Profile information
Host rating
65 %
Last replied
30 Mar 2024
Reply rate
55.6 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
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Email verified
Details
Description
Introducing our sanctuary! We are a small apiary and hobby farm on a beautiful Gulf Island off the coast of Vancouver called Saltspring Island. We value creativity and hard work and love to tend to and delight in the natural world! Our home is located in the south end of Saltspring Island where there are many beautiful hiking trails and lakes and ocean beaches. We live a 5 minute walk from the bus stop that takes you to town where there is a thriving artistic community and a famous farmers and crafters market once a week. We also run our home based business on the land where we have a group of 4-6 people arrive once a month for a healing retreat.
I have been a host with workaway for many years and really enjoy meeting people and sharing skills and stories and good food and music.
I am an Expressive Arts Therapist and Storyteller/Teacher as well as an Herbalist with plenty of medicine making and wildcrafting knowledge to share. My husband Dimitri is a fabulous Chef, Beekeeper, Sculptor and Gardener. We are both educated in permaculture design and love to help things thrive and be beautiful.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are fluent in french, spanish and english. We love to share our knowledge on local plant medicines and how to use and make them. We have also been around the world to gather folklore and stories and have a passion for storytelling and sculpting mythic beings from clay. If beekeeping is of interest to you, you would have plenty of opportunity to learn from and experience the bees. We are happy to share with you our passions and some tools to try it out. We also have a pottery wheel. We will have a sauna up and running soon so thats a bonus :)
Help
We have recently moved to this lovely bit of earth and are working on a variety of projects such as beginning various gardens for vegetables, flowers and honey bee forage, building decks and docks, chicken coop, (there's a spring fed pond!) weaving live willow fences, building the cedar barrel sauna and spa zone, transplanting, medicine making, beekeeping and general land maintenance ie: stacking wood, clearing brambles, raking leaves etc. We like to keep things interesting and so keep the jobs varied.
We are specifically hoping for a couple where at least one of you has basic building skills as much of our help needed involves building currently. Having said that, we are open to considering whoever messages us.
Exchange agreement we are asking is for 3 hours x 4 days a week or 2 x 6 hour days per person. We want you to have plenty of time to enjoy the place! We like to make things work for everyone.
Ideally 2 week stay with possibility of longer if all goes well :)
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
Camping space with a large tent, Compost toilet and outdoor kitchen set-up. We would provide some basic food such as salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, rice, lentils, some spices, tea, and whatever is in abundance on the land at the time.
What else ...
There is amazing kayaking around here and kayaks for rent in town. There are so many wonderful things happening on saltspring! twice a week there is "dance temple" where people get together to dance in a talk free environement. There are 2 great gyms, a rec centre and so many beautiful hikes. The Island has several local cideries and wineries and a great theatre for live shows as well as a small movie theatre. The small but bustling village centre is packed with charming shops not to mention there is a mini village at the ferry terminal just down the road from our home with 2 cafes, a trinket shop, a pottery shop, health food shop and a mercantile for basic food.
We are non smokers and prefer that tobacco not be smoked on the property. We work with plant medicines and ceremony and are not ok with having anybody who drinks alcohol heavily on the land. There are 4 cats who live here and are all very friendly. Internet access is patchy but can be found in a few places on the land. Near the home the wifi is strong and can be arranged access for stretches of time if needed. If its very important and not a good time for us, you can always for sure get internet at the cafe 5 minute walk down the road.
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.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
4 hours/day 4 days a week
