Destination agrotouristique, Ferme d'élevage de bétail, Ferme mixte, Ferme, Ferme familiale

Switzerland

8 reviews • Updated 1 year ago

Hello :-) We are a family of 4: Alice, Mathieu and two girls (8 and 4 years old). We are taking over our family's farm in Maggia, Maggia Valley, 15 km from Locarno. We have 50 goats and we produce organic cheese. We have been wwoofers around the world before we decide to run our own farm, and we enjoyed very much being part of this world. Helping people in agriculture means help people that works 7/7 days and do not have much time to stay with their families, we were happy to help out. We now need some help milking the goats, feeding them, cleaning the farm, making hay, producing cheese and why not, if there is some time left over or to change ideas some time, babysitting our little one ;-) We would like people to help 5 hours/day 5/7 days-weekly in exchange of food and accomodation in a small room in the barn. We would prefer longer staying... couples or couples of friends would be welcome! In your free time you can visit our magical Valley, have a swim in the beautiful river or go hike the montains and then get around in Locarno or Ascona :-) There are public transports going to town every 30 minutes :-) Méthodes biologiques: We do not use pesticides or chemicals. We heals animals with homeopathie and essentials oils. We check out the moon calender for treatments or harvesting Certifications: Bio Suisse Bio inspecta Accès Internet disponible

Learning opportunities

Fruit or nut farming

Poultry farming

Sheep or goat farming

Dairy farming

Cheesemaking

Vegetable or fruit preservation

Methods or systems

Biodynamic agriculture

Host type

Production farm

Certified organic

9.9 Hectares | 24.5 Acres

Accommodation

2 WWOOFers

Bedroom

Camper / RV

Campsite

Cabin / Mobile-home

Children not accepted

Pets not accepted

Meals

Omnivore

Vegetarian

Vegan

Length of stay

Over a month

Alice

Member since 2021

Languages spoken: English, French, Italian, Spanish Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 5 days

December 2025

Open

Planned visit

Closed

MapLibre | Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap

Switzerland

Locarno

Reviews

Vincent

Switzerland • December 2025

J'ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à aider Alice et Mathieu avec la ferme, ainsi qu'à discuter avec eux et leurs filles à temps perdu et lors des repas. J'ai appris beaucoup de choses sur l'agriculture et les fermes bio. Je suis ravi que cette opportunité m'ait donné une nouvelle perspective. Les tâches sont très claires, c'est une ferme qui est habituée de rouler. J'ai surtout aidé Mathieu avec les chèvres, la cave à fromages et des tâches connexes. La Vallemaggia est un endroit magnifique et c'est très facile de partir faire des petites (ou longues) randonnées dans les montagnes avoisinantes.

Peter

Germany • October 2025

I had a great time staying for three weeks with Alice, Mathieu, their kids and Ewen (another WOOFER) at La Ghiandaia. I felt heartily welcomed and had a cozy caravan on my own with a splendid view into the valley for living. My hosts always provided me with clear instructions and gave me interesting jobs I could carry out at my own responsibility. I could ask everything and learned a lot about the animals, the cheese making and the boundary conditions under which organic farmers operate in Switzerland. The surroundings in the Maggia valley where amazing, and I had sufficient time to explore the places by bike, hike and rock climbing. I have enjoyed the hospitality of the whole family very much. Everyone made me feel at home right from the start. Thank you for having me!

Willi

United States • September 2025

I spent 6 weeks at La Ghiandaia, and it was such an incredible experience. I felt at home from the moment I got off the bus and stepped on the farm. There’s so much genuine hospitality. Alice and Mattieu work very hard to create a space that feels so welcoming and make sure all wwoofer’s needs are met. The work is typical dairy farm work: milking the goats/cleaning around 6:15am-9am then another quick clean in the afternoon. There is also lots of down time to get to know the gorgeous area of Ticino and the family/other wwofers. It was so much fun getting to know the animals too, and also getting to learn so much about the process of cheese making. Alice and Mattieu are truly inspiring and put so much care and work into their farm. Thanks again for having me, y'all! Until we meet again, Caio Caio

Rémi

France • March 2025

Nous avons passé 3 semaines chez Alice et Mathieu et ce fut un séjour mémorable ! Le travail est en début de matinée et fin d'après-midi, ce qui laisse la journée de libre pour visiter la Vallemaggia (qui est superbe). Alice et Mathieu sont des supers hôtes, très sympathiques, avec qui nous avons partagé plein de très bon moments ! Ils nous ont recommandé plein de balades et lieux à visiter dans la vallée. Merci pour tout :)

Aniss

France • September 2024

Trois semaines très agréables passées auprès de Mathieu et Alice et leurs deux superbes adorables filles. Riche en apprentissage et partage, on s'y sens comme en famille, on s'attache très vite aux chèvres et chevrettes, ce fut un plaisir de s'en occuper, elles me manquent déjà les petites bestioles !! La région est magnifique, beaucoup de randos et pleines de cascades aux alentours. Belle expérience, à refaire sans hésiter. Merci pour tout, au plaisir de vous revoir.

SHANGPENG

Italy • July 2024

I lived and worked at Alice and Mathieu's goat farm for over a month, and it was one of the most wonderful memories of my summer. Their farm is located in the heart of Valle Maggia, near Locarno, Ascona, Bellinzona, Valle Verzasca, and Valle Onsernone… beautiful cities and valleys. There are so many sights worth exploring and visiting that you will never feel bored during your two days off each week. My work was mainly with Mathieu, involving feeding, cleaning, and milking from about 6:00 to 8:00 in the morning, and feeding, cleaning, and moving the goats to the pasture (seasonally) from 16:00 to 17:30 in the evening. Sometimes, there might be temporary tasks like helping with cheese making or weeding. Overall, the working hours and tasks were very reasonable. Alice and Mathieu are very interesting, respectful, and thoughtful people. Their two daughters, Nawel and Thalia, are precious gems, and with their company, life always feels bright and joyful! This was a truly wonderful WWOOFing experience, and I look forward to returning. I sincerely suggest any WWOOFers reading this not to hesitate to contact them—you will have a brand new experience! Lots of love!