Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
11 Apr 2024
Reply rate
66.7 %
Usually responds within 7 days
Feedback
5
Email verified
Badges (1)
Details
Description
Welcome to our 200-acre biodynamic, family farm located in the municipality of Tweed, Ontario, roughly half way between Toronto and Ottawa. Kathryn (mother) is owner and administrator. Aric (son) is the farmer. Tabitha (daughter) works off-farm and lives here with her two daughters.
We have a small herd of purebred Scottish Highland Cattle, chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, greenhouse, orchard, raspberry patch and a large garden which supplies our CSA program.
We have a First Nations heritage and work with the Indian Agriculture Program of Ontario working with traditional plantings of corn, beans, and squash, as well as seed saving.
Half of our farm is a mixed deciduous forest which we manage under the guidelines of the Ontario Forestry Stewardship.
We are a living and working school of life skills. Here, we are all teachers and students simultaneously. Our goal is to have a positive and influential impact on the environment by practicing restorative agriculture, through biodynamic and other methods that contribute to soil vitality.
We believe that regenerative farming and community building is the best way to live with a net positive contribution to the planet. In our ever-evolving journey in self sufficiency, What we do today is the footprint we leave for tomorrow.
Our weeds are tall, our roots are deep, our cattle are hairy, and our hearts are big. Come experience this rough and resourceful kind of life with us! It's an exciting time in history to be alive and living on a farm.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
During your stay it is very likely you will meet other farm helpers from around the world. Although we only speak English ourselves, we are happy to help you learn English while you are here. We love meeting new people and learning about the places from which they come!
Kathryn is co-editor of the Celestial Planting Calendar and offers hands on instruction on how to use a planting calendar. She also facilitates our Learning Centre and on-line bookstore.
Help
Day to day the help changes in accordance with the season. Helping on our farm gives everyone the opportunity to learn the basics principles of biodynamic and restorative agriculture. The longer the stay the more you will learn and experience. Looking for people that want to stay for a minimum of one month.
Daily chores can mean many things, some of them including:
- caring for chickens, dogs, cats, and cattle if you are up to it
- greenhouse (April-June) planting seeds, tending seedlings, transplanting
- greenhouse maintenance (April-November) – watering, weeding, seeding, harvesting
- spring (April-May) & fall (October-November) cleaning of garden plots
- CSA Program (June-October) help
- composting
- building and maintaining fence lines
- rock picking, staking plants, pruning and thinning, composting
- irrigation systems – spring (May-June) and fall (October-November)
- garden planting, weeding and harvesting
- putting up hay (August-September)
- garlic harvest (August) and planting (October)
- helping out in the kitchen making preserves (August-October)
- assisting with chopping wood, chipping brush and stacking wood
During the season we will also be working closely with another farm where we grow our three sisters garden with corn, beans and squash. Aric also takes the hay off their fields. One of our helpers lives on this farm with her mother. In 2019 she set up a Slovenian-style AZ beehive house, which you are welcome to visit during your stay with us.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
We offer two 40’ camper trailers which can each sleep 2-4 people, plus one room in the farmhouse. You will make your own breakfast and assist with lunch and dinner preparations. We offer you internet and wifi along with a substantial library of books, education DVD’s and movies for your entertainment.
What else ...
In your free time, we encourage you to enjoy the nearby river and conservation areas, the interesting hamlets, artisan galleries, theatre and other cultural attractions in the area. Having your own vehicle to go exploring will make your stay more worthwhile, as there is no public transit. We go to town occasionally, but not for the purpose of site-seeing. We occasionally have potlucks by the river and bonfires with friends. We live in a beautiful area with ample opportunity for time alone, or with friends, in the great outdoors.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have highspeed broadband internet service available in the farmhouse only. Service is not available outdoors or in the two trailers.
Space for parking camper vans
We can supply you with electric service. Water and toilet hook up not available. You will have to use facilities in the farmhouse or the outhouse.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (3)
I really enjoyed the work. I've been there in October so we had to prepare the garden for winter, planted garlic cloves and did some small… read more
There is such a positive energy around the farm.
The place is very quiet and the sunset and sunrise are wonderful as there is almost no light pollution around.
Kathryn and Aric are generous and lovely people, always open to share their knowledge about… read more
Ida and Nik, thank you so much for coming to the farm and putting in your best effort. It was lovely to meet you two, very compassionate people.… read more
Together with Emily and Sue they run a beautiful farm where they genuinely care about the land, crops and animals and have embraced what organic farming is all about: living in co-creation with nature and sharing it… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.7)
I really enjoyed the work. I've been there in October so we had to prepare the garden for winter, planted garlic cloves and did some small… read more
There is such a positive energy around the farm.
The place is very quiet and the sunset and sunrise are wonderful as there is almost no light pollution around.
Kathryn and Aric are generous and lovely people, always open to share their knowledge about… read more
Ida and Nik, thank you so much for coming to the farm and putting in your best effort. It was lovely to meet you two, very compassionate people.… read more
Together with Emily and Sue they run a beautiful farm where they genuinely care about the land, crops and animals and have embraced what organic farming is all about: living in co-creation with nature and sharing it… read more
