We’d love to see you next year

As I reflect on 2025, one thing stands out: Nazareth Farm has the capacity to host many more volunteers than those who came through our doors last year. I hope we are able to fill our tables more in 2026. I know how difficult it is to get back home to the Farm; I used to make the trek from Vermont! But every time I started the drive up the holler, I felt God moving in my life. So I ask you, can you make the trip to Nazareth Farm in 2026? The Farmhouse is more alive when filled with others. Our prayers of song are louder, and more homeowners receive the repairs they need.

There are A LOT of ways to make your way home next year, and we’d love to see you.

1. Family Week is a weeklong service retreat for all ages – and yes, we mean all ages.
2. Holy Week is a beautiful way to prepare for Easter Sunday with Nazareth Farm.
3. Be a Sojourner and volunteer more intentionally with us for 4 – 12 weeks.
4. Throw your hat in the ring to become a board member; they visit 4x a year! 

If you are thinking about visiting the Farm next year, I encourage you to reach out. We love to hear stories of those who served before us and show folks what the Farm is like now. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to watch how the staff adapt to today’s youth while still being present to our homeowners and neighbors. The staff is taking off for a few weeks to celebrate Christmas with their families, but I hope to hear from you when we get back.

Have a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas!

Julia and the rest of the Farm community

p.s. Next month we’ll be sharing our new annual report which will highlight the Farm’s 2025. Keep an eye out!  Applications for the Executive Director position are due December 31. 

Join Staff!

If God may be calling you, take a look at our application and apply! No construction experience necessary, just an open heart and willingness to serve fully. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. College seniors, it’s not too early to apply for a summer 2026 start date. Apply Here! 

From the Naz Farm Kitchen — Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter room temp. * 3/4 cup brown sugar * 1/3 cup dark molasses * 1 egg room temp. * 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract * 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour * 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda * 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger * 1 tsp. ground cinnamon * 1/2 tsp. salt * 1/4 tsp. ground cloves * 1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Mix the butter for 1 minute until creamy then add the brown sugar. Beat until light and airy.
2. Add the molasses, egg, and vanillas and mix well. Be sure to scrape the edges of the bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients on low speed until combined. Let the mixture chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
4. Preheat the oven to 350*.
5. Form the dough into 1.5” balls then roll in white sugar before laying on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the cookies begin to crack on top. Cool on wire racks before enjoying.

Nazareth Farm November News

Do you remember Sally’s dangerously broken porch from last month? In just a few short weeks, Gracie, Morgan, and dozens of college volunteers built a sturdy porch and safe exit ramp. The pictures below hardly do it justice. It was a joy to work alongside Sally and her children during the project. We’ll miss catching up about the school day after they get off the bus and surprising Sally after work with each day’s progress.

It’s not too late to put your faith into action and volunteer with us next spring. Call (304-782-2742) for more information.

College students can volunteer:

• March 8-14, 2026
• March 15-21, 2026

High school students can volunteer:

• April 6-11, 2026
• April 19-24, 2026

The volunteers from this fall also worked on a few other homes during their service immersion trips. Longtime friend of the Farm, Johnnie, needed a new roof over her porch, and Ida’s kitchen needed a refresh. Volunteers make quick work of each project while getting to know these lovely ladies.

We’re Hiring!

If you or someone you know would be a great fit as Nazareth Farm’s next Executive Director, check out the job posting. Applications are due December 31, 2025.

Nazareth Farm also needs new staff members to live in our intentional community, providing home repair to neighbors and leading volunteer weeks for students. If you may be called, take a look at our application and apply! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and you could start as soon as February. College seniors, it’s not too early to apply for a summer 2026 start date.

…a sneak peak at what the staff is up to next month

Put down the books, it’s fall break

After a short break, Nazareth Farm is once again buzzing with the sounds of volunteers. Over the next two weeks, we’ll host 24 students from Creighton University’s Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the University of Notre Dame. College weeks are some of our favorites each year. While we won’t play as many ultimate frisbee games or go swimming like over the summer, college students are actively seeking what is next for them in the world. Our staff’s conversations with these students dig deep into how we continue to build lives of service and love our neighbors after college.

Moments of service and community like these lay the foundation for future transformation. As the Romero Prayer reminds us, “We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities…We are prophets of a future not our own.”

While we cannot know how every seed has flourished, we continue to plant seeds for a better world. If you’re looking to join us in our work, keep reading to see what opportunities we have for you!

This month Gracie, Morgan, and the college volunteers are rebuilding a treacherous porch and ramp for Sally. This working mother bought this house to provide her adolescent children a home. She reached out to Nazareth Farm because the deck has been an issue since moving. We are happy to be working with her so everyone can safely get to school and work.

During each of her busy days, Sally has made time to meet the volunteers, showing her gratitude. It is through personal connection that volunteers grow in their understanding of compassion and social responsibility.

Your donation allows Nazareth Farm to fund new, affordable home repair loans. Every homeowner commits to making monthly payments for the cost of materials, but we all know life sometimes gets in the way. That’s where you step in! We often use grant funds and donations as seed money for new projects when homeowner payments do not cover the new project costs. Sally’s construction materials cost around $2,800, and we are starting another new project this week. Can you donate to help start our next home repair projects? Our waitlist for repairs grows each week, and we’re already planning our projects for January.

See you later, Ashley

This month Ashley left Nazareth Farm after almost two years on staff. She shared her many gifts with us – from teaching volunteers in the kitchen as house manager, spending countless hours tending our gardens, and building strong relationships with each homeowner. Ashley also could whip out a siding site in the blink of an eye! We all are going to miss her, especially the Farm pups.

She’s back in Hamilton, NY for the time being, starting a new adventure working in agriculture. We cannot wait to see her drive up the holler again.

Nazareth Farm needs you!

Nazareth Farm seeks its next Executive Director who will ensure our ability to serve the local community and welcome home volunteers for generations to come, including the launch of a capital campaign. As the Executive Director of this wonderful community, you will

• work with a life giving community of staff and sojourners that you mentor through their volunteer tenure
• meet each of our homeowners, introducing them to Nazareth Farm so they receive needed home repairs with dignity
• connect with local service providers and funders to expand Nazareth Farm’s reach and support the spirit of abundance
• and more!

If you or someone you know is interested in serving as our next Executive Director, please reach out to the Executive Director Search Committee at hiring@nazarethfarm.org, and find the full job description and application at nazarethfarm.org/directorsearch

Summer’s in the Books!

As one season at Nazareth Farm gives way to another, one feeling is constant: Gratitude

Thanks to the hands-on work of over 150 high school students, chaperones, and friends of the Farm, we worked with homeowners to complete 11 projects across four counties this summer. Volunteers from high schools, youth groups, and parishes joined us from as far away as California and as close to home as Pennsylvania to replace deck boards, install J-channel, and cook delicious meals for one another.

One of the projects this summer was siding and a new porch for Doris. See the before and after pictures below. Take a look at all the other summer projects here!

We are grateful for monetary donations that fund our home repair projects and donations of your time to complete them. Your prayers for our homeowners and our mission are invaluable, and they remind us of the ever-present spirit of faith among the Nazareth Farm community, far and wide.

We are counting down the days until next summer. Until then, from all of the staff here at Nazareth Farm, thank you!

Sojo Shoutout!

Eleven stellar sojourners served at the Farm this summer. Sojourners are the lifeblood of what we do, embodying all four of the cornerstones, but most importantly the cornerstones of service and community. Emily H., one of this summer’s sojourners, shares about her time:

“My five weeks as a sojourner were one of the best experiences to ever happen to me. I volunteered at the Farm the past two Januaries with Merrimack College. At the end of each week, I just found myself wanting to stay, so I knew becoming a sojourner was the perfect opportunity. I got to spend more time at Nazareth Farm living out the four cornerstones. The biggest thing I learned this summer was that it is okay to make mistakes. We’re not perfect, and that’s okay.

Seven summer sojourners take a pictures on the front porch swing.
Being a sojourner was absolutely amazing. My most memorable project was a siding site. While I didn’t get to see it finished, the memories made there will never be forgotten. Nazareth Farm is truly such a special place, and I am beyond lucky to have been a sojourner this summer with all the staff, my fellow Sojo’s, the amazing volunteers, and my bestie, Butch! I wish I could have stayed longer, but it was time to come down the mountain, but how amazing it is to know that I will always have a home at the Farm if and when I ever need it.”

Applications for next summer’s sojourner program will open in December. If you are a college student or older who has 4 – 12 weeks open to volunteer before the summer, reach out now.  Learn more about the program on our website.

Goodbye Dan

This September, we said farewell to Dan, our in-house mechanic, pepperoni roll pro, interim Project Coordinator, and good friend. He was always there to lend a hand, answer a question, and play yard games. We are grateful for his commitment to living out the tenants of Catholic Social Teaching.

The holler will be a little (ok, a lot) quieter without him. Dan returned home to Syracuse to continue sharing the cornerstones with everyone he encounters.

Looking Ahead to the Fall

It is the end of August, and the busy season of summer group weeks at the Farm has also ended. Days are getting shorter, sunburns are fading, and the first leaves falling from the trees on Nazareth Farm Road. Cool breezes have been sweeping through the holler, inviting themselves into the open windows of the farmhouse and dancing through the dish towels and blankets hanging on the clothesline. What could be simpler than a breath of crisp autumn air?

As we sit on the front porch with a hot cup of coffee and our paint or olive oil stained sweatshirts, we can’t help but look forward to the fall. You may think projects slow down without the help of summer volunteers to dig postholes for porches or scrape old paint, but the work doesn’t stop. Nazareth Farm is dedicated to our home repair mission year-round. and we’d love for you to volunteer with us! In the coming weeks, staff will finish up summer projects and begin prepping for the return of fall and winter college volunteer weeks.

We’d love for you to come volunteer with us! There are openings for college-aged individuals, friend groups, or campus ministries:

• October 12 – 18 and October 19 – 25
• January 4 – 10 and January 11 – 17
• March 1 – 7, March 8 – 14, and March 15 – 21

You will be sharing the space with other college volunteers. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at vcoordinator@nazarethfarm.org.

2026 High School Spring & Summer Group Weeks

Nazareth Farm is finalizing our 2026 high school spring & summer group week schedule! The lottery registration will be open soon, and the priority deadline is in mid-October. Keep an eye on our social media and your emails that link. If you are a new school or parish to Nazareth Farm, please email our Volunteer Coordinator, Gracie, at vcoordinator@nazarethfarm.org to be included in future emails.

Welcome (Back) Allyson, Director of Development!

After 328 days away from Nazareth Farm, yes, she counted, Allyson Petry is back as our Director of Development. She first visited the Farm as a college volunteer in 2009, and it has called her home ever since. This is Allyson’s third stint at Naz Farm, previously serving on staff and as Project Coordinator after college, and then again as Executive Director from 2018 to 2024. While she won’t get to enjoy life in the holler in this position, she’ll still dream of spending time on the front porch swing or working with volunteers.

Allyson is also an Individual Gifts Officer for Friends of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, MN. She holds a master’s degree in social work and a nonprofit management certificate from West Virginia University. She looks forward to supporting the Farm in this new role, making sure the Farm’s mission is supported for decades to come. You can contact her with any questions or opportunities at development@nazarethfarm.org.

From Field to Table: Breaded Summer Squash

Ingredients:

• Yellow summer squash or zucchini
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Italian seasoning

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325°
• Lightly oil a baking sheet and set it nearby
• Harvest, wash, and cut your summer squash or zucchini into ¼ inch disks. Pat dry.
• In one bowl, beat the egg. In another bowl, add breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings, and mix.
• Dip the squash or zucchini first into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs to coat both sides (House Manager tip: use your left hand to move the squash between the egg mixture and use your right hand to move it from the breadcrumbs. That way, you don’t have egg and breadcrumbs all over both of your hands!).
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and cook for 12 minutes.
• After 12 minutes, flip squash or zucchini to evenly cook both sides. Bake until both sides are golden brown and crispy, about another 10-15 minutes.

Best served fresh! Top with a homemade marinara and pair with a toasted slice of sourdough bread. Add mozzarella and fresh basil for an extra treat.

Summer is in full swing!

The summer has been heating up in the holler, and the sunshine brings yard games, hillside hikes, refreshing trips to the pool (or a neighbor’s pond!), and meals shared on newly-built picnic tables under blue skies. The sounds of laughter from afternoons spent outside join the chorus of birdsong and cicadas, reminding us of the gifts of community, simplicity, and the presence of God abundant all around us.

These long, sunny days also mean that volunteers from around the country, staff, and sojourners have been hard at work. Since June, we have completed 7 home repair projects! We’ve rebuilt porches to spend the afternoon enjoying a cold glass of lemonade on, replaced roofs to keep our homeowners dry during heavy summer thunderstorms, and insulated and sided homes to keep the AC in and the humidity out.

One of those projects was a new deck for our homeowner Johnnie. During this project, Johnnie was often outside telling jokes, sharing stories, and even cooking us lunch! Working with him was a blessing for all of us.

Completing home repair projects for community friends like Johnnie isn’t cheap, and by the end of the summer, we will have completed 10 total home repair projects. Will you help us complete those projects? One way to do so is by donating to our 2025 Summer Match Fundraising Campaign!

By the support and generosity of a donor, every dollar you donate this summer will be matched up to $5,000. Through this matching effort, we’re hoping to raise $10,000 to support our summer projects and continue our mission of providing home repairs to our neighbors like Johnnie.

Are you looking for other ways to give beyond the Summer Match? Here’s how!

Become a Monthly Donor here!

Visit our Wish List!

Check with your employer to see if they’ll match your donation

Share your Nazareth Farm Journey with friends and family by starting a Facebook or Instagram fundraiser

Any ability you have to support our ongoing mission in Appalachia will allow Nazareth Farm to continue to welcome home volunteers and provide crucial home repair in our community. Nonprofits like Nazareth Farm rely on the generosity of donors like you, so thank you!

If you have questions about a specific giving opportunity, matching funds, or more, contact us at nazarethfarm@gmail.com.