Profile information
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Host rating
80 %
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Last replied
21 May 2026
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Feedback
12
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Facebook verified
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Email verified
Badges (4)
Min stay requested: at least a week
Details
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Description
Hi there! We’re Ali and Chris, and we’d love to welcome a thoughtful, independent longer-term helper to share time on our beautiful 7-acre property beside the Cowichan River in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
We live a creative and connected life focused around nature, gardening, building projects, family, and caring for this special piece of land. We have chickens, bunnies, ducks and cats.
Ali runs a handmade slow fashion clothing business called from her home studio, where she designs and sews natural fibre clothing. Chris works full time building playgrounds, timber structures, and musical instruments.
ABOUT THE STAY
You’ll stay in your own cozy and very clean private cabin with a spacious loft, outdoor kitchen, reliable wifi, laundry access, a clean outhouse, and a beautiful outdoor hot shower and bathtub surrounded by nature.
At this time, we are ideally looking for someone interested in a longer-term arrangement of approximately 15 hours of help per week in exchange for accommodation, wifi, and laundry facilities. We are no longer offering full meal exchange arrangements, so helpers should be comfortable providing and preparing their own food independently.
We are hoping to find someone mature, self-directed, and comfortable working independently. Ideally you have:
• Carpentry or general building experience
• Your own vehicle
• Experience using tools
• Comfort working outdoors in all weather
• A proactive and easygoing attitude
CURRENT & ONGOING PROJECTS
• Land and garden maintenance
• Firewood cutting, stacking, and organizing
• Building and finishing projects
• Installing doors on sheds
• Shed roofing projects
• Gardening watering and weeding
• Chicken care and general homestead help
• Small repairs and organizing projects
• Lawn mowing and weed eating, leaf raking
Much of the work will be done independently with flexible scheduling, though sometimes we may work together on projects during weekends or evenings depending on both of our schedules.
We like to begin with a 1–2 week trial period to make sure it feels like a great fit for everyone before committing to a longer stay.
ABOUT THE AREA
• 3 minute walk to a beautiful Cowichan River swim hole
• 15 minute walk to Glenora Trails Head Park & Trans Canada Trail system
• 30 minute walk to Glenora Store & Café
• 45 minute walk to Alderlea Farm Café
• 10 minute drive to downtown Duncan
There is no nearby bus route, so having your own vehicle is highly preferred. We do occasionally drive into town, and there may also be access to an e-bike depending on the situation.
We really value clear communication, mutual respect, independence, and people who genuinely enjoy peaceful rural living and meaningful projects.
If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to arrange a video chat so you can get a feel for the land, the space, and the rhythm of life here.
Please note: unfortunately we are unable to host dogs.
We look forward to hearing from you!
~ “Work is love made visible.” -
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Light gardening
Creative DIY projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Light maintenance
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Interests
Music
DIY & crafts
Gardening
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Astronomy
Animals
Beach
Yoga / Wellness
Hiking
Cycling
Dancing
Nature
Fitness
Camping
Adventure sports -
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We love to share our way of life with others. Being a very creative family we always have some fun project on the go, our jobs do keep us quite busy but we love time on the property and in teh gardens and doing projects whenever we can fit them in.
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Help
CURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS
Woodworking and carpentry skills would be especially beneficial for the projects we currently have planned around the property. We are hoping to find someone who enjoys practical hands-on work and takes pride in creating functional and beautiful spaces.
Some of our current and upcoming projects include:
• Building a new duck coop and enclosed duck area with pond
• Constructing a small roadside farm stand for vegetables, flowers, eggs, and handmade goods
• Installing doors and trim on small sheds and outbuildings
• Building and installing a new outhouse door
• Small roofing projects on sheds and storage spaces
• Firewood cutting, stacking, and organizing
• Garden building and landscape maintenance
• Simple woodworking and finishing details around the property
• General organizing, repairs, and seasonal property upkeep
Many of these projects can be worked on independently once instructions are given, so we really appreciate helpers who are self-motivated, resourceful, and comfortable managing their own workflow. -
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
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Accommodation
Beautiful private cabin for our helpers, it is impeccably clean and cozy with a big spacious loft and a queen bed. There is an outdoor kitchen, very clean outhouse and hot water outdoor shower and bathtub. Our property is very private and spacious.
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We live on 7 acres of beautiful land right beside the Cowichan River with Holt Creek Provinical Park is only an 8 minute walk down the road with trails along the Trans Canada trail system and amazing hikes alongside the Cowichan River.
We swim in the River at our swimming hole just down the bank from our home, all summer and go tubing. We are a 10 minute drive from downtown Duncan, we provide a bicycle you can use. Its a 20-25 min bike ride.
There is a biodynamic cafe up the road called Alderlea Farm (10 minute bike ride), and a corner store and gas station called Glenora Store. Also Zanatta vineyard is just up the road. -
What else ...
Our location would be ideal if you had your own car. We do have a bike you can borrow.
We ask our helpers to be motivated, must like our cats, be respectful and no smoking around our family.
We hope to make you feel at home during your stay with us. -
A little more information
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Internet access
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Limited internet access
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We have pets
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We are smokers
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Can host families
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Can host digital nomads
There is good wifi at the cabin.
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Space for parking camper vans
We have lots of room for your own camper van here .
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How many Workawayers can stay?
One
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My animals / pets
Heritage Chickens
We love our flock of chickens, we have had chickens for 10 years and continue to love their personalities and providing our own eggs. We like heritage breeds and our chickens get to free range for a few hours a day.
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (6)
We feel so blessed to have had them stay with us for 3 weeks. It was sad to see them go.
I … read more
Work wasn't too hard (staining the deck, mulching, wood piling) and the place is really nice with a large garden(/playground!), big house, lovely river a few minutes away and plenty of trails to walk around.
Ali provides all meals, she's a good cook (although she doesn't know it!), everyone … read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.5)
Communication:
(4.0)
We feel so blessed to have had them stay with us for 3 weeks. It was sad to see them go.
I … read more
Work wasn't too hard (staining the deck, mulching, wood piling) and the place is really nice with a large garden(/playground!), big house, lovely river a few minutes away and plenty of trails to walk around.
Ali provides all meals, she's a good cook (although she doesn't know it!), everyone … read more
Hope to see you again!
The trailer usually used by workawayers was rented out so we'd stay in a really cool room on a ground floor, Chris … read more
