Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
3 May 2025
Reply rate
98.0 %
Usually responds within 7 days
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Details
Description
Minimum one month stay please as we have special animals that need time to warm up to new guests. Booked until September at this time. Looking forward to hosting you!!
The Farm Sanctuary serves as a safe haven for rescued, rehomed, and special-needs domestic and farm animals. Nestled in the heart of the picturesque West Kootenays, our sanctuary is surrounded by breathtaking mountain ranges, pristine rivers, and serene lakes, offering a tranquil environment for our animals and visitors alike.
Our sanctuary is home to a diverse family of animals, including horses, goats, sheep, geese, ducks, chickens, pigs, two dedicated livestock guardian dogs, and four rescued cats. Each resident has a unique story and has found refuge in our care, where they can live out their lives in peace and comfort.
here, we are passionate about fostering meaningful connections between humans and animals. We provide ample opportunities for visitors to interact with our animals as cherished companions, helping to deepen understanding and appreciation for their intrinsic value. Our sanctuary is a welcoming space for individuals who share our commitment to animal welfare and who are eager to experience the joy of connecting with animals in a compassionate and respectful environment.
Whether you're an avid animal lover, a supporter of rescue and rehabilitation efforts, or simply looking to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, our Farm Sanctuary offers a unique and fulfilling experience. Join us in celebrating and advocating for the well-being of all animals.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Elderly Companionship
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Self development
Pets
LGBTQ
Charity work
Farming
Photography
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Carpentry
Blogging
Art & design
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Fitness
Cycling
Camping
Beach
Vegetarian or vegan
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
While running a farm sanctuary keeps us tethered to home, we are eager to explore the world—through you! Learning about different countries and cultures from our guests is one of the most rewarding parts of hosting, and we’re always up for swapping stories, traditions, and perspectives.
In return, we’d love to share our knowledge and experiences. We have expertise in caring for animals, and we’re in the very early stages of delving into medicinal and herbal gardening alongside fruit and vegetable cultivation. If you’re interested, let’s trade tips, tricks and techniques.
Our rural location offers a mix of tranquility and adventure. While nestled in nature, we’re just an 8-minute drive (or a scenic 30-minute rural walk) from public transit to Nelson and Castlegar. For relaxation, you’ll find two public beaches less than 10 minutes drive away. For thrill-seekers, we’re an hours drive from the stunning Valhalla mountain range and numerous local hiking trails. Whitewater and Red Mountain ski resorts are also under an hour away, and the region’s famous hot springs (Halcyon, Nakusp, Ainsworth, and Halfway) are only two hours from our doorstep.
For local exploration, we provide two bikes and are just a 2-minute walk to Krestova Regional Park, with its inviting walking and hiking trails. While we’re often busy caring for our furry and feathered residents, many hands make light work. With your help, we’d love to occasionally take time to show off some of the area’s hidden gems.
By staying with us, you’ll gain a unique cultural exchange that blends hands-on animal care, and a taste of rural Canadian life—all while surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty.
Help
We’re looking for dedicated and adaptable guests ready to embrace the demands of farm life. The work can be physically challenging and often involves repetitive tasks for a few hours each day, so a strong work ethic and a love for animals and the outdoors are essential.
At a minimum, all guests will assist with the feeding and care of our animal residents. Morning and evening routines are non-negotiable priorities. Beyond that, additional projects will be assigned based on skill and interest.
You can expect to work either Sunday- Thursday or Tuesday - Saturday. Our current winter feeding/care times are 8am-11am, and 4pm-6pm with a final farm check from 8pm-8:10pm. There are some times where flexibility may be needed (examples include hay delivery, sick animal/treatments, etc which are too be expected on a farm.).
While we’re flexible in aligning tasks with your skills and interests, farm work is not for the faint of heart. Tasks like yard cleanup, pruning trees, building structures, fixing fences, cleaning and organizing outbuildings, weeding, planting, raking, and even handling manure can be physically demanding and occasionally repetitive. That said, the satisfaction of seeing your hard work pay off is incredibly rewarding.
Both my spouse and I work full-time Monday through Friday. I work from home and am available before and after work as well as during breaks to provide guidance or assistance. I am also helping with weekend projects and work.
If you’re a digital nomad or social media specialist, we’d also appreciate help building our online presence when you’re not knee-deep in farm duties.
I am most excited to learn from those who are experienced with tools and have experience working with their hands.
This opportunity is perfect for individuals who enjoy a mix of independent and collaborative work. Most importantly we are looking for those who are passionate about and love interacting with animals. If sitting with goats and reading a book or having a sleepover in the straw with the sheep or doing yoga with the cats or feeding chickens treats with your hands gets you excited, you will be a great fit. We are truly looking for animal lovers to share in our journey!!!! 🐄🐖🐓🐑🐑🐑🐑🐴🐶🐷🐻
If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into farm life, we’d love to have you on board!
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
We only speak English, but interested in learning other languages.
Accommodation
We now offer three comfortable bedrooms with a king sized bed, queen sized bed and one with a double/single bunk bed.
Each room is equipped with a desk, chair, and a small TV for streaming. There are two shared bathrooms inside the house and an additional bathroom with a shower located in the shop. For those who enjoy sleeping under the stars, we also have ample camping space with breathtaking views of the night sky.
The front yard provides a relaxing space, complete with a BBQ, patio chairs, loungers, and a hot tub available during designated hours. In the winter months only the hot tub is available.
Guests are responsible for cooking their own meals. We’ve recently found a great system where guests and hosts take turns cooking dinner. This means everyone cooks 1-2 times a week, creating an enjoyable way to share culinary skills and come together over good food. We’ll stock the fridge and freezer with vegetarian or plant-based ingredients sourced from local gardens and markets. Aimee is looking for more vegetarian and vegan menu items, so is eager to learn more recipes.
What else ...
Welcome to our charmingly quirky, older farmhouse—proudly a work in progress. We’re gradually converting the basement into a recreational oasis for guests, but right now, it's more "Pinterest dreams" than "HGTV reveal." For now, you’ll find a room equipped with a Wii (because retro gaming never dies), treadmill, fitness bands, and a few weights—perfect for burning off energy or that delicious baking our German guests keep making. :)
Our home is shared with a few furry friends, including dogs, cats, and the occasional sheep with boundary issues who likes to try their hoof at being an indoor pet. While we strive to keep things tidy, but expect a bit of mud, the odd pet hair tumbleweed, and possibly a sheep politely judging your life choices from the doorway. Don’t worry; we keep the chaos clean-ish. If you've made it this far please reference sheep in your message to us, that will ensure that we know you've read our profile fully and think it would be a great fit for what you are looking for with your travels.
To keep things running smoothly:
*Dishes are cleaned after use and get them ready for the next person. If a dish needs to soak, it should have a short bath and not move in to the sink permanently.
*Recycling packages are to be placed into the appropriate bins.
*Common areas are shared, so there is an expectation that everyone maintains a clean area and tidy up after ourselves.
*Outdoor gear stays outside or downstairs. Indoor shoes or slippers are highly encouraged—we’re running a farmhouse, not a barnhouse.
Lastly, a non-negotiable hot tub rule: shower first. The hot tub deserves fresh guests, not a replay of your day's adventures!
We hope you enjoy your stay—quirks and all!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Desk space is available. Animals may make noise throughout the day, noise cancelling headphones may be desired.
Space for parking camper vans
Space to park, but no hookups.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (3)
They jumped right into animal… read more
We stayed for two months and helped with animal chores, which took about 2,5 hours a day and included feeding, filling up water, raking, teaching the piggies tricks and most importantly lots of cuddles. Afterwards we worked on… read more
Watching them wander the sanctuary, you’d see how they cherished every creature they came across, greeting each one… 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:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
They jumped right into animal… read more
We stayed for two months and helped with animal chores, which took about 2,5 hours a day and included feeding, filling up water, raking, teaching the piggies tricks and most importantly lots of cuddles. Afterwards we worked on… read more
Watching them wander the sanctuary, you’d see how they cherished every creature they came across, greeting each one… read more
Aimee is one of the kindest persons we ever met, she has a really big heart and a sunny sharing smile. Since the moment we arrived we felt really being a part of the family and she trust us and our skills immediately.
Everything is… read more
They took the time to get to know each of our animals and their unique personalities, treating… read more
Each of their animals has its own character and story. And that's why the work is so much fun.
In the morning work began with feeding, changing water and cleaning the enclosures. And of course lots of… read more
Carla demonstrated exceptional skill and attentiveness in caring… read more
