It would be. We are actually HH tonight. We are staying at a wide open farm tonight and a church parking lot tomorrow. Excited to get farm fresh food in a few hours.
Good video about how NOT to use Harvest Host membership. Lesson learned here is to familiarize yourself with the destination. Google Maps or Earth come to mind. Especially, if you're driving a mammoth-sized RV. Also, I would think that breweries would be ideal for later arrivals because they're usually open late. But, if you insist on some obscure farm out in the boondocks, be prepared for locked gates, no cell phone service, etc.
Y'all really gave a lot of honest information about how HH works. We are considering becoming a host, we're in the beginning stage. We're a small farm with cows, horses, and donkeys. We're trying to figure out what to offer and what we want to allow. We're 20 minutes away from Tallahassee, FL and 5 minutes from Monticello. We are going to be a great spot for people to stay is there coming in for an FSU football game. Monticello is a wonderful small town with good food options, cute shops and beautiful historic homes. Your video has given us a lot to think about.
I would think just having a 15amp electrical service would be great. It would help to keep rv er's batteries charged and their fridge going and watch a little tv.
Really good in-depth information about Harvest Host venues. I hadn't heard about all of these nuances prior to now. This gives us really good information so they can be better prepared when staying at Harvest Host sites. Great Job. Thanks,
David, we are glad it was helpful! I never heard of the issues people run into either and I wanted quite a few videos before we joined. I wish we knew about what we experienced before it happened so we would have been better prepared. - Erika
Very good review. Normally the HH reviews are overly "glowing" and leave out the negative side. There are obvious limitations that most reviewers just gloss over but you explained them very well. I've been a member for a few years and will continue to subscribe. It's a good, useful app but it's nice to hear about the "warts" as well.
John, thanks for watching! We agree, we never heard about the things to look out for when using the Harvest Host membership. We hope this video will help others be more prepared during their stays than we were. We love the membership and now we know what we need to do to be better prepared. - Erika
We’ve had two of the best HH experiences - HK Yak Ranch in Sundance, WY, and Wildcat Brothers Distilling at Gator Cove in Louisiana. We’ve also had a few stays that weren’t great due to noise or mud. I think some places don’t fully realize how stable parking needs to be or how large a turn around area needed for a 40ft motor home with a toad. We have the capacity to dry camp easily for 3 days before booking a campground, so HH is perfect for us. We’re loving the people we meet and the experiences they offer. We’re not full timers, our home is in PA.
We are at a HH right now ❤️. Very true about the parking/maneuvering. We always read the reviews and leave reviews so other people can get a good sense what they may experience while they are there.
Excellent video with a lot of good information. Much better and informative than some of the 'cutsie' videos out there. Really appreciated the time you took to create a professional presentation. Many thanks!
Enjoyed your video...about to retire and purchase a leisure travel van! This is something id definitely enjoy! And love your RV tech videos!!!! Subscribed!!!!
Should consider another trip staying at Boondockers Welcome (residential side of HH}. Just a thought. I'm a host and an RV'er. Enjoy! Hakuna Matata~! Travel safe. In case you're thinking of it... as a HH host can offer a year free to BW membership. Had a youtuber record a drone video and then put it to music, very cool.
We have the full membership but we enjoy getting to stay at a destination and experiencing something cool on our travels instead of just hanging out for free on someone’s property. We do have that as a backup option incase there’s no HH locations where we need to stop.
@@MobileRVTechServices More and more, I'm finding a mix is my preference as hitting several HH sites in a row is wearing, then mixing in RV sites, BW, and moochdocking as well. Will be even better once I install my new power system (solar, batteries, gen charging). And yes as backup. Enjoy and safe travels.
We have been HH members but generally just check out the host according to the route we are traveling. Considering what we might want to purchase is a great idea 😊
Thank you for all the helpful information. We only just heard about Harvest Host and were curious to find out how it works. We are picking up our little travel trailer next week and look forward to checking out this app. Safe travels!
Good information. New HH member here. We have a couple of stays booked soon. We were too chicken to HH in our big Class A DP, but trying it out in our Class B Van. Safe Travels.
We had HH but the first four locations were failures: 1. The RV spot was too small. 2. Weather made a dirt road impassable and the host suggested we find a different locations to stay. 3. The host double booked us 4. The access road was very tight for a large fifthwheel to maneuver and the address was difficult to locate. HH is way too expensive then having to pay $30 a night is not worth the many restrictions and time restraints.
I sure wish I had seen this review before I purchased my Harvest host membership. What you showed me is to save a little money you got to go through a big giant hassle nice. how do you guys stand it when it's hot out and you cannot use your generator? I haven't even tried to make a reservations yet this video is made me completely nervous about even trying to do so.
Carbon Iam, While there may be some hiccups, Harvest Hosts is our first choice for overnight stays when we are traveling between destinations. The stays are a much quieter option than rest stops, Cracker Barrel or Walmart. Now if it’ll be hot at night where a generator is necessary, I would check to see if you can run it all night (most places it’s a no-no), if you can’t run it through the night some hosts offer electric for a fee, if that’s not an option and we need power over night, we would stay at an RV Park overnight. -Steve
@@MobileRVTechServices thank you Steve for posting the quick reply. after I made my post I read through some of the comments and found that you two did indeed get to use your generator at many of your overnight stays. looks like I'll have to take a look at the app. I hope that it's not intrusive and wants to read my emails and get into my contact list things like that. I enjoyed your video very much quite informative and I subscribed as well.
This should be required viewing before anyone signs up for HH. So many people do not pay attention to what they read. Maybe seeing it on a video would be helpful.
Excellent review, you painted the reality of what on average is second-tier rv spots. As the hosts don't have rv'ing as a primary business, it seems it is more like accepting remnants on a take it or leave it basis. The locking up thing is a detractor, and getting blocked in can be a little claustrophobic. I will probably try it for a year - are all the hosts open year-round or do they have seasons, too?
Some businesses are seasonal. When you click on their business, you can see when they have availability. I also think when you use the filter to set your parameters, it will only show you the hosts that have availability during the time frame you selected. ~ Erika
@@MobileRVTechServices Great, thanks - I am considering a membership with HH but I am interested in winter camping. So, it might be there are not many/any places that allow camping thru the winter, and the membership will be wasted until spring and the hosts open back up.
Thanks for the tips and vids. Here's a question, what can you tell me about large dog breeds in these locations? I have four large German Shepherds all over 80 to 100 pounds we can't leave behind. Have or do you know of any issues with the sites having these dogs?
A lot of the places we stayed (farms), have had a 50-100 lb dog on their property running around unleashed. If the host has an issues with dogs, it will say so right in their description. You’ll know if your dogs are not allowed before you request a stay. You can also ask the host too before you stay.
Thanks Kim, yes every host we’ve been at, we were able to run the generator to charge the batteries. Every host has their own rules and it normally says if generators are allowed on the listing when you are searching for a host. We follow quiet hours and don’t run it overnight. If you need to have power overnight, check with the host to make sure it’s ok. -Steve
Can I not use my rooftop tent on my suv? My footprint is still just an suv I'm not pitching a tent on the ground. Plus... how can I see a map of participating locations before I pay $100
You have to be self contained, meaning you have onboard bathroom & holding tanks. If you don't have it, hosts will not let you stay with them. They just made an update to their software and you can see hosts locations before signing up for the program.
I would not want to be “locked in a place in case of an medical emergency “. There are too many stipulations on being there at a certain time, gates locked and no power in this heat!
@@MobileRVTechServices after seeing this review i doubt it if we will join harvest hosts, just to many stipulations. Its our trip, our vacation, we don’t want to go by HH time table.
Great video. I had no idea there was that much you needed to be concerned about with Harvest Host. Is it true that you can't run your generator at Hosts.
When you look at the description for the host, it will usually say if you can or cannot run a generator. We have ran our generator at every spot we have been to so far. If that’s a concern for you, just make sure you find a location that allows it. If the HH description doesn’t mention running a generator and you want to stay there, you can always ask the host.
@@MobileRVTechServices That's great. We are an all electric coach and our house batteries will not run the AC and the refrigerator. We should really upgrade to lithium and a bigger inverter.
I’m not sure about electric and water at hosts sites, I’d say a lower percentage. Boondockers Welcome, which is an add-on membership you can now buy with Harvest Hosts, has 75% hookups. We’ve been able to run our generator at all the Harvest Host spots we’ve been at. The app will usually tell you what is available/allowed at the host location so you know before you book.
Each host would have different rules about dogs. I’m guessing most are dogs on a leash and clean up after them. Each host would have their rules listed for their location.
I guess we have been through a lot of bad stuff in our life. These were just little speed bumps we learned how to navigate to when using Harvest Hosts to get the best experience going forward.
Yes, we mention that at the end during the pricing. You can just buy HH or add on their golf package and Boondockers welcome. It’s not one program, it’s a tiered pricing package. This video is just about the Harvest Hosts portion of their program.
I just wished that they would not hit my checking account un-aware. If you don't want them, you have to actually go in and cancel your subscription, else they will automatically charge you EVERY year. You may have a bad year medically or financially.. no matter they will charge you unless you cancel out your whole deal. This year.... I didn't want to use it. I'm thinking that I won't sign up this year. But guess what? They charged hit me for $159...... Now I am a member for another year... "Like it or not" Beware of this when you chose to buy in..... Because of this policy... I will never buy another membership with them again....
Most every online subscription auto renews your account which is good so you don’t lose a service that you need to keep going. If you don’t want something to auto renew, go in and cancel right after you set up your account. That’s what we do with everything we don’t know if we’ll want to renew the following year. If you aren’t using Harvest Hosts again and it just auto renewed, call them. Most companies will refund your money.
Beware of campgrounds calling themselves Golf Courses to get you to golf there and stay overnight in the parking lot. With an all access HH membership, the golf course is supposed to let you stay in the spot for paying for a tee time. These Campgrounds have registered on Harvest Host as "Golf Courses" instead of campgrounds so they trick a golfer into thinking they can pay to golf and sleep in the parking lot in a self contained RV. They will let you do it but they won't let you run a generator in the dry spot, forcing you into the campground to run your air conditioner. They won't let you pay to use their dump site in that campground if you take the dry spot and they wont help you find water in the area for your rig. This is quite obviously intended to force you into spending twice the money you would have to golf and stay the campground. Tee times aren't cheap and that is the very definition of a bait and switch. We've had two of them pull that on us off I75 in Georgia. I'm going to complain to Harvest Host they need to re-classify these two businesses as Campgrounds but it probably wont do any good. We just cancelled a bunch of plans over it. Campgrounds lose business to Harvest Hosts so the campgrounds with golf courses decided they would become "fake" Harvest Hosts to try to get back the money they lose from people in Motor Homes. HH is a scam.
We did tell them and they defended their right to do it! It was only the second and third reservation we made, I demanded they return our membership. They did. They are crooks!
I love this concept. Definitely better than Walmart, Cracker Barrel etc. places. However, locked gates are not good if you have a medical emergency.
I agree. You have to read the description about each host before you book. It will say if there is a gate.
I can see where this would be much easier in a smaller RV like a Class B van.
It would be. We are actually HH tonight. We are staying at a wide open farm tonight and a church parking lot tomorrow. Excited to get farm fresh food in a few hours.
Good video about how NOT to use Harvest Host membership. Lesson learned here is to familiarize yourself with the destination. Google Maps or Earth come to mind. Especially, if you're driving a mammoth-sized RV. Also, I would think that breweries would be ideal for later arrivals because they're usually open late. But, if you insist on some obscure farm out in the boondocks, be prepared for locked gates, no cell phone service, etc.
Y'all really gave a lot of honest information about how HH works. We are considering becoming a host, we're in the beginning stage. We're a small farm with cows, horses, and donkeys. We're trying to figure out what to offer and what we want to allow. We're 20 minutes away from Tallahassee, FL and 5 minutes from Monticello. We are going to be a great spot for people to stay is there coming in for an FSU football game. Monticello is a wonderful small town with good food options, cute shops and beautiful historic homes. Your video has given us a lot to think about.
I would think just having a 15amp electrical service would be great. It would help to keep rv er's batteries charged and their fridge going and watch a little tv.
Really good in-depth information about Harvest Host venues. I hadn't heard about all of these nuances prior to now. This gives us really good information so they can be better prepared when staying at Harvest Host sites. Great Job. Thanks,
David, we are glad it was helpful! I never heard of the issues people run into either and I wanted quite a few videos before we joined. I wish we knew about what we experienced before it happened so we would have been better prepared. - Erika
Thanks for the over view. When RVing you can't be over prepared for whats ahead. Nice job!
Very good review. Normally the HH reviews are overly "glowing" and leave out the negative side. There are obvious limitations that most reviewers just gloss over but you explained them very well. I've been a member for a few years and will continue to subscribe. It's a good, useful app but it's nice to hear about the "warts" as well.
John, thanks for watching! We agree, we never heard about the things to look out for when using the Harvest Host membership. We hope this video will help others be more prepared during their stays than we were. We love the membership and now we know what we need to do to be better prepared. - Erika
Yep thanks, not for me too many unknowns
We’ve had two of the best HH experiences - HK Yak Ranch in Sundance, WY, and Wildcat Brothers Distilling at Gator Cove in Louisiana. We’ve also had a few stays that weren’t great due to noise or mud. I think some places don’t fully realize how stable parking needs to be or how large a turn around area needed for a 40ft motor home with a toad. We have the capacity to dry camp easily for 3 days before booking a campground, so HH is perfect for us. We’re loving the people we meet and the experiences they offer. We’re not full timers, our home is in PA.
We are at a HH right now ❤️. Very true about the parking/maneuvering. We always read the reviews and leave reviews so other people can get a good sense what they may experience while they are there.
Excellent video with a lot of good information. Much better and informative than some of the 'cutsie' videos out there. Really appreciated the time you took to create a professional presentation. Many thanks!
You’re welcome
Enjoyed your video...about to retire and purchase a leisure travel van! This is something id definitely enjoy! And love your RV tech videos!!!! Subscribed!!!!
@@fredzuccarelli thank you!
Should consider another trip staying at Boondockers Welcome (residential side of HH}. Just a thought. I'm a host and an RV'er. Enjoy! Hakuna Matata~! Travel safe.
In case you're thinking of it... as a HH host can offer a year free to BW membership. Had a youtuber record a drone video and then put it to music, very cool.
We have the full membership but we enjoy getting to stay at a destination and experiencing something cool on our travels instead of just hanging out for free on someone’s property. We do have that as a backup option incase there’s no HH locations where we need to stop.
@@MobileRVTechServices More and more, I'm finding a mix is my preference as hitting several HH sites in a row is wearing, then mixing in RV sites, BW, and moochdocking as well. Will be even better once I install my new power system (solar, batteries, gen charging). And yes as backup. Enjoy and safe travels.
@@mikesimmons4456 being set up with power for camping off grid makes boondocking a much easier experience.
We have been HH members but generally just check out the host according to the route we are traveling. Considering what we might want to purchase is a great idea 😊
Great Info. Thank you for this excellently put together video.
You're welcome Papo, we are glad you found it useful. ~ Erika
That winery in Tennessee is near where I live, it has really good food.
Amazing food!!!!!!
Thank you for all the helpful information. We only just heard about Harvest Host and were curious to find out how it works. We are picking up our little travel trailer next week and look forward to checking out this app. Safe travels!
Have fun traveling ❤️
Ok where was the restaurant with the fish and shrimp? They can lock me in, if they’re serving that up!
We joined in late 2019 (oops) and weren't able to use but have signed up again and intend to use for the first time in 2024. Looking forward to it.
We are traveling next week and using it, excited :)
Good information. New HH member here. We have a couple of stays booked soon. We were too chicken to HH in our big Class A DP, but trying it out in our Class B Van. Safe Travels.
We like to find big parking areas for our 42’ fifth wheel. A little class B would be a great option to fit in all the HH locations.
Very informative and well thought out. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for sharing. This information gave me a better understanding of Harvest Host.
You’re welcome Mona ~ Erika
Thanks for all the tips
You’re welcome
We had HH but the first four locations were failures: 1. The RV spot was too small. 2. Weather made a dirt road impassable and the host suggested we find a different locations to stay. 3. The host double booked us 4. The access road was very tight for a large fifthwheel to maneuver and the address was difficult to locate. HH is way too expensive then having to pay $30 a night is not worth the many restrictions and time restraints.
That sounds like a lot of bad luck in a row trying to use the membership.
Really good information!
I sure wish I had seen this review before I purchased my Harvest host membership. What you showed me is to save a little money you got to go through a big giant hassle nice. how do you guys stand it when it's hot out and you cannot use your generator? I haven't even tried to make a reservations yet this video is made me completely nervous about even trying to do so.
Carbon Iam,
While there may be some hiccups, Harvest Hosts is our first choice for overnight stays when we are traveling between destinations. The stays are a much quieter option than rest stops, Cracker Barrel or Walmart.
Now if it’ll be hot at night where a generator is necessary, I would check to see if you can run it all night (most places it’s a no-no), if you can’t run it through the night some hosts offer electric for a fee, if that’s not an option and we need power over night, we would stay at an RV Park overnight. -Steve
@@MobileRVTechServices thank you Steve for posting the quick reply. after I made my post I read through some of the comments and found that you two did indeed get to use your generator at many of your overnight stays. looks like I'll have to take a look at the app. I hope that it's not intrusive and wants to read my emails and get into my contact list things like that. I enjoyed your video very much quite informative and I subscribed as well.
Nice video.
Very good video and helpful
You’re welcome Butch.
Thank you!
Great info. Thanks.
You're welcome. We've glad you found the video helpful.
This should be required viewing before anyone signs up for HH. So many people do not pay attention to what they read. Maybe seeing it on a video would be helpful.
Very true Bonnie
Excellent review, you painted the reality of what on average is second-tier rv spots. As the hosts don't have rv'ing as a primary business, it seems it is more like accepting remnants on a take it or leave it basis. The locking up thing is a detractor, and getting blocked in can be a little claustrophobic. I will probably try it for a year - are all the hosts open year-round or do they have seasons, too?
Some businesses are seasonal. When you click on their business, you can see when they have availability. I also think when you use the filter to set your parameters, it will only show you the hosts that have availability during the time frame you selected. ~ Erika
@@MobileRVTechServices Great, thanks - I am considering a membership with HH but I am interested in winter camping. So, it might be there are not many/any places that allow camping thru the winter, and the membership will be wasted until spring and the hosts open back up.
@@theplinkerslodge6361so pessimistic omg 😅
Excellent video. Thanks
You’re welcome
Thank you
You’re welcome
Thx. Great info!
You’re welcome Lori! We are glad you found it useful. ~ Erika
Thank you for the information. I don’t see that being for us but, great to know.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the tips and vids. Here's a question, what can you tell me about large dog breeds in these locations? I have four large German Shepherds all over 80 to 100 pounds we can't leave behind. Have or do you know of any issues with the sites having these dogs?
A lot of the places we stayed (farms), have had a 50-100 lb dog on their property running around unleashed. If the host has an issues with dogs, it will say so right in their description. You’ll know if your dogs are not allowed before you request a stay. You can also ask the host too before you stay.
Wonderful info. Just one thing, are you able to run a generator?
Thanks Kim, yes every host we’ve been at, we were able to run the generator to charge the batteries. Every host has their own rules and it normally says if generators are allowed on the listing when you are searching for a host. We follow quiet hours and don’t run it overnight. If you need to have power overnight, check with the host to make sure it’s ok. -Steve
❤
This is a good video and you guys are a good looking couple.
We are glad you found it helpful Edward. ~ Steve
Can I not use my rooftop tent on my suv? My footprint is still just an suv I'm not pitching a tent on the ground.
Plus... how can I see a map of participating locations before I pay $100
You have to be self contained, meaning you have onboard bathroom & holding tanks. If you don't have it, hosts will not let you stay with them. They just made an update to their software and you can see hosts locations before signing up for the program.
I would not want to be “locked in a place in case of an medical emergency “. There are too many stipulations on being there at a certain time, gates locked and no power in this heat!
You would want to make sure you read the description about the host to make sure there wasn’t a locking gate before arriving.
@@MobileRVTechServices after seeing this review i doubt it if we will join harvest hosts, just to many stipulations. Its our trip, our vacation, we don’t want to go by HH time table.
@@nitaclark6495 the program definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s great you figured it out before purchasing the membership and regretting it.
Great info!
just so you know.. I tried using your referral code but it didn't apply the 15% discount.
Did it charge you $84? When I click on it, it takes it down from $99 to $84 at the top of the screen.
Great video. I had no idea there was that much you needed to be concerned about with Harvest Host. Is it true that you can't run your generator at Hosts.
When you look at the description for the host, it will usually say if you can or cannot run a generator. We have ran our generator at every spot we have been to so far.
If that’s a concern for you, just make sure you find a location that allows it. If the HH description doesn’t mention running a generator and you want to stay there, you can always ask the host.
@@MobileRVTechServices That's great. We are an all electric coach and our house batteries will not run the AC and the refrigerator. We should really upgrade to lithium and a bigger inverter.
What percentage of the hosts sites have water and electric do you think? Or allow generators? We can easily do a night without but was just curious.
I’m not sure about electric and water at hosts sites, I’d say a lower percentage. Boondockers Welcome, which is an add-on membership you can now buy with Harvest Hosts, has 75% hookups. We’ve been able to run our generator at all the Harvest Host spots we’ve been at. The app will usually tell you what is available/allowed at the host location so you know before you book.
What are common rules about pets?
Each host would have different rules about dogs. I’m guessing most are dogs on a leash and clean up after them. Each host would have their rules listed for their location.
How wonderful hmo for independent camps. Plenty of rules and regulations.
Does this work in Canada?
Yes there are a lot of hosts in Canada.
I don’t wanna be a Debbie Downer but those gate stories sound like horror stories 😳
I guess we have been through a lot of bad stuff in our life. These were just little speed bumps we learned how to navigate to when using Harvest Hosts to get the best experience going forward.
Outdated already: HH also has Boondockers Welcome residential hosts.
Yes, we mention that at the end during the pricing. You can just buy HH or add on their golf package and Boondockers welcome. It’s not one program, it’s a tiered pricing package. This video is just about the Harvest Hosts portion of their program.
I just wished that they would not hit my checking account un-aware.
If you don't want them, you have to actually go in and cancel your subscription,
else they will automatically charge you EVERY year.
You may have a bad year medically or financially.. no matter they will charge you
unless you cancel out your whole deal.
This year.... I didn't want to use it. I'm thinking that I won't sign up this year.
But guess what?
They charged hit me for $159...... Now I am a member for another year... "Like it or not"
Beware of this when you chose to buy in.....
Because of this policy... I will never buy another membership with them again....
Most every online subscription auto renews your account which is good so you don’t lose a service that you need to keep going. If you don’t want something to auto renew, go in and cancel right after you set up your account. That’s what we do with everything we don’t know if we’ll want to renew the following year. If you aren’t using Harvest Hosts again and it just auto renewed, call them. Most companies will refund your money.
Starlink.
That’s a good option now that it’s available.
Beware of campgrounds calling themselves Golf Courses to get you to golf there and stay overnight in the parking lot. With an all access HH membership, the golf course is supposed to let you stay in the spot for paying for a tee time. These Campgrounds have registered on Harvest Host as "Golf Courses" instead of campgrounds so they trick a golfer into thinking they can pay to golf and sleep in the parking lot in a self contained RV. They will let you do it but they won't let you run a generator in the dry spot, forcing you into the campground to run your air conditioner. They won't let you pay to use their dump site in that campground if you take the dry spot and they wont help you find water in the area for your rig. This is quite obviously intended to force you into spending twice the money you would have to golf and stay the campground. Tee times aren't cheap and that is the very definition of a bait and switch. We've had two of them pull that on us off I75 in Georgia. I'm going to complain to Harvest Host they need to re-classify these two businesses as Campgrounds but it probably wont do any good. We just cancelled a bunch of plans over it. Campgrounds lose business to Harvest Hosts so the campgrounds with golf courses decided they would become "fake" Harvest Hosts to try to get back the money they lose from people in Motor Homes. HH is a scam.
That is something to let HH know about. That isn’t normal for a campground to be a HH.
We did tell them and they defended their right to do it! It was only the second and third reservation we made, I demanded they return our membership. They did. They are crooks!
Please talk slowly
Sounds like a PITA...I'm out.
Nice video.