Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
17 Jan 2025
Feedback
9
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Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We are a young professional couple (Jen - 33, Will - 40) with two tiny humans, Ruxton (5) and Ophelia (4) with a rural 5-acre gulf island farm. We also own another 15 acer farm on the South end of the island. We both work in the emergency field (Will is the Fire Chief for the fire department) and (Jenn is a paramedic and a firefighter on the island) we love farming, love the water, and love this island. Gabriola is surrounded by beaches and is one of the most breathtaking places on earth with an amazing farming community.
On our farm we grow lots of different vegetables and fruits in our 20,000 square foot gardens. Some of these include carrots, lettuce, chard, kale, beets, herbs, peas, corn, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and garlic. Our garlic crop is our commercial crop and we plant around 12,000 a year. In our orchard we grow five different apple trees, 2 plum trese, three pare trees, five fig trees, 5 hazelnut trees, and two walnut trees. In all our gardens we use sustainable and organic practices and no pesticides or herbicides.
We also rise laying hens with our current count at 30 + 4 roosters. We sell our eggs at the local farmers market and at a roadside stand. We also feed our hens non-GMO feeds and lots of fresh fruits and veggies.
In addition to our gardens we have an equine retirement horse boarding facility currently housing five horses. There is a developed riding ring, pasture lands, and near by 707 acre park with an amazing trail system for riding/running/walking.
We also have a few icelandic sheep on the farm. We use the sheep mostly as breeding stock but also for wool and meat.
In addition to our farm we also have skills in Cabinetry and Woodworking. We specialize in sustainable start to finish products. From milling dead standing trees to creating and finally installing a finished piece. Our woodworking business is a multigenerational family business with practices and knowledge passed down from generation to generation. We have a 1,000 square foot shop space with all essential equipment. Currently we don't taking on many jobs due to our work in the emergency services, but we are alway fixing/building things on the farm.
We currently need help in these areas and projects,
- Child Care (MOST IMPORTANT)
- Daily animal care for all our animals (feeding, mucking, grooming, etc)
- Processing and cleaning Garlic (July/aug)
- Building projects on the barn (foundation, framing and building work)
- Cooking/Cleaning general help around the house
- Other farm related tasks
We are excited to learn from our workers and pass on some of the knowledge that we have gained and make new friends.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We have a extremely dynamic farm and skill set that we love to share with others. We pride ourselves in being able to accomplish all tasks from building our own home, growing our own food, and developing our farm and business. We treat everyone that comes in like a part of our family. We share the same home, have fun and work hard together.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
- Child Care (5 yr old and 4 year old)
- Processing and cleaning Garlic harvest
- Building a woodworking shop addition on the barn (foundation, framing and building work)
- Planting this seasons crops (lots of different veggies)
- Cooking/Cleaning general help around the house
- Daily animal care for all our animals (feeding, mucking, grooming, etc)
- Garden prep and Weeding
- Other farm related tasks
No experience is necessary we are willing to teach if you are patient with us.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have two trailers available. On can accommodate a couple or a single and the other just a single person. We hope to build a suite into our home in the future for more accommodations. There is very fast WiFi access to most of the property and in both trailers.
Food
We provide all meals for our workers, breakfast is self serve, lunch is provided on work days unless there is something else happening that takes Jenn away from the house. Dinner is always made.
We use local fresh produce from our farm and surrounding farms. We also do not buy any farmed meat only meat we have raised (such as pigs and chicken) or meat that Will has hunted/fished such as deer and salmon. We make most things from scratch and try and provide the best quality food we can. Jenn is also happy to teach you how to cook if that is an interest for you!
Though we do eat some vegetarian meals we are not vegetarians, so if you are then you will be expected to cook your own meals.
Please note we will happily provide an occasional case of beer for a good days work as a treat but we also encourage workers to provide their own alcohol as well if they wish to drink.
What else ...
Gabriola Island offers a wide variety of beaches and coast line. There are many local pubs and restaurants as well as shops and farmers markets in the summer. We have a 16' boat that we often take people out on in the summer time when the weather is nice. We go pawning/fishing and collect mussels and clams. There are 707 acres of trails right by our house that are great for walking, running and mountain biking (we have bikes available for use).
We are a very social family and we often host dinner parties and bonfires at our home. We have been year long hosts for over 8 years and we love a busy happy home.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (5)
Thanks so much girls for all your hard work and we had a great time hosting you both. Come back and visit soon!
We learned a lot about the daily life on a farm.
Jenn and Will are nice hosts and of course the kids are really cute.… read more
You get your tasks that you have to do in five hours and if you can't do that, you have to work longer. So if you're an accurate worker, you'll probably… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.6)
Cultural exchange:
(4.2)
Communication:
(3.6)
Thanks so much girls for all your hard work and we had a great time hosting you both. Come back and visit soon!
We learned a lot about the daily life on a farm.
Jenn and Will are nice hosts and of course the kids are really cute.… read more
You get your tasks that you have to do in five hours and if you can't do that, you have to work longer. So if you're an accurate worker, you'll probably… read more
I was there together with another workawayer I didn't know before and this was a great experience, because we could do the work together. We took care of the horses and stables everyday, after that we have often been in the garden or were looking… read more
