Orchard, Woodlot, Family farm

Ontario

22 reviews • Updated 29 days ago

Located along the shores of beautiful Loughborough Lake just 15 minutes north of Kingston, our orchard, originally established in the 1940’s, was lovingly taken on as a restoration project by us in 2014. The two large orchards, consisting of huge standard heritage apple trees, had been left unattended for over a decade and didn’t have a single blossom or apple on them. Through careful pruning and planning, this beautiful orchard has come back to life. Although we are not “certified organic” we maintain our entire property (78.5 acres) based on organic principles and management programs. Family owned and operated. The property consists of a maple sugar bush, hay fields and pasture, two orchards, large family garden, wetlands and woodlots. We need the most help during September and October when our apples are ripe and ready to pick! Your experience at our orchard will include learning how to organically manage apple and other fruit trees as well as learning how to take care of laying hens, including hatching eggs directly, incubation and brooding procedures, etc. We offer various accommodations depending on the number of people and the time of year. Our preference is for 2 or more people at a time. We have a super cute and cozy cabin above our Farm Gate Store that sleeps 5 (3 bedrooms). Additional/optional living accommodations is a completely self contained one bedroom suite in our above ground basement with its own bathroom, rec room, kitchen and entrance. Both options are completely furnished with all kitchen and bathroom items that anyone would need. WOOFers can have as much privacy as they wish or hang out with us. All groceries are provided and we are completely flexible should WOOFers wish to share meals collectively, cook for themselves, or some of both. We are not vegetarian but only cook with meat a few times a week, especially in the summer when our large vegetable garden supplies all our needs! Work around the orchard is quite seasonal. In the late winter, there is much tree pruning to be done! In the spring and summer, orchard maintenance, haying and gardening are the priorities. Come late summer, harvest time begins and it is pick pick pick pick pick those apples! We are looking for individuals who love working outdoors; some days long hours, some days short hours and some days, if the weather is terrible, no hours. All the work is outside so we are weather dependant. When there is a job to be done, well...it needs to be done, no questions asked. WOOFers are welcome to come for a day, a few days, a week or more; we are very flexible as there are always jobs to be done, great and small. Off hours, we offer an amazing experience! Canoeing, kayaking, swimming, fishing and hiking can all be done on our huge property. Or, if city life is missed, a quick 20 minute drive and you are in downtown Kingston with all the amenties and cultural life it offers. Our property is a delightful blend of old and new, lake and farm, rural and city. We welcome you ! Organic methods: We use only organic products to ward off insects and pests. Garlic oil, canola oil, lime sulphur, kaolin clay, baking soda, Murphy’s Oil Soap, blackstrap molasses, liquid fish, Neem oil & apple cider vinegar are all in our bug zapping secret sauce! We also “sock” the fruitlets of some of our trees with nylon socklettes to ward off egg laying pests – hilarious, but highly effective. Our free ranging chickens help to devour larvae and bugs that hatch on the orchard floor before these pests can climb up the trees. The chickens are moved around the orchard in portable large coops on wheels in our East Orchard. Disease is managed by proper orchard maintenance including regular pruning to ensure air circulation, the removal of weak, already diseased and dead branches, disposal of leaf litter in the fall, enriching the soil with “free & readily available” natural fertilizer (aka aged manure), sanitized pruning equipment, mulching the base of trees and keeping the grass trimmed. Horse urine (urea) is highly effective at controlling fungal diseases especially apple scab, so our horses have a very specific task to do as they also are rotated in the orchards. Certifications: Although we are not “certified organic” we maintain our entire property based on organic principles and management programs. If we were to undergo certification all that would change would be that our prices would have to go up due to the annual costs of Current projects: Your stay at our farm will feel more like a stay at a resort! Although we work hard during the day, "off hours" will find you canoeing or kaying on the lake, jumping off our high and low diving boards, fishing off our 1 1/2 miles of private lakeshore, hiking our many groomed trails or relaxing in the hot tub! We have two options for accommodations depending upon length of stay and time of year and number of people in your group. 1) a private, separate cabin which sleeps 5 and is fully furnished and equipped and/or 2) a totally separate sleeping/living area for 2 in

Learning opportunities

Vegetable farming

Fruit or nut farming

Poultry farming

Pig farming

Sheep or goat farming

Forestry

Vegetable or fruit preservation

Beer, cider, wine, or juice making

Bakery

Methods or systems

Biodynamic agriculture

No-till farming

Permaculture

Mentoring opportunities

Woman-operated

Host type

Production farm

32 Hectares | 79.1 Acres

Accommodation

4+ WWOOFers

Bedroom

Campsite

Cabin / Mobile-home

Children not accepted

Pets accepted

Meals

Omnivore

Length of stay

3-4 weeks

Over a month

Stella

Member since 2020

Languages spoken: Dutch, English, French, Sign language Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 3 days

November 2025

Open

Planned visit

Closed

MapLibre | Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap

Ontario

Kingston Bus Station, VIA Rail train station, FLIX Bus

Reviews

Franziska

Germany • October 2025

It was my first Wwoofing experience, and despite the many positive reviews, Stella and Marc exceeded my expectations. They both run this farm with the apple trees and animals with a lot of love and energy, which made it very easy to integrate. For me personally, it was very helpful to be told directly what was expected of me and what was not. Both of them were very concerned about my well-being throughout my stay, especially when I had a run of bad luck with wasp and hornet stings, a cold, and a tick bite. Every problem is taken seriously and addressed patiently. During my two months a typical day was filled with apples: I started at 10 a.m. by walking to the barn and check for eggs. Then, until noon, I collected apples (either from the ground or, later in the season, from the trees themselves). After an hour-long lunch break, I continued picking apples in the afternoon, depending on the situation, or sort the apples that had been picked for further processing and sale. I also learned how to make almost anything from apples (syrup, apple leather, slices, sauces, vinegar) and much more. The Wwoofers finish work at 4/5 p.m. but those who, like me, can't get enough can also help feed the pigs, chickens, and horses in the evening. I loved the time we had to go kayaking, cook dinner, watch movies, or just walk around the beautiful property. Stella and Marc, you are wonderful, gifted people who make it very easy to feel at home. I am incredibly grateful for the time, thank you!

Ross

Canada • September 2025

This was my first WWOOFing experience and I don't think I could have picked a better place to start. I went into this experience with the intention of slowing down and simplifying my day to day, and spending more time outside in connection to the land - and that's exactly what I got. I was there for 10 days during harvest season in September so there was a lot to do but it never felt rushed - there was plenty of time to relax alone or with the other volunteers. Often after a good day's work we would watch films or go boating in the nearby lake. Stella and Marc were excellent hosts and clearly cared deeply about their WWOOFers. They were also clear with their expectations of work/time off/food which made everything run smoothly. I will forever remember my time here fondly.

Kishori

Canada • May 2025

I had a very memorable 3 weeks at Marc & Stella's! I mostly worked outside, collecting fallen branches, & in the orchard, planting apple trees & processing branches through the wood chipper. I learnt about pruning & spraying; I collected, weighed & sorted eggs for sale. A few afternoons, I bottled and labelled vinegar & syrups, cleaned the store & stocked the shelves. The work was physically demanding on some days, especially when weeding the large strawberry patch & lifting branches. Woofers work 10am-5pm (1-2 lunch break) & every 6th day is off, depending on weather & farm priorities. 6hours for 6 days per week is beyond the Woof Charter's 4hrs for 5 days a week but April was not a hectic month. I worked beyond 6 hours only on 2 days for a critical & time-sensitive task and that too was more than compensated for in the weeks that followed. I had many mornings & afternoons off owing to rain, cold or no work. They were mindful to only assign farm or related tasks and warmly shared stories & knowledge on various aspects of the farm. I was picked up & dropped off at Kingston & stayed in a separate cabin. They provided substantial groceries twice during my stay, along with many farm products like eggs, maple syrup, cider, honey etc. Marc brought a cheerful energy to teach everyday & Stella too was invested & very thoughtful! I absolutely loved our insightful & amusing exchanges. We harvested Rhubarb on my last work-day & she warmly baked an incredible Rhubarb-crisp for me!

Stevie

Canada • September 2024

Living here felt like the movie Perfect Days, it was a wonderful lifestyle. We had a lot of the morning to ourselves as we waited for the grass to dry, then took the golf cart out and went picking apples out on the beautiful orchards, and then we had the entire evening to ourselves to play with the pigs & horses, enjoy the beautiful lake & cook food & watch movies at our wonderful cottage home. Stella & Marc (+Gemma) were lovely hosts and always made sure we were well fed & had plenty of time to rest. I highly recommend this farm if you want to experience farm living in comfort!

Chenjun

Canada • April 2024

Thank you so much for taking us as first time WWOOFers! We had much fun learning to do variety of farm chores. We look forward to be back again soon!

Marc-Antoine

France • December 2023

Stella and Marc, It's hard to find the right words to express our gratitude for the exceptional welcome you extended to us during our stay at your farm. Your generosity and hospitality made our experience unforgettable, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity you gave us.Stella, thank you for your kindness, your smile and your welcome. As well as for your wonderful cakes and bread, your pastry-making skills are superb. Marc, working with you for a month was an enriching experience beyond our expectations. Your experience and patience in teaching us our tasks was invaluable. We fed the animals, pruned the apple trees, cut wood and prepared the farm for winter. Your generosity, whether in sharing your knowledge or offering your invaluable help, was the very heart of our stay. We would also like to express our gratitude for your unconditional support when we set about building a piece of furniture for our van. Marc, your willingness to share your tools and experience made our task much easier. Finally, we're extremely grateful for the unique experience we've had thanks to you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our stay in Canada so memorable and warm. So don't hesitate to come and work for Marc and Stella. With deepest gratitude, Marco and Marine