Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
9 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
50
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Details
Description
2024 will be a year of big changes at the Farms!!!!
We love having new people join us at our home and become friends through common interests and working alongside each other, as well as enjoying the great outdoors together doing a range of activities.
The major projects we have going on this yr are:
-Moving our 2 RV’s to a secluded location and installing water and a nice custom built outdoor toilet. Adding a rock fire pit, small deck and roof over RV’s. making a cute trailer park type area for visitors and family/friends, possible air BnB later
-Tearing down a large barn that was built in a poor location, and rebuilding it up on the hill where it will be used for equipment storage (we will teach you how to do this!)
-starting vegetable flower and herb seedlings and caring for them
-planting gardens
-spreading seeds of native perennials around the property to have more flowers for the bees, planting more shrubs and trees for birds & food
- Making more walking trails in the forest
- Building some bird, owl & bat houses out of scrap lumber, decorate them if you wish!
-Redoing some fencing to keep cows where they should be to better improve our fields
-Much much more
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Hi! Our names are Patrick & Valencia and we practice organic, no-till, regenerative methods with a focus on building topsoil. Our farm is 160 acres of fields, forest, marsh and natural springs. We allow wildlife to build homes here and coexist with us. We selective cut lumber to build with, and mill it right here on the farm.
In the past 4.5 years we have hosted over 65 volunteers from around the world of all ages, genders and races. We try to make everyone feel like they are welcome and have built lasting friendships with our workaways. We hope to meet more people and learn new things.
We have 5 dogs, big to little, that love people but love walks more. Valencia works shift work so we need someone to take the dogs out everyday and be here to keep them company. They are our children. So you have to love dogs to be the right person.
We want you to do the basic animal chores twice a day, which means watering & feeding the egg and meat chickens, a few pigs and turning the hose on for the cattle and running it for 40 mins. It takes about 1.5 hour per day for everything (combined morning and night). We practice deep pack bedding so there is no cleaning out of the stalls or barns. We just keep adding over the winter and it starts to decompose on its own. We use it for gardening and to add nutrients to the soil. Now that spring is here we have miles of wire fencing that needs repair. It's not hard, but it is one of the main jobs we have. We will teach you, it's easy!
We ask that you walk the dogs once a day or in bad weather just let them out. Some housework like sweep the floors, wipe down the bathroom once per week. And cook 1 dinner per week, then help with prep like making a salad or chopping veggies the rest of the time. You can relax in the afternoon, watch TV, read, or go for a walk. We have lots of trails through the forest. It's about 5 hours a day we ask, 5 days a week with 2 days off. We are flexible about what days and can discuss depending on what's happening that week. That leaves lots of time to explore the area. You can use the car to get around and go to town to shop, relax, see new places. With our volunteers we have been camping, on day trips in the canoe or kayak, swimming at the famous Sandbanks Beach in Prince Edward County. This area is famous for 1000's of acres of government land and thousands of lakes. There are dozens of national parks and great towns like Kingston to enjoy a nice meal. Valencia loves getting out in nature and would love to have some company camping or hiking!
In the past we have trained people on driving tractors, cutting wood, building etc. We aren't perfectionists and often the house is messy, and there is junk laying around that we want to focus on getting rid of this yr. We've had volunteers build chicken coops, cute garden gates, benches to sit on and enjoy the ponds, bee hotels, anything you feel like you are free to do. We have unlimited lumber and supplies so get creative!
We think our reviews speak for themselves. In the last 4.5 years we have had some helpers stay for a week, some for 6 Months. We have made incredible friends. You are welcome to hang out with us in the evenings!.
We would love to meet you! Send us a message and we can see if we fit!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Vegetarians can come and learn about ethical and humane meat production to give them an idea of what really happens on a small pasture-based operation- see that we are not cruel heartless killers who truly do love our animals. We want you to experience the joy of raising livestock for food and how the earth can actually benefit and heal from eating food right in your backyard. Help reduce your food footprint by eating food raised right here on the farm!! It doesn't get more local than that!.
Help
Basic animal chores : feed & water chickens, pigs, water cows.
Dogs: let dogs out, walk dogs for 20-30mins
Meals: if you can cook and want to great! If not, chop veggies.
Help with fencing that needs repair
Build bird houses and feeders, creative projects like signs and cute stuff for the gardens.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
2 Private RV's with double bed, couch, table, basic cookware, electricity (water coming this spring)
Access to Starlink high speed internet, laundry, kitchen, bathroom and anywhere in the house or outside
Electric Plug in for mobile camper or rv
What else ...
We are more than happy to pick you up in Napanee (preferred), Kingston or Belleville. The bus can be taken to these cities.
There is plenty to see and do less than 1 hour from the farm and you can get mostly everything you need in Napanee. Special items can be purchased on weekends when we go to the city or during your day off.
Smoking is allowed everywhere outside EXCEPT the barns/sheds and inside the house. CIGARETTE BUTTS and BEER CAPS are to be kept OFF the ground. Marijuana and minor alcohol consumption is allowed during your time off. No smoking pot while driving equipment or operating machinery. Anyone not following these rules will be asked to leave immediately.
We hope to host you soon! Thanks for reading.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have Starlink now
Space for parking camper vans
We have power for you.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
25 hrs per week as help vary by season
Feedback (27)
The Farm is a great place to learn about,- and experience Farm life with all it's ups and downs and to implement and improve skills like gardening or building.
Staying on the farm for a couple of months also brings the chance of… read more
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
The Farm is a great place to learn about,- and experience Farm life with all it's ups and downs and to implement and improve skills like gardening or building.
Staying on the farm for a couple of months also brings the chance of… read more
Patrick and Valencia are really fun and respectful, animals are amazing. The RV is perfectly clean and comfortable for a couple.
The food is really good, local and organic.
The work is split into two parts, on the one hand feeding… read more
We absolutely loved the Canadian winter experience ! Very open and friendly people, hard working and easy going.
They have 5 beautiful dogs we really enjoyed walking them around their massive farm lands and of course chilling with them by the indoor fire.
Best bacon we ever had in our… read more
We would highly recommend her to any host. She is welcome… read more
Patrick and Valencia are two of the realest, kindest, most amazing human beings I've had the honor and privilege of meeting. I've learned the world from them through our work and deep conversations, and I've returned home with so many lessons and… read more
It took him a few weeks to settle in and get comfortable, but in the end… read more
- You learn;
- You have fun;
- You make friends;
- You feel this great sense of family;
- You discover new perspectives, new horizons.
I think the secret of Valencia's and Patrick's recipe for running such a peaceful and great place is flexibility and listening.
You can talk… read more
She was such a big help getting all of our receipts ready for the accountant, she spent hours on the laptop inputting all of the data and is super organized. She sewed things for us, cleaned the house, walked the dogs everyday which helps out us out alot. She had no problem getting outside and working with… read more
I first stayed with the host in the summer of 2020 when my friend spontaneously asked me to go to some farm with him for few weeks. Little did I know then how much I'd come to love the place. In the year since then I've returned 3 separate times and its become my my home away from home; a sanctuary for when I get sick and… read more
I stayed on the farm for 4 months. Its an amazing place and I enjoyed every minute of my stay. Patrick and Valencia are wonderful people with an incredible amount of knowledge about farming and life in general. They both have a fantastic sense of hummer which makes evening meals an endless laugh. The atmosphere on… read more
Originally, I planned to stay for a month but ended up staying for ~6 weeks.
The time at Patrick and Valencia's place was one of many new inputs, lots of learning and honest work. I really enjoyed it, the things I learned, having you around, the puppies and lately… read more
We would certainly host them again without question!… read more
Patrick and Valencia were very open to teaching us all kinds of new things and we learned a lot, like how to mill lumber from logs, wrangle pigs, and work with electric fences. The other volunteers were very friendly and we really enjoyed cooking and eating delicious food (meat!) together… read more
He jumped right in and lent a hand where it was needed, both outside and in the kitchen as well.
He was pleasant, intelligent and respectful. He got along well with the other helpers and participated in games with us.
We would gladly host him again! Thanks… read more
This is the best farm I've ever stayed. I stayed the first time for two months (yes the FIRST time), it was so hard to leave them because the really became so good friends and even more than that: they became my family!
I was traveling in Montreal when Covid hit and Valencia and Patrick said immediately I should come back home.… read more
I've always lived in cities and had a… read more
She has a great personality and was excited by life. She walked dogs, chased cows, drove the big manual… read more
Patrick taught me so much while doing work outside. I learned a lot about the different animal species, as well as the different breeds. Valencia showed me the importance of wild flowers and herbs, as well using… read more
They are both considerate, kind and friendly guys who enjoy fishing, nature and learning everything that we could throw their way! They… read more
He is shy at first but once he opens up he is hilarious, kind, and brings joy and laughter to the farm.
He works hard, tackles challenges and built us so many wonderful things! We… read more
We were sad to see her go....she just jumped right in and grabbed a broom, helped wrangle cows,… read more
I don't even know how to start but many thanks to Patrick and Valencia for giving me the chance to be with you.
It was my first farming experience and it couldn't have been better. I loved their humor, felt very comfortable and after the first five minutes meeting them I had a feeling of "having arrived home“, 5-stars!! I was… read more
He was respectful and… read more
Valencia and Patrick are very kind and friendly people and their organic Farm is beautiful. I liked their concept and how they are leading the farm. I could learn so much and could grow day by day. The work was very different and I felt good to get responsibility. I could work with the… read more
She cooked beautiful meals and was conscious of the vegetarians in… read more
Where will I start......
Firstly, I'll start with the hosts...Patrick and Valencia. They truly are the cats… read more
You were super hard working, always up for whatever we asked of you, and many times you cooked dinner without being asked and it was always… read more
