Reviews —

Maggie
United States
October, 2010
I stayed with the Lett family for 11 weeks (August to October), and it is definitely an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. All of these reviews attest to the incredible qualities of the family, the land, and the work on the farm. I had no farm experience before my stay, but John, Sarah, Ann, Rachel and Rebecca were patient explaining everything from watering rhubarb to driving a tractor. Some of the farm work was tough—throwing tires (or “tyres” in Irish-English) and carrying buckets have given me biceps to prove it! I loved every minute of it.
I was lucky enough to catch the end of summer work-- Silage! Sarah might disagree that I was lucky :) But I would definitely recommend staying for as long as possible (check your visa requirements!) so that you get to see the weather change and how the farm work shifts as seasons change. I agree with Joy that staying longer has its downsides… I am experiencing severe scone withdrawals, and my small pack of biscuits that I smuggled back to the US is running low.
I feel like during my stay, I really became a part of “the wholesome Lett gang” And that includes the animals! I definitely had dreams about cows… haha And I miss Lass and Jake like crazy. I definitely cried when I had to leave, and I am already planning my next trip back.
If you have the chance to stay here, take it.
GO AMERICA #1
(Any Americans with questions… feel free to email me at margaretboulton@gmail.com. I’ll do my best to get back to you quickly!)
Thanks so much

Sarah
Germany
August 16, 2010
I stayed with this family for three month and it was a wonderful time. The family is so nice and funny and it's really easy to feel at home on their farm. The work is every day a little bit different (besides milking the cows), but not too difficult and you can learn a lot about farming and of course about cows! I never had something to do with farming or cows before, but I found everything interesting and I liked the work and living on a farm. They also do a little bit tourism with you and when you have your days off there are also possibilities to discover the beautiful country on your own. You won't regret it to come here and probably the worse day will be the day you leave the farm again.
ps.: If you're there and they look strange at you, if you ask them for nutella, don't worry! - It's my fault ;-)

Mareike
Germany
May 31, 2010
Everything you have to know has already been said in the feedbacks of the other wwoofers - I'm just one more person to confirm that all of it is true. I stayed on the Letts farm for 2 months and it made me realize that wwoofing is one of the best inventions which were ever made - at least if you are a wwoofer on this farm. Also vegetarians, you can go there, there's plenty of delicious food for you! And thank you to the wwoofer who has written the instructions for preparing the milking machine =)

Joy
France
March 4, 2010
Okay, lett’s do it differently;
Imagine the nicest people you know. Then multiply their friendliness and funniness per 53.
And so, normally, you should be able to imagine 1/4 from what the Lett family is like...just incredible people.
The work will almost turn around the cows so that you shouldn’t be afraid of them (even if after 2 days you will get use to them and..yeah..love them ;) ) as well as you shouldn’t be against the fact to get muddy and “crapy” (euh, from the word “crap”) and, for this reason, often stink like a cowpat.
As well you will build some muscles up (from trench digging and tires moving ;) ) and learn things like tractor and quad-driving (but that's an option).
Everyone is very patient and the atmosphere is just perfect and really “fon” (like John would say ;) ).
The farm is a great place, as well as the other places around and you will absolutelty feel as a part of the family.
Actually all has been said in the Letts’ blog and the several reviews, but I can certify that they are not only myths. :)
Oh, but I nearly forgot to tell that there is also a very bad point about this family....when you will get away from them you will have many, many problems to reintegrate the society...so the real and cruel world...where not everyone is joking, smiling and stuffing you with scones ;)
I’ll never forgive you this,
...thank you so much...
Joy :)

Sindy
France
February 17, 2010
I had the opportunity and the chance to stay with Lett's Family for 6 wonderful weeks!! The work is easy and you can learn a lot about cows. John takes time to explain you the work. Everybody in this family is funny, welcoming and friendly!!!! If you want to stay on a dairy cattle farm, it's this one you have to choose, and you will have no regrets!!

Lucile
France
December 18, 2009
I stayed 6 weeks in the summer of 2009 in the Letts farm and for me it was a great moment! I was a little afraid to go in a foreign country alone but when I came back in France,I was sad because I had the impression to be like in my family with the Letts! Moreover,I learnt lot of things about the milking farm,and it's very useful for my studies now.
They are very welcoming,nice and very good cookers! You can't be bored with them and all their animals and the beautiful landscape around their farm...
So I just can say: GO TO THIS FARM NOW!! But not too much people because I want to come back(-:

Eve
United States
November 17, 2009
The Letts are the best ever. So awesome. Like, you never even knew people this awesome existed, awesome. Oh, and the stereotype about Irish food does not apply in this house. Everyone in the family is an amazing cook. After two months I have the extra weight to prove it. As for the farm itself, it's beautiful. Beyond beautiful. The work is varied and can be challenging, but it's never too strenuous. (John probably wouldn't let you do anything strenuous, actually, if you tried.) My stay was so much fun, and will definitely go down as one of the greatest experiences of my life. I can't stress it enough, if you have the opportunity to stay with the Letts, do not pass it up!

 

Aurélie
France
December 14, 2009
I stayed in John's and Ann's dairy farm three weeks in November and december 2009. They 're very nice and friendly. Their cake are delicious ! It's great . It's one of my best memories, I keep of Ireland.
Thank you so much.

Jessica
United States
October 16, 2009
Having the opportunity to stay and work on Letts farm has been one of the highlights of my life! The Letts are an extremely kind welcoming family. They’ll treat you like one of their own the moment you walk in the door. The landscape is gorgeous and the work is very rewaring. I have never learned so much about cows! There are so many different activities to enjoy from rabbit hunting with John, gardening with Sarah, or cooking with Rachel and Ann...and of course milking the cows!

Susanne
United States
November, 2009
I only had the chance to stay with the Letts for one week but it is one week that will stay with me for the rest of my life. THe family is warm, inviting, and they make you feel as if you are part of the family. The work is amazing, the cows are awesome and the work is hard and rewarding! I had a very positive stay here and hope to return again in the future!

Katrin
Germany
October 26, 2009
I stayed with the Letts for 4 weeks this summer and what can I say...I had a great time! At first the work was a bit tough but once I got used to it, it was (almost) always fun, especially when I could work together with other helpers on the fields or when we listened to some nice music in the milking parlour. Apart from that, the whole family was really friendly and we had great fun while having dinner, watching DVDs or visiting sights around Gorey like the National Heritage Park. Of course, me, Élise and Laura (the other helpers) also went to the pub and to a few festivals (which aren't real “festivals” like in Germany, but we met some nice, not red-haired guys :D). Soo, what's next? Ahh, the food: It was much better than I expected since Ann and her daughters are great cooks (and because we had loads of French cheese and cakes, hmmm). Apart from that, there was always a copious supply of fruits, vegetables (like large delicious courgettes from the Letts' polytunnel) and almost everything I could think of and we were always allowed to just take what we wanted and prepare our own dishes. I really recommend the Letts if you want to get to know nice Irish people, a bit of Irish culture and improve your English. You can have nice conversations with the Letts and once you got used to it, John's and Ann's accent isn't too hard to understand :)

Rhonda
Germany
May 15, 2009
My name is Rhonda Gutschmidt and I stayed at the Farm of the Lett family from April 22nd til May 15th and for one week in August. I had a great time there, because John and Ann are the most generous people and made me feel like home right from the start. They let me be part of their family and I always felt welcome and safe.
The work at the farm was great fun, especially because John is such a friendly and funny man. I had never worked at a dairy farm before, so all the work was new to me. John always explained everything very well, so that after a few days I knew exactly what to do. During my stay John and I went milking twice a day, which always took about two and a half hours. Beside that I fed the chicken and watered the polytunnel, helped John with some minor machinery-fixing, and other little tasks that need to be done on a farm. I was lucky, because during the time I was with the Letts it was the end of calving season, so I was able to take care of the newborn calves and actually take place in a birth. It was a very touching experience, at least for me, even though I can understand that after the first 30 or so births you´re getting used to it.. Next to the work on the farm I also learned a lot about Ireland and ist people, because John took me to many beautiful places and I got to know a lot of people, which was a great experience as well.
The best reason to show how much I liked John, Ann, Rebecca, Sarah, Rachel and the stay at there farm probably is, that I came back for a week in August, just to visit them, because they had been such a nice family. Thank you again for everything!

 

Ulrike
Germany
April 3, 2009
I was for 6 weeks with familiy Lett and i have planed to go to the farm for 2 weeks actually. I had a beautyfull time there. I learned a lot about farming and we were always laughing. Ann and John are lovely people and you will be really a part of the familiy there and not a cheap worker! The work is easy and always with breaks. It was one of my best experience which i ever made and i feel very lucky to met these crasy farmers. I will visit them as soon as possible. Thank you John and Ann!

Anaïs
France
December 24, 2008
In the first all I am sorry for my bad English! I am stayed four weeks with the Letts and this family is very friendly, patient and generous! Indeed it's impossible that you will be hungry and Ann cooking very often so, it's tasty food!!! Beside the work is varied and interesting... particulary if you like the cows! Anyway there are many thing that you could learn with us and it's really great cause all the time they encourage you and if you can't understand during a long time, they explain again and again and again without will be angry! So the atmosphere is very good and you are in them home like your!!! I advice for anybody!

Bethanie
Australia
November 16, 2008
Two months ago I decided to come to the Letts farm...for two weeks! And Im still here! It has been one of the most amazing two months of my life and unfortunately tomorrow I have to leave. It is very difficult to find the right words to express how lucky I feel to have landed in the heart of this beautiful family, who opened their arms to me from day one and havent let go since! I have learnt so much about farm life and Irish culture and developed an abundance of useful skills and knowledge that I will take with me to the grave. John and Anne's way of teaching makes the work easy, rewarding, and fun! For anyone who lands in this pot of gold, I envy you, for you will be working and living with the kindest most generous people you could ever meet...
You will never be bored. You will never feel left out. You will never be hungry! ..Just in a constant state of bliss... (: Except for maybe a sore belly from laughing so hard at John's incredible ability to pull out a joke suiting every and any occasion. My Letts Farm experience will stay with me forever and I will CERTAINLY be back! So watch out!! Thank you to the end of the universe and right the way back again!

Beth
Canada
September 16, 2008
I stayed with the Letts in the summer of 2008 for a duration of two months. During this time I learned much more about farming than I had known previously. I was able to challenge myself in new ways and acquire many useful skills that were taught in a straighforward, informative and patient manner. Their home is nestled in a beautiful bit of rural Ireland and the host family couldn't be easier to get along with. I found them to be warm, welcoming and (most importantly) good company. You won't feel like a stranger in the Letts' home for long!

Pierre
France
August 10, 2008
I live in the farm from the 15 may 2008 to the 10 August 2008. 3 months of work, 3 months of farm, 3 month of life. I’m a french engineer student who never use his hands before, and now, I’m sure this experience has brought to me but I can already say, it was unforgetable in many ways. I have lived a unique experience in my life and I am perfectly aware of the value. I know that probabely I will never use these skills in my engineer career... But, who knows ? I would not need to plant posts or drive a herd of cows but here I have learned another form of work. And now, I think I will be much more able to understand the work and feeling of the hands workers. Then, I also discovered another country, other peoples and other customs. It was fantastic to discover something new everyday, about the people, the work or me.
I cryed when I left France to go to Ireland. It was a little bit difficult, but I’m sure I was not alone. In the same way, I cryed when I left Ireland to return to France, because of the Lett family. During these 3 months, I think I became a real member of the Lett family. I learned to know these people, I saw them grow, we laughed and suffered together. It gave me much more than a job and an accomodation during those three months. They offered me, from the first day, their confidence, time and affection. These people are incredible kindness and for these reasons I left them with sadness. But I am already sure of one thing, I don’t know when but I will go back to see them. I think never be able to thank them as they deserve. But in a word, I love them.