Welcome to Our Permaculture Family Farm: A Life and Learning Center Intertwined with Nature
Bilecik
Welcome to Our Permaculture Family Farm: A Life and Learning Center Intertwined with Nature
Founded in 2008 after leaving the white-collar world behind, our family farm opens the doors to a sustainable lifestyle in an untouched, oxygen-rich natural setting. This farm is not just an agricultural space; it is an open-air, living school for anyone who wants to truly understand the soil, plants, and animals through hands-on experience.
The People Living Here
Our farm is a living and production space that I run shoulder-to-shoulder with my wife. Sharing every step of this agricultural journey with me, my wife is our greatest strength in every task and production process, providing one-on-one guidance and mentorship to our volunteers in the field. The soul of our farm is also rooted in the legacy of my late father, who possessed deep wisdom in livestock breeding and farming.
I blend this traditional heritage with my formal education in Culinary Arts, Agricultural Technologies, and Medicinal Aromatic Plants, alongside a Permaculture Design Certificate and Holistic Management training. Currently, focusing on professional artisanal production verified by laboratory tests, I am studying for university exams with the goal of pursuing Food or Biosystems Engineering to further develop our farm in the light of science.
Accommodation and Meals
When you volunteer with us, you become part of our family. You will be accommodated in a comfortable guest space right here on the farm. We believe in sharing the table as well as the work; we provide three meals a day, eaten together. Our kitchen is the heart of our home, and you will be fed delicious, farm-to-table meals crafted from our own produce—featuring our fresh sourdough bread, eggs from our free-roaming chickens, artisanal cheeses, and seasonal organic vegetables.
Our Typical Farming Activities
Our daily rhythms are shaped by holistic animal husbandry and ecosystem management. For us, livestock farming is the healing of the soil. We manage a flock of Ile-de-France and Merinos sheep using pasture enrichment and rotational grazing methods. Our Rhode Island Red chickens roam freely to assist with pest control, and we work in harmony with wildlife, protected by our growing pack of Kangal livestock guardian dogs.
Depending on the season, typical activities include olive harvesting, fruit and vegetable drying, beekeeping, cultivating heirloom seeds, and planting rotational crops like chickpeas and soybeans. We also dedicate significant time to our artisanal projects, such as crafting 10-year-old cherry vinegar, cold-pressed olive oil, and making cured meats (charcuterie).
Our Expectations from Volunteers
This is an actively producing, living farm every single day. Therefore, our biggest expectation from volunteers joining us is a high sense of curiosity and strong work motivation. If you are eager to break a sweat, touch the soil, and keep up with the true rhythm of rural life, we have so much to share with you under the guidance of my wife and myself.
What We Would Like to Teach You
Our farm is an educational hub for volunteers hungry to learn. You can gain practical experience in:
Holistic Animal Management: Daily care of sheep and poultry, rotational grazing techniques, and how to work alongside livestock guardian dogs.
Soil and Plant Science: Grafting techniques for fruit trees, hot composting, producing effective microorganisms (EM) and azolla, and establishing mycelium for morel mushrooms.
Food Transformation and Craft: Lactobacillus fermentation (vinegar, pickles, charcuterie like Bresaola), sourdough bread baking, and traditional soap making using oak ash water.
Harmony with Nature: Practical applications of permaculture principles, water harvesting planning, and traditional wood architecture practices.
We invite you to share what we produce, learn shoulder to shoulder, and co-create this new life experience together.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Sheep or goat farming
Beekeeping
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Methods or systems
Holistic management
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Production farm
Former WWOOFer
20
Hectares
|
49.4
Acres
Selçuk
Member since 2023
Languages spoken:
English, German, Turkish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Bilecik
Bilecik
Reviews
Mehriban
Azerbaijan
•
February 2026
You won’t even notice how time passes in Zeytinliboğaz…
You’ll welcome your mornings surrounded by the lush green of olive trees, and your evenings with breathtaking sunsets painted in the sky. The day begins with feeding the animals — chickens, cows, sheep, and goats. Throughout the day, the dogs eagerly wait for your affection, along with one charming cat. I stayed for a month, and we did different work; moving wood, cleaning inside and outside, some work in the greenhouse, shopping in the market(where you will meet the local people and culture even deeper), filling bottles with olive oil and cherry vinegar etc. Connecting with Selçuk and Julia is effortless — they are warm, sincere people. Selçuk is enthusiastic about cooking in the kitchen, introducing you to delicious Turkish dishes, showing you the daily work on the farm, and sharing his knowledge about the world, his culture, and his craft. Just be ready — he’ll happily keep you by his side the whole time!
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Ava
United States
•
August 2025
Had very easy work days and lots of delicious food :)
Emilia
United States
•
January 2025
Selçuk welcomed me to his farm and taught me new lessons every day. He accommodated my particular interest in animals. The atmosphere on the farm is one of community and learning, and we shared many laughs and delicious meals. A truly unforgettable experience!
Reply from Selçuk
When you find someone who is incredibly compatible, hardworking, intelligent and sometimes you get along without talking, you feel sad when they leave. But we were never sad. We did good things together. This energy is always with us. Thank you very much Emilia. We are so glad we met you.
Margot
France
•
January 2024
I had the opportunity to share a wonderful experience in Zeytinlibogaz Permakültür Çiftliği with Selcuk and his family.
Here we learn a lot of, we share and have fun !
It’s beautiful place between the mountains, olives groves and sheeps where there are many things to learn, understand and practices.
Many thanks for helping me to grow and develop my skills !
I recommend it to those who want to learn and enjoy.
Çok teşekkür ederim !
Margot
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Reply from Selçuk
We worked in a very enjoyable and fun way. We became a good team with our other volunteers. Come again.
