Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Reply rate
90.7 %
Usually responds within 6 days
Feedback
45
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We have a ranch with 50 beef cows and their calves, several horses, two miniature donkeys, four goats, two sheep, and a llama. We also have numerous cats and dogs who will come out and help you with chores or come cuddle with you on the couch.
There is always plenty to do around the farm throughout the year rain, snow or sun. Some of our general experiences we can offer are listed below.
Winter: All our animals are in the home yard and you can help us to feed and check on them. Don’t let the cold weather put you off. The snow, northern lights, and spectacular sunrises more than make up from it and we have plenty of wood stoves to keep us warm.
Spring: This is our calving season and we check on the cows regularly. Chances are good that you'll see the calves being born. Also yard clean up after the snow melts and getting the garden ready to be planted.
Summer: You can help us with hauling the round hay bales from the field to the home yard (using tractors and bale wagons), gardening, and painting. Also opportunities to go on trail rides, some of which could be several days long.
Fall: Lots of moving cattle from pastures to pastures happening at this time as well as getting everything ready for the winter.
Other year round tasks include making, checking and mending fences, splitting wood. We also would like you to help with general household duties as part of our family and love to share recipes. If you are mechanically inclined we have a heated well equipped farm shop and we always have machinery which needs maintenance and repairs.
There are lots of opportunities to be with the horses. Generally we ride the horses everyday from mid-spring through to fall and if you're interested, you can learn how they get trained and get involved with that if you stay for long enough. It's possible to ride in the winter too but be aware that some days can be too cold for this and the ground too slippery.
When we're not doing stuff on the farm, there's opportunity to experience hockey games, rodeos, chuckwagons, bonfires, dog sledding, cross country skiing, branding, livestock sales, meeting the neighbours, visit the provincial park, watching wildlife, and many other activities depending on the time of year. There’s also an opportunity for interested people to shadow the local vets. We have a car you can borrow to explore the area.
We access the internet via satellite and therefore it’s limited; therefore, it is not possible to download or stream videos.
Getting to Meadow Lake is all part of the adventure. Our closest airport is in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Lloydminster, Alberta, or Edmonton, Alberta. A new bus service has been started that runs from Saskatoon and Meadow on Monday and Wednesday and from Lloydminster and Meadow Lake on Tuesday and Thursday. As this is a new service, details are subject to change but we can help you to organize this.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our farm.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will get a chance to experience the cowboy lifestyle, learning about horses and cattle and even how to drive the tractor. The wide open skies of the prairies are also something worth experiencing - no day is ever the same.
Help
Feed barn animals like calves, sheep, goats. We often have bottlefed calves that love a good scratch.
Ride & train young and/or experienced horses
Drive tractor - make hay, move bales
Help in house with cooking and cleaning
Fix fence
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have two bunkhouses for accommodation or there’s a bedroom in the house.
2-4 bed in our bunkhouses
What else ...
There are lots of events and activities going on throughout the year in Meadow Lake and the surrounding areas including rodeos, chuckwagons, parades, hockey matches, sled dog races, berry picking, fishing and watching wildlife - beavers, deer, coyotes, foxes, moose, elk.
An International driver’s license would be an asset.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have a large yard with plenty of space to park with the ability to plug your vehicle in.
Can possibly accept pets
As we have our own cats and dogs, we ask that anyone travelling with a pet has them neutered and that they get on well with other animals.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (23)
They showed us how to ride a horse, that was a great experience. We always cooked together and had funny conversations. We went to the dog sled races and the car races in Meadow Lake.
Everyone was kind and we always tried to help each other in everything we could.
We still had plenty of… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
They showed us how to ride a horse, that was a great experience. We always cooked together and had funny conversations. We went to the dog sled races and the car races in Meadow Lake.
Everyone was kind and we always tried to help each other in everything we could.
We still had plenty of… read more
I never felt myself home somewhere so quickly before, and that was definitely because of their welcoming, warm and easy going personalities.
It was amazing to see their love for animals and they definitely give you the opportunity to experience and learn the things you wish. Also the small town community… read more
They are very nice people with a lot of awesome animals and the work is not too much so you will get some spare time.
And if you love horses, are an experience rider and want to learn how to train them, this is… read more
I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, I hope I will be able to come again in the futur!
I had a great time with many completely new experiences for me. I learned a lot about cattles and horses (e.g. western riding and horsemanship) and enjoyed my time in company with dogs, cats and… read more
I did a lot of things I've never done before; sorting cows and calfs on horseback, nearly every day trail-riding, some ground training with the foals, the local stampede and many things more.
It was awesome! Thank you, Marilyn and Bruce!
I didn't speak english very well,but Marilyn,her family and friends are very nice and very patient. I learn a lot about the life in a farm and I took care of many animals.
My time at the farm was so much fun as I come back for the last winter,from… read more
