Organic vegetable, fruit and cattle farm
Switzerland
We have a productive organic farm with permaculture principles. With a small cattle herd with calves, which roams the grassland in summer and is in the barn in winter. We have silvoarable and silvopastoral systems in place and plan to plant even more trees. We believe trees and hedges are the key to making our land more resilient towards the changing climate. There is a self-pick vegetable garden for about 50 customers, which includes berries and herbs.
Biodiversity is a huge factor for us, so we'll do everything to ensure and increase biodiversity on our land.
We is a family of four, Dave and Tillie with the two boys Mag (7) and Urs (10), Dave's a mechanic and farmer, Tillie studied agricultural sciences and used to teach agriculture at a vocational school. Now both are full time farmers.
- Vegetable farming: no dig in compost, maintaining garden, answering customers questions, replanting, starting seed, harvesting and preserving
- cattle: feeding, fencing, checking health, tending to newborn calves, relocating herd
- arable crops: weeding and harvesting
- trees: pruning, planting, watering, harvesting
- biodiversity: building and maintaining structures
- grassland: mowing, weeding
Your accomodation is in a RV (on site with access to shower and toilet or in a rustic cabin, which will keep you warm and dry as well. Sometimes RVs are shared with other travellers (same gender, no worries), depending on how many people we are hosting at the same time. We make sure that everybody feels comfortable and safe.
At least one meal a day will be eaten with the family (usually lunch) access to the outside kitchen is granted too, breakfast is individual and the dinner is usually cooked among the volunteers in the outside kitchen.
meals can be whatever you wish/need, we eat everything but can adapt to almost any requirements
work trade - after a year of testing and talking to our wwoofers we found that full days of work are ideal for both parties; so we expect four days of work per week stay (monday through thursday), friday to sunday (three days) are off.
Ideally you arrive on a Sunday evening or Monday morning. We will pick you up at the train station. Talk to us!
The ideal length of your stay is three weeks.
A typical day on Gaia's Farm:
Our farm day starts at 8 am with checking the animals, then about half a day is spent in the vegetable garden, maintaining and replanting the garden, after lunch around 1:30 pm we'll go to the fields and work on them (manually or mechanically, we do have tractors and such :-). the day ends between 5 and 5:30 and then it is time to wind down.
In summer there is a lot to do; hiking, swimming in the nearby lake, cycling (we have hills). We have a lot of wood, so bonfires and cooking on them is something we enjoy too.
Pfeffikon is not remote, so there is public transport to every place in Switzerland you can imagine, and it's quite easy to understand.
Please write in your message that you have read the house rules and agree to them:
- keep workspace tidy and clean up after yourself and after your work
- common chores (regardless of work) are: dishes, tidying and cleaning common areas (bathroom, kitchen), etc.
- RV was bought especially for wwoofers, so please keep it clean and clean it thoroughly before your departure
- tools are handled with care, cleaned and put back where taken
- we provide food and I am happy to cook, but help around meals is expected and appreciated, especially setting and clearing the table, running and clearing the dish wasjer
- breakfast is individual, work starts at 8, lunch together (everybody helps) and dinner is individual depending also on your plan, weekends are free
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Grain farming
Poultry farming
Cattle farming
Sheep or goat farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Biodynamic agriculture
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Rotational grazing
Host type
Production farm
Certified organic
Former WWOOFer
30
Hectares
|
74.1
Acres
Tilika
Member since 2023
Languages spoken:
English, German
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Switzerland
Reinach AG train station or ZRH/BSL airport
Reviews
Jessica
Australia
•
October 2025
Gaias farm was such a fun place to work at. Tilika and David were very kind and welcoming.
Typical jobs were clearing the veggie patches, harvesting foods, and planting new vegetables. Having four days off allowed for time to go exploring and traveling to see the surrounding nature.
The other WWOOFers who I met there, had such a fun time doing the tasks together and then relaxing and going on adventures after work and on the weekends.
I’m so grateful to Tilika and David for making it such a warm, fun, and genuine experience. I already miss everyone there and hope others can experience the journey!
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Emma
Canada
•
September 2025
If you’re looking for a farm that allows you to learn a lot about sustainable farming while also having a great opportunity to visit switzerland, this is the perfect place!
I spent an incredible 3 weeks with a different variety of tasks each work day. On my days off I explored the beauty of this country, with many recommendations of the Tilika and other workers, having easy access to public transport only a couple of minutes away.
I’m infinitely grateful for all that Tilika and David showed me, from the experience hands-on the farm to our lovely daily conversations.
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Lori
United Kingdom
•
August 2025
My three weeks at Tilika's farm was an incredible experience. From the moment I arrived, Tilika and the other Wwoofers were warm and welcoming. The accommodation was comfortable and allowed for self-sufficiency. The food was amazing, and you never went hungry, thanks in large part to harvesting fresh produce from the farm, which I will miss!
The work arrangement was very fair, with three full working days per week, which provided plenty of time to rest and explore Switzerland. The farm's proximity to public transport was a huge benefit. The work was varied, and Tilika thoughtfully planned daily tasks around the weather.
Tilika and her family are the perfect hosts, treating you with trust and respect as part of their own family. I would highly recommend this Wwoofing location and I hope to visit them again in the future!
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Anna
Austria
•
August 2025
After two wonderful weeks, the life on this farm has been extraordinary. Not only has the family been warm and welcoming, but the work is satisfying and rewarding, and there is a great sense of community with all the volunteers. Organic grown food for meals every day, with beautiful scenery, I could not recommend this farm enough:)) many thanks Tilika, David, Bear and Magnus!
Anahi
Italy
•
August 2025
The stay I had on this farm was a fulfilling, fun and shifting experience. Tilika and David have cultivated and fostered both a lovely farm, as well as atmosphere, that is so distinct to the place and the manner in which it is conducted.
The woofers are well looked after, we were frequently checked in on about our comfort and whether there was anything we needed, meanwhilst being handed appropriate independence. I found there was strong mutual respect between everyone during my time there, the characters of the other woofers on this farm and the hosts included were great people I enjoyed meeting.
Work is consistent enough to be able to progress and develop a level of skill and knowledge in one area, and also varied enough to keep engagement and switch it up, according to what the individual is comfortable and able to do, as well as weather conditions being considered to ensure it is suitable and safe to work in.
Living conditions are safe and comfortable. Tilika and David were able and consistently offering provide whatever any of us may have required in addition, and encouraged open conversations about any concerns or requests, though personally not found to be needed as everything was well thought of, including food.
Fun was had, as it says on the profile! I would very much recommend this farm to anyone who is looking for a fresh yet balanced woofing experience, and would say it is fitting for a great range of different abilities and backgrounds!
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Isla
United Kingdom
•
August 2025
My time at Tilikas farm was absolutely wonderful and i wish i could've stayed for longer, i hope to go back! Tilika was a perfect host treating us all with mutual respect and trust, the food was fresh and delicious and the work exchange was suited to fit what we could manage while being educational. I met such lovely, kind people working on the farm and got to explore other places in Switzerland with the help of Tilika and her expert advice. Would highly recommend and I'll miss everyone there!
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