The Plum Village Happy Farm family are delighted to announce our Happy Farm Harvest Themed Week combining a week of practice in either Upper Hamlet, Lower Hamlet or New Hamlet with a special hands-on experience in helping us on our organic, agroecology farms.
The Happy Farm is a project of agroecology and organic regenerative agriculture within our mindfulness practice community. You will have a chance to experience first-hand the interconnection between earth, rain, sun, and seed with the hand and feet of a “farmer”. The farms use a variety of organic and regenerative methods. The Happy Farms’ volunteer teams practice mindfulness in our work as part of our vision of promoting wellbeing for individual, society and the earth (read more on thehappyfarm.org).
We practice service meditation during the week on the Happy Farm when we will enjoy bringing mindfulness to our organic farming work each session. We will share and experience together what it means to bring mindfulness to work. We will also enjoy Plum Village mindfulness practices such as sitting meditation, walking meditation and “Dharma / Farmer sharing” during the week. At the end of the week, we will celebrate together to say thank you for your presence and practice with us.
This week of practice is organised and facilitated by the lay members of the Happy Farm family. You will enjoy the core practice schedule in Upper Hamlet, Lower Hamlet or New Hamlet (depending on which Hamlet you choose) including meal times and other activities.
Important information
If you are new to Plum Village we invite you to read more here.
- Arrival day & check-in times: Friday 25th September (check in time from 3pm)
- Departure day & check-out time: Friday 2nd October (depart by 09.30am-12pm).
- To support the stability and collective energy of mindfulness, all participants are asked to stay the full week, and only arrive and depart on the designated days.
- Locations: All of our 3 hamlets of Plum Village will host this week together. All Hamlets will be receiving male, female and non binary friends (including singles and couples). The morning, evening and circle sharing sessions will be hosted in each hamlet separately, while also coming together for Dharma talks, walking meditation, workshops, and the closing celebration. A more detailed outline of the week will be provided upon arrival.
- Language: Teachings and sessions will be in English.
- Cost: Contributions vary according to the price tier and the type of lodging you choose in the registration section below. The price includes lodging (except if you book as a “Commuter”), daily vegan meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), teachings and activities. You can find our general pricing table here.
- This week is mainly facilitated by the lay practitioners of the Happy Farm team. There will be some activities facilitated by the monastics for the wider community of Plum Village, and others specifically for this Themed Week.
- In addition to our usual suggestions of what to bring, please bring wet weather clothing, old clothes and suitable footwear for gardening. Consider also bringing a sun hat, sunscreen and a drinking water bottle.
Register
More information coming soon.
Click here to view our updated payment and cancellation policy
Payment Structure
For retreats from January 3, 2026 onwards, your contribution will be split into two payments:
- Main payment to Bienvenue Aux Pruniers S.A.S. (BAP) for practical retreat aspects (food, accommodation, facilities, administration, taxes)
- Monastery contribution to Congrégation Bouddhique Zen Village des Pruniers (CBZ) to support the monastic community
Your bank statement will show two charges, and you will receive two invoices.
Note: For retreats taking place in 2025 until January 3, 2026, retreat contributions are received by Communaute Bouddhique Zen du Village des Pruniers, the religious nonprofit 1901 association operating our activities from 1988-2025.
Payment Methods
Our online booking system accepts:
- Credit card payments (worldwide)
- European direct debit (SEPA) for European bank accounts
All payments are processed via the secure Stripe payment gateway. We do not store payment details. Due to strict French regulations, we cannot accept cash, cheques, or manual bank transfers for retreat payments.
Cancellation Policy
To ensure fair access for all, we have revised our cancellation policy to encourage participants to book a retreat place only when certain they can attend.
Cancellation by Participants
If you need to cancel:
- 28+ days before arrival: Full refund minus €100 admin & cancellation fee
- 14-27 days before arrival: 50% refund after deducting the €100 non-refundable admin fee
- 13 days or less before arrival: No refunds possible
We strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance to cover retreat cancellation fees in case of unforeseen circumstances, including personal illness or family emergencies.
For those generously coming to Plum Village to help as a volunteer, the cancellation fee is €25 (to cover admin costs).
Cancellation by Plum Village
Plum Village reserves the right to cancel a retreat under any circumstances. If this occurs, you will receive a full refund of all payments made to us, including the admin fee.
Plum Village accepts no further liability beyond the retreat registration fee refund. We cannot be liable for funds spent on advance travel arrangements, such as flight tickets and visas. We strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance that covers this.
