Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
15 Jan 2024
Reply rate
57.1 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
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Details
Description
We live on 5 acres in the country with our two dogs and a bunch of laying hens. We're just outside the small town of Philomath, Oregon, 5 miles from the university town of Corvallis, 2 hours south of Portland, 45 minutes from the beautiful Oregon coast, and 1 1/2 hours from the Cascades. Lots of cultural events in town and abundant hiking from our doorstep in every direction!
We have a huge organic garden, greenhouses, and an orchard. We grow a lot of our own produce. We heat with wood that we harvest from our property. We try to live simply and lightly on the Earth.
Paul is a musician, and Janice is an activist who works for immigrant justice and with a senior dog rescue.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We love to meet people from other places. We've traveled quite a bit in Latin America and Europe ourselves, and our favorite memories are of the times we got to "live like a local" and got to know people. Janice speaks fluent Spanish and passable French and Portuguese (although she's a bit rusty on those last two!) Now that we're settled on our homestead, we love to share that experience with travelers!
Paul is a skilled musician who has played guitar in an eclectic mix of bands over the years. He's currently in a quasi-bluegrass band called Cheatgrass, but has also played rock, jump blues, and swing. If you're musically inclined, we'll have a great time! Paul also taught guitar at the middle school where he worked, and is a wonderful teacher.
And the Pacific Northwest is a great place to live! We have mountains (active volcanoes!), miles of gorgeous coastline, and sublime high deserts. Oh, and fantastic rivers! We're river rats, and would love to take you whitewater rafting and kayaking on local rivers.
We travel a lot to places where there's no internet access during the summer so it may take a week or two before were able to get back to you. Thanks for your patience!
Help
We can always use help on the property: mowing, weeding, cutting firewood, planting, harvesting, preserving food, and constructing outbuildings. The tasks vary with the season. You'll have the opportunity to learn to use chainsaws, power tools, and weedwhackers if you don't already know how. We'll also work together in the garden where you'll learn skills for homesteading or market gardening. (Janice has a degree in horticulture.) We use organic practices in the gardens.
Right now we're looking for people who can commit to staying at least through June because we'll be gone for 2+ weeks and will need Workawayers who can housesit for us during that time. You'll be responsible for taking care of the dogs, the gardens and the chickens. This must be a person or preferably two people who really love and are comfortable with dogs. We'll teach you all you need to know to handle those responsibilities in the weeks leading up to our trip. (We're also looking for people during summer and fall months.)
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Portuguese: Beginner
Accommodation
Work-Away guests share the sweet garden cottage, a "tiny house" tucked away in a garden next to our house. The cottage has a deck with a full outdoor kitchen. Inside there's a futon couch, a desk, and a small loft that can be used for sleeping or storage. There's an outdoor shower and a composting (dry) outhouse. Depending on the number of guests when you're here, you might share the outdoor kitchen.
Breakfast and lunch will be on your own, and you'll have everything you need to prepare your meals in the cottage kitchen. There's a 3 burner stove and oven, a toaster oven, and a microwave, as well as a blender, crockpot, and kitchen utensils and plates and bowls. There are always fresh eggs from the hens, and fresh vegies and fruits from the garden and orchard which vary with the season. We'll also provide you with basics like grains (locally grown), beans (from the garden), and cheese. For the most part, we eat locally grown food in season, and the bulk of it comes from our garden. That means that different produce is available at different times during the season. We typically eat chicken and/or seafood a couple of times during the week. If you want special food items or have special dietary needs, there are plenty of stores in town where you can find what you're looking for.
What else ...
Enjoy peaceful life in the country. The coyotes and owls will serenade you at night. Hike nearby trails or visit the beautiful Oregon coast (40 minute drive) or the snow-covered Cascade Mountains. Sip wine from a local winery or visit the bustling farmers' market.
Philomath is an up and coming rural community with funky restaurants, brew pubs, and even a small historical museum. The university town of Corvallis has even more to offer in this department. The area is renowned for being bike-friendly, and we have bikes you can borrow. We're surrounded by wineries, hiking trails, and rivers to float. Another fun experience our WorkAwayers can enjoy on their day off is visiting our friends' farm just down the road. Our friends tend sheep, goats, turkeys, and bees and in the past our guests have helped shear sheep, milk goats and make goat cheese, and extract honey from their hives. It's a lovely bike ride to their farm, and we have bikes you can borrow to get there. And for a winter special, I'll tell you where my favorite mushroom foraging sites are located!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have good internet and have had several WorkAway guests who had part-time remote work. Janice also works remotely.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
25 hours a week
Feedback (15)
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Janice is a really earnest, kind, extroverted person. She really cares about her Workawayers and loves loves loves her dogs (Maisie's real cheeky). Paul loves his music, and we got to listen to some live riffs by his band over dinner a couple times. Believe me, if you do any planting for these… read more
By the way, Paul is a great musician and he had written a french song called "Le Saint-Laurent". He… read more
