Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
11 Apr 2024
Reply rate
84.8 %
Usually responds within 9 days
Feedback
16
Email verified
Host offers payment
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Hello Travellers!
We're Patrick and Amy and we live at our remote, off-grid lodge with our two children and happy dog.
We host workawayers from all over the world to help us with our projects. We provide an opportunity to learn new skills (eg. construction, woodwork, plumbing, electrical, gardening, etc) and see the work you do come together as projects are completed. We appreciate new perspectives and creative input from our workawayers, and get along best with those who are flexible, adaptable, eager and able to take initiative. We are teamwork oriented and maintain a positive attitude and approach to all work!
We aim to provide an experience that is fun and social and characteristic of the life we enjoy living in Northern Ontario: from blazing hot saunas, polar bear dips in the lake in January, paddles on the lake, pizza nights in the wood fired pizza oven, leaning to chop wood, campfires, sunset boat rides, and spotting wildlife: bears, moose, beavers, loons and more. We appreciate the small moments, whether it's waking everyone up at 2am to see the northern lights, or a late night ride to the swamp to listen to the deafening sound of the spring peeper frogs when they first come out of hibernation.
Our lodge was established in 1947. It is very remote, an hour away from the city of Sudbury. We rent and maintain four original log cabins from this time, as well as new cabins in the process of being built. Our goal is to make the lodge a getaway from the city for families and others to disconnect from their phones and reconnect with nature. We use renewable energy: primarily water turbine and supplemented by solar for electricity, a ram pump for running water, and our own gardens for fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are located between two lakes on the Chiniguchi River water system. The area displays the best of northern Ontario with tall ancient pine trees and there is history to be discovered in the old log cabins and railway system.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Host has indicated that they will pay at least the minimum hourly wage of their country for each hour worked and that accommodation will also be provided. They are asking for help with a business or business activity. Contact the host directly via the site messenger for more information and details about the wage provided. Any arrangements should be agreed in advance with your host.
Help
We offer the minimum wage for Ontario for every hour worked, as of April 2024 this rate is $16.55. Outside of working hours and on weekends, we expect everyone who stays with us to be a part of the lodge community by helping with dinner, dishes, and general cleanliness of shared spaces in the lodge.
The help we need varies by season, the list below is by no means comprehensive but includes many tasks you can expect to be a part of!
SUMMER - limited workawayers needed
Weeding and maintaining the many gardens in which we grow our herbs and vegetables, landscaping and lawn maintenance, working on our trail system, childcare, maintaining the order and cleanliness of the property (sauna, beach, etc), housekeeping in the lodge, caring for the chickens, etc
FALL - busy time with construction and preparation for winter
Construction (building and updates, etc), getting ready for winter, childcare, gathering/chopping/stacking firewood, housekeeping in the lodge, caring for the chickens, etc
WINTER - quiet season, limited work available
Childcare, working on snowshoe trails, gathering/chopping/stacking firewood, maintaining fires and heating, indoor construction projects (plumbing, tiling, painting, etc), housekeeping in the lodge, caring for the chickens, etc
SPRING - busy time, many workawayers needed as we prepare for summer
Construction (building and updates, etc), childcare, deep clean and refresh of property (eg. sauna, storage areas etc), maintaining trail system from new growth, setting up the property for summer, planting, weeding, and maintaining the many gardens in which we grow our herbs and vegetables, housekeeping in the lodge, caring for the chickens, etc
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Workawayers stay in the main lodge with us. This is where we share meals.
Sometimes we are able to accommodate workawayers in a separate cabin in warmer weather.
What else ...
There is a pool table, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, a wood-burning sauna and sometimes a "hot tub", and a network of trails in the surrounding crown land for you to access and explore. We also enjoy having pizza nights in the wood burning pizza oven, campfires, pontoon boat tours, stargazing, and other outdoor adventures. We are looking forward to having you be a part of this experience!
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.
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (12)
Our… read more
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:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.8)
Our… read more
This was my first workaway experience, and it was nothing short of amazing. The work can be physically demanding sometimes, but at the end of the day, you get to relax in a blazing hot sauna and take an ice-cold dip in the lake.
The family tries to… read more
Eddie took on every task with a cheerful, tenacious attitude. He worked efficiently and brought a fun and comical energy to every day. If you're looking for one of the best "trim boys" in Canada, Eddie is the man!
Charlie was an awesome team player, throwing down on… read more
They welcomed us into their home, meeting their family and friends and we ended up staying longer than we expected - seeing the weather change from winter to “spring”.
The food is excellent, we loved the communal meals and incredible… read more
I became part of the big family quickly!
I met some amazing people, that I will surely remember for life!
I enjoyed the lodge , with Patrick's and Kristen's amazing cooking , meeting their parents and family , I was blasted with love by all the kids and the doggos ! my heart was melting!
I also… read more
Patrick and Amy are the most generous, loving, hard working, motivated, down to earth human beings and their… read more
