions you have about volunteer opportunities.
WWOOF USA
We are a host with WWOOF-USA®. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (WWOOF-USA®) is part of a worldwide effort to link visitors with organic farmers, promote an educational exchange, and build a global community conscious of ecological farming practices.
Are you a WWOOFer? Connect with us!
WorkAway
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We are also a host site with WorkAway. Their mission is "Building a sharing community of global travellers who genuinely want to see the world whilst contributing to the places they visit." We have many folks who find us through this program who are looking for volunteer opportunities connected to agriculture, and beyond.
Ecological Projects
Our volunteers help with a variety of ecological projects. This includes clearing hiking trails through the protected “Forever Wild” forest land. Planting, weeding, watering little Redwood seedlings for the new Redwood grove being established. Repairing fences and making fire breaks around the native grassland pastures while removing invasive weeds. Protecting and beautifying the perimeters of the property by mowing and weed whacking along public roads. Maintaining areas for birds and wildlife.
Helping Hands
One-Time Volunteering
During certain season there are opportunities to plan half-day visits to Starcross to volunteer in our garden or orchards! Bring your friends, family, schedule a work-retreat, or a plan a personal, peaceful getaway from the city! Starcross is located just 7 miles up from the coastal towns of Sea Ranch & Gualala, and just over an hour from the wine country region in Healdsburg.
Food Pantry
The secluded rural region of northwest Sonoma county that we call home is beautiful, but it is also woefully lacking social programs for those in need. Our Food Pantry provides nutrition and sustenance for local families who struggle at times to make ends meet. The pantry runs every first and third Friday from 2-4 pm; local folks and farm volunteers organize and facilitate the Food Pantry.
ESL Classes
For many of our neighbors, English is not their first language. Several of our employees and volunteers had experience in teaching English, so we began offering free classes once a week. We provide textbooks, English/Spanish dictionaries, notebooks, and other necessary materials. Our first “semester” of classes was very successful and we look forward to offering more classes in the future.