Experience ranch life in Merritt, Canada

Details

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  Description

  Welcome to the 2023 Season. WE must first say this is not a paid position, we are unable to provide letters of employment to help gain access into Canada.
  
  Danica and Ken, along with our 6 well trained indoor dogs, stay in this 5 bedroom house on a 160 acre ranch, nestled on top of a mountain. Being an international host is not new to us, over the last 12 yrs we have been a host family within the Workaway and Rotary International exchange programs. Our house is just shy of 4000 sqft, with great views out of every window. You will have a room with either two twin beds, a king size bed or a room with a queen bed, shared bathroom and the laundry room is just down the hall from your room. Oh, don't be surprised if you wake up to a Buffalo/Bison walking through the yard.. Yes, we live on a Buffalo Ranch. Once your day is done, lots of trails to go out on for a walk. We are an off grid house (Green energy), meaning we are powered by Solar panels, and heated with a wood stove. To walk in the house, you would never know our means of power, we have all the items living on the grid would have, minus a dishwasher and clothing dryer.
  We have a saying, come as guests, leave as family. We have had many past visitors come back for coffee or dinner as they travel on to a different part of their journey. Pending the weather, we like to sit around the fire pit in the evening, roasting marshmallows and making smores or banana-boats... Don't be surprised to find other workaways at the fire as we have another house on the ranch that hosts as well. Meals at our home contain meat most of the time.
  
  Daily chores will involve outdoor tasks, assist in completing a "lean to" , splitting(we have a machine for that)/stacking firewood, or clearing and once snow is on the ground - burning shrub piles. On rainy days, these do not happen often, there are some projects in the house that need to be finished along some house clean up and the best part, playing outside with the dogs.
  
  We look forward to hearing from you.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Our house is always active, they will be treated like a family member thus getting a true feel of a ranch lifestyle. On weekends they can relax and go for walks or use the house as a base and go travelling to other cities via the bus. When we go to Kamloops or Kelowna it is always offered if they would like to come up for the ride. In the evenings we can go out for drives around the lakes or just sit down and relax. With the other house on the ranch also hosting, there are many chances to get to meet other travelers and share stories and experiences.
  
  the other ranch house on the property

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  Help

  We are an active Buffalo Ranch, you will have the opportunity to see the animals daily, but your primary tasks will be other projects on the ranch. Don't worry, we have coveralls and lumber jackets to keep warm while outside. There will be days, pending weather, you will be outside helping collect the the winter firewood for the house. It will need to be split ( have a machine for that!) and stacked in the wood shed. The collecting of the wood will take you off the property, thus getting to see a bit more of the valley. Also, clearing deadfall(wood), under brush from over grown areas, piling up all the wood and under brush, then burning it off.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  There is one room on the lower level that can have either two single beds or one king size bed and there is a king size bed on the upper level. The 2 singles or 1 king with a window under the deck is the darker of the two rooms.
  These room have access to shared bathroom and laundry room.

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  What else ...

  We live 15 miles from Merritt, at 1475 meters above sea level. One spouse works daily in town, allowing lots of opportunity to explore the Nicola Valley. Lot of great events go on in the Valley, from Music Fests, Rally Car Races, International Bull Riding and Rodeo events. Nicola Lake is less than a 10min drive from the house and with Kayaks at the house, heading to the water on a warm evening is a great escape. Merritt also has a bus terminal with daily trips to Kelowna, Kamloops and the Lower Mainland. Bussing can be found at E-BUS - and also Rider Express can be found at , if you are looking for a weekend getaway. Check out the Merritt.ca website to see what the area is like.

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  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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  Space for parking camper vans

  You will need to travel a dirt/gravel road, mainly with an up hill pull.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  25hours a week, 2 days off

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