Volunteer Opportunities:
Are you interested in volunteering? Contact us to learn more about upcoming projects that could use your help!
Community Gardener Needed!
Do you LOVE to garden but have little space to do so? Would you like to make an impact in your local community and share your passion with others? Then this opportunity may be for you. Second Star Farm and Wildlife Habitat is seeking an experienced gardener (or team of gardeners) to help lead and maintain an organic vegetable and herb garden during the 2026 growing season. Our farm would provide a stipend for site prep and seeds, and would help the lead gardener (that’s you!) turn a small plot of the property into a community garden. While the lead gardener/s would be the primary individual/s responsible for maintenance of this garden, volunteers are available on a pre-arranged basis to help with garden care and harvest. The head gardener (or gardeners if you have a friend/associate/partner interested in sharing this project) would receive up to 50% of the produce while the remaining harvest would be donated to the Dulles South Food Pantry and other community members in need.
We are also seeking individuals who can support youth-oriented workshops on gardening, pollination, and the impacts of agriculture (both good and bad) on local ecosystems. Minimal time commitments are needed for these workshops, which are organized on an ad hoc basis, typically lasting only 1-2 hours over a pre-scheduled weekend.
If this sounds like something you may be interested in, please reach out to chat!
Donate to Second Star Farm & Wildlife Habitat
Second Star Farm and Wildlife Habitat strives to provide our services free of charge to qualifying community members. However, without your generous support, we are unable to sustain that model or grow our operation to reach, even more, deserving individuals.
How does my donation help?
Second Star Farm and Wildlife Habitat is home to a variety of farm animals, wildlife, insects, and plants. As the seasons change throughout the year, the needs of these creatures and their habitats also change. Your recurring or one-time donation allows us to ensure that the farm and all its inhabitants thrive all year long. They also ensure that we are able to maintain and grow our community programs and activities.
We are sometimes asked if smaller donations are actually helpful; individuals may feel guilty or embarrassed that they can’t offer more or are simply exhausted by being asked to donate money to yet another cause. Our answer to this question is always a resounding YES! Every little bit helps. Small donations add up, making a huge difference in our ability to provide care to our animals, and offer services to the community. When our community comes together, even small donation amounts can have a tremendous impact!
As examples:
— $10 a month ($120 a year) allows us to purchase 3 months’ worth of anti-inflammatory medication to help some of our elderly horses remain comfortable.
— A one-time donation of $25 allows us to buy more seeds for our community gardens, which in turn will allow us to provide even more fresh produce to local food banks.
Our Big Goals:
Right now, we are a small organization, but we aspire to do big things! Here are some of the larger projects we hope to accomplish over the coming years. If there are specific projects you are passionate about, and would like to donate towards those goals, you can make a note with your donation, and we will earmark those funds for that project.
1 – Adding members to our herd: In order to expand our operation to support even more people, we need to grow our herd, which requires us to find safe, reliable mounts. Our goal is to add 1 horse every year over the next 3 years (Estimated costs: varies).
2 – Community Garden: Our goal is to establish a half-acre organic vegetable garden to provide fresh produce to local food banks. This will require us to rent equipment and purchase deer fencing, rain barrels, and seeds/seedlings. (Estimated cost: $3,000-$5,000)
3 – Pollinator Garden: In addition to establishing and maintaining naturalized wildlife spaces, SSFWH aims to establish a half-acre organic pollinator garden populated with native flora to attract pollinators such as bees, birds, bats, and butterflies. While we aim to include plants that will naturalize in this space, the initial costs will require us to rent equipment, and purchase rain barrels and seeds/seedlings. (Estimated cost: $2,000-$3,000)
In-Kind Donations:
SSFWH also accepts in-kind donations including farm and garden equipment, riding gear, equine supplements/feed/hay, and other items. If you are interested in donating, reach out to us today!