Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
22 Aug 2023
Feedback
31
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Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
We have a 130 acre family farm right next to the beautiful Kejimkujik National Park. There is a 4 acre lake and just over 100 acres of woodland, with the rest cultivated or used as pasture.
We don't have a tractor here - when we say horse power, we mean it. Our horses are used for everything, from hauling wood to plowing over land. If you're interested in learning to work with horses, we'd be happy to teach you what we know.
We manage a small market garden aimed mainly at producing enough for ourselves year-round, and some excess to sell. We are working towards raising all our own meat, eggs and dairy on farm, and are gradually expanding our flock of Icelandic sheep to produce wool for local fibre markets. This will involve putting in more fencing and opening up some of our younger forest to make wooded pasture.
Our family currently consists of four German Shepherds, one Great Pyrenees, four cats, numerous chickens, 50 chicks, five horses, two Saanen goats, fifteen Icelandic sheep plus assorted lambs, five pigs and two humans (Riley, the farmer; Liz, chicken and pig expert.
Our dogs are very much a large part of our lives and all live in the house with us. They are all friendly but as there are four of them they may be a little overwhelming to those with dog fears/anxiety.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Once a month we make time to take our volunteers on an outing of their choice. This gives you the opportunity to explore Nova Scotia and learn more about whatever interests you. There are events in the park and at the nearby research institute that delve into local history and conservation efforts.
Help
We are constantly working on many different projects so our volunteers have a range of tasks to chose from. Depending on your skills and interest, we need help with: the vegetable beds; the orchard; repairing and maintaining farm buildings and fences; caring for the animals and; cooking and preserving food including cheese-making. We have a board of ongoing tasks in the kitchen, and we sit down to discuss who's doing what every morning over breakfast.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Accommodation
We have a single a camper van parked near the house which can accommodate a couple (either sharing one of the beds or one person can sleep in the bed over the cab) . We also have a small tent or volunteers are welcome to pitch their own tent. Volunteers are welcome to relax in the sunshine on the deck or in the living room in the house. The house is equipped with Wi-Fi, available Netflix account, and a delightful bath tub for soaking after a long day. We have guest accounts on the computers if you want to use them. All meals are provided and eaten with the family. We can offer pick-up as far away as Halifax if you let us know in advance.
We ask a minimum stay of a month, preferably from the beginning to the end of a calendar month.
What else ...
There is a lot to explore around us and we encourage you to do so! The back entrance to Kejimkujik Park is a short mile up the road, and we are surrounded by trails and lakes which we frequently explore both on foot and from horseback. Borrow a bike from us or rent a canoe in the park and explore on your days off. (all subject to COVID restrictions)
We live a fairly relaxed life, focused on our farm and animals, and we are very flexible about time and days off to work around your personality and interests.
We want you to be comfortable here and are open and accommodating to all races, religions, cultures, expressions of gender and sexualities.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (16)
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.5)
Communication:
(5.0)
We bear her no ill will, but feel we have a responsibility to other hosts Maggie contacts that they are at least informed of this incident.
The great thing at this Farm is to do a variation of different kind of work. From animal care, over vegetable planting to building up things (like a fence).
In return you get great food every day and you have the possibility to explore the surroundings by… read more
The work is various, there was a lot of things to do in the vegetable garden, but you can also learn hiw to milk goats and how to harness horses for field works.
We had two days off per week and the afternoons, and a lot of things… read more
It is a really nice environment, you can spent a lot of time outside, deep in Nova Scotia.
It is a old lovely farm, with horses, goats, chickens and high-spirited dogs, they woke me up every early morning around 5 o'clock. One of them, jumped on my bed. should be seen as a wake-up call.
The family… read more
Seriously, we could not have imagined a better first volunteer for our farm. Upbeat and hard-working, they take to every and any task with great enthusiasm. Nothing was beyond them: from building chicken shelters and fencing, to working with the horses and harvesting. We never want them to leave.
Also, they're… read more
