Bierbaum Pepper Farm is a host with Harvest Hosts. However, there are some limitations and restrictions to keep in mind.
It is NOT free for me to host you. Harvest Hosts does not pay me anything. The only income I receive, is from you when you buy our products.
If you don’t want to make a purchase while you are here, then a donation of at least $20 is appropriate.
We are a homestead, not a commercial farm. We are a small operation. Only two of us running the farm, tending the animals and garden, making the yogurt, cheese, etc. We also BOTH work full time in IT. When you check in, I’m supposed to be working.
We signed up for Harvest Hosts to ensure that our products will get sold on the days that we are slow, ie: the week days Sunday-Thursday.
I like to think of Bierbaum Pepper Farm as a Camping Farm. We offer campsites on our farm but we are not a campground. I LOVE meeting new people and sharing my home with like-minded people who appreciate what we have to offer. Which is small and simple. There is nothing extravagant and it is not glamping.
As a Harvest Host member you will not be able to reserve a spot with us on Fridays, Saturdays or on Holidays. This is because the campsites are reserved for paying campers first. I charge between $45-$108 per night just for camping without the purchase of products.
Harvest Host guests take on average 3 times more attention than normal campers (which I am happy to provide. I LOVE sharing what we are doing here) but you are staying for free and on average buying $40 worth of products which is great! $40 is worth it for us.
Sometimes I don’t allow days for reservations through the month because we have chores. Maybe we’re butchering the chickens or neutering the goats or need to focus on building a new pen. I don’t want an audience for that.
I am happy to provide a space for you at my home but if you spend $20, I won’t approve a second trip back. Harvest Host doesn’t pay me. The only benefit I’m getting is from you buying our products which I appreciate from the bottom of my heart! But, the costs that go in to making those products are not $0. If you spend $20 I’ve made $10 (if I don’t count the hours I’ve actually worked and ONLY count the cost to create and package the product).
It is not $0 to host you. I provide soap and water at the hand washing stations. I provide goat treats so you can play with the goats. I created a beautiful common area with hammocks and a hot tub, flowers, etc. I hired someone to do tractor work to flatten the parking areas and make them wider so you can turn around. It requires yearly permits to allow you to park here. It is not free for me to host you.
For a parking spot in wine country, do you really think that $10 is fair? If you do and this information makes you angry, please don’t contact me to reserve a spot. If you are more concerned about a free spot to park you can park at WalMart. I think my view is better though. I also let you play with baby goats. I monitor everyone that comes on the property and meet them personally. Do you think a random WalMart parking lot in a town or area that you are not familiar with is as safe?
I’m opening up my home and my heart to you and you are not entitled to any piece of it.
My home is mine to share if I want with the people I want who love this lifestyle as much as I do or who want to appreciate it for one night and then move on.
I love talking about my goats, gardening, homesteading, my journey, your journey. I have met such beautiful and diverse people doing this. I have learned from my guests in so many ways with memories that I will cherish forever like sharing dinner, wine, pina coladas, singing around the camp fire, getting to try Turkish sausages, etc.
Unfortunately I’ve also had reasons to regret opening up my home to people, which is why I have to create this page at all. Please don’t be one of those reasons when I invite you to my home.
The rules for reserving a spot with Harvest Hosts are on my Harvest Host Profile. Please follow the instructions on the profile to reserve a spot. I will ONLY provide further information if you contact me through Harvest Host using the instructions provided.
If you have questions about Harvest Host don’t ask me. It’s not my site. Contact Harvest Hosts.