Profile information
Host rating
90 %
Last replied
24 Oct 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
31
Email verified
Badges (4)
Give the gift of Workaway
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Details
Description
Hi there!
Do you need a place to stay through the winter?
I am looking for a cheerful, motivated helper, or couple, to help me out on the farm this winter. Sense of humour and laid-back attitude is mandatory.
I live on a lovely 7-acre property on Gabriola Island with my dog and 2 horses.
This host is 4/20 friendly. 🤭🤭
*** This is a rural area and a valid driver's licence, applicable to Canada, is necessary for this Workaway opportunity.***
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Elderly Companionship
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Politics / Social justice
Self development
Movies & TV
Pets
Farming
Writing
Music
Gardening
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Camping
Beach
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I have travelled extensively and, as the former owner of a Homestay business in Vancouver, I am used to having students and guests from other countries and cultures living with me.
I like to find out, in advance, the kinds of things you want to experience while you are in Canada so that i can research and help you achieve those goals when you get here.
Help
General help with the daily chores necessary to maintain a small home and large property. Housekeeping please!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
French: Beginner
Accommodation
Private bedroom in shared house. It’s a small guest bedroom, but I also have a travel trailer, for couples, which is self-contained, but is only available during summer months.
What else ...
Gabriola Island is a wonderful island with the highest density of artists than anywhere in Canada, hence it’s nickname, “Isle of the Arts.”
There is so much to do both for outdoor enthusiasts and for those who prefer the art and music scene. The community is safe, friendly and welcoming. Gorgeous beaches, lush rainforest, clear water, it is one of BC’s best kept secrets!
I am extremely laid-back and have only one main house rule ...... you are not allowed to be hungry, thirsty or have the wrong body temperature!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Wifi is efficient and usually reliable. However, we do have occasional outages during winter storms.
Space for parking camper vans
Lots of space, no size restriction.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Layton
19 yrs pony. 13hh.
Bobby
24 years. Gelding. 16.3hh.
Jersey (4 years)
Boxer Mastiff
Host ref number: 474458999567
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
+5
Feedback (12)
27 Nov 2024
Left by Workawayer (Eleanor) for host
I stayed with Alison for 3 days of what was originally intended to be a one month + stay. She did not give guidance on how to complete the role, and when she did it seemed to keep changing in contradictory ways. I cooked, cleaned, helped her with animal care and ran errands for her during my stay. I was not informed previous to my stay that she… read more
27 Nov 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Eleanor)
Ellie is an amazing vegan cook who is happiest in the kitchen creating meals and baking goodies. I hope that one day she will open a vegan café somewhere because I think she would do really well.
Things didn't quite work out as we both hoped and we decided to "abort the mission" and go our separate ways.
But for all you Vegan hosts out there… read more
Things didn't quite work out as we both hoped and we decided to "abort the mission" and go our separate ways.
But for all you Vegan hosts out there… read more
(Good
)
28 Oct 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (EllaPardon)
Ella was with me for about 6 weeks and brought calm into my chaos.
She took amazing care of my 2 dogs and kept the house lovely and clean during her time here, which allowed me to do the things that bring me joy.
She is clean, quiet and respectful of those around her. Always helpful, self-motivated and conscientious, Ella managed to bring some… read more
She took amazing care of my 2 dogs and kept the house lovely and clean during her time here, which allowed me to do the things that bring me joy.
She is clean, quiet and respectful of those around her. Always helpful, self-motivated and conscientious, Ella managed to bring some… read more
(Excellent
)
13 Sep 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Charlotte)
Charlotte was here for over a month and did a great job of keeping the house clean and caring for the animals. This included cleaning, tidying, re-organizing, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry and all those mundane chores that I despise, leaving me free to work on outdoor landscaping and other property projects.
She is fun to be around and… read more
She is fun to be around and… read more
(Excellent
)
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
+5
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(4.7)
27 Nov 2024
Left by Workawayer (Eleanor) for host
I stayed with Alison for 3 days of what was originally intended to be a one month + stay. She did not give guidance on how to complete the role, and when she did it seemed to keep changing in contradictory ways. I cooked, cleaned, helped her with animal care and ran errands for her during my stay. I was not informed previous to my stay that she… read more
27 Nov 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Eleanor)
Ellie is an amazing vegan cook who is happiest in the kitchen creating meals and baking goodies. I hope that one day she will open a vegan café somewhere because I think she would do really well.
Things didn't quite work out as we both hoped and we decided to "abort the mission" and go our separate ways.
But for all you Vegan hosts out there… read more
Things didn't quite work out as we both hoped and we decided to "abort the mission" and go our separate ways.
But for all you Vegan hosts out there… read more
(Good)
28 Oct 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (EllaPardon)
Ella was with me for about 6 weeks and brought calm into my chaos.
She took amazing care of my 2 dogs and kept the house lovely and clean during her time here, which allowed me to do the things that bring me joy.
She is clean, quiet and respectful of those around her. Always helpful, self-motivated and conscientious, Ella managed to bring some… read more
She took amazing care of my 2 dogs and kept the house lovely and clean during her time here, which allowed me to do the things that bring me joy.
She is clean, quiet and respectful of those around her. Always helpful, self-motivated and conscientious, Ella managed to bring some… read more
(Excellent)
13 Sep 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Charlotte)
Charlotte was here for over a month and did a great job of keeping the house clean and caring for the animals. This included cleaning, tidying, re-organizing, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry and all those mundane chores that I despise, leaving me free to work on outdoor landscaping and other property projects.
She is fun to be around and… read more
She is fun to be around and… read more
(Excellent)
29 Apr 2024
Left by Workawayer (Jacqueline & Daniel) for host
Dan and I stayed with Alison on Gabriola Island for four weeks. She is generous, engaging and there was never a dull moment during our time spent with her. She has a lot of interesting stories to tell and made us feel at home from day one. She also was very keen for us to experience the area in which she lives and she gave us lots of ideas about… read more
27 Apr 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Jacqueline & Daniel)
Dan and Jay were here for 3 weeks and managed to accomplish lots during their stay.
From cleaning out the RV, to pounding fence poles, clearing land, helping with all aspects of animal care, picking rocks, weeding, repairing fences, housekeeping and general tidying on the property, they kept themselves busy and were a tremendous help.
On the… read more
From cleaning out the RV, to pounding fence poles, clearing land, helping with all aspects of animal care, picking rocks, weeding, repairing fences, housekeeping and general tidying on the property, they kept themselves busy and were a tremendous help.
On the… read more
(Excellent)
6 Apr 2024
Left by Workawayer (Catherine & Mattias) for host
We had a wonderful time with Alison! She is a very kind, generous, ambitious, energetic and funny person. Helping her was a real pleasure! She was always available if we had questions and suggestions. She gave us a lot of freedom and trusted our work. Taking care of Jersey, Annie, Bobby and Bridie was great too! Very adorable companions. We really… read more
4 Apr 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Catherine & Mattias)
Sadly, Cat ‘n’ Matt could only stay with me for a couple of weeks, but the amount of projects they completed and worked on during that time was amazing.
Matt built a giant see-saw for my horses’ obstacle course; after he built a firewood shelter, hung up a shade sail and fixed numerous problems around the property. He liked to be busy and was… read more
Matt built a giant see-saw for my horses’ obstacle course; after he built a firewood shelter, hung up a shade sail and fixed numerous problems around the property. He liked to be busy and was… read more
(Excellent)
1 Apr 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Lucie)
Sometimes you get a request from a traveller, and regardless of whether their skills match with the projects you need done, somehow you know that they should come.
That's what happened with Lucie. She was a gut feeling - and I'm so thankful that I went with my instincts because Lucie was my saviour during a very long and wet winter. She and I… read more
That's what happened with Lucie. She was a gut feeling - and I'm so thankful that I went with my instincts because Lucie was my saviour during a very long and wet winter. She and I… read more
(Excellent)
31 Mar 2024
Left by Workawayer (Lucie) for host
A WORKAWAY TO REMEMBER ❤️ 🐶 🐴
Wow what a couple of months! I came to Alison in late November to stay for a month- I enjoyed my time on the island so much I returned in January for a further 6 weeks!
Alison was my first Workaway upon landing in Canada- she welcomed me so warmly and with open arms that I felt comfortable to stay a bit longer and… read more
Wow what a couple of months! I came to Alison in late November to stay for a month- I enjoyed my time on the island so much I returned in January for a further 6 weeks!
Alison was my first Workaway upon landing in Canada- she welcomed me so warmly and with open arms that I felt comfortable to stay a bit longer and… read more
18 Sep 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Lauryn Charlotte)
Lauryn was here for only 2 weeks, but certainly made her mark!
Energetic, optimistic, cheerful and always willing to learn something new, she fitted in perfectly and the animals loved her.
She was absolutely delightful and I’m so glad she came. Come back when you can, kiddo!
Energetic, optimistic, cheerful and always willing to learn something new, she fitted in perfectly and the animals loved her.
She was absolutely delightful and I’m so glad she came. Come back when you can, kiddo!
(Excellent)
14 Sep 2023
Left by Workawayer (Joshua & Eleanor) for host
A magical Island with a truly magical woman! Thank you Alison for the BEST summer ever!
We feel extremely lucky to have had an extended stay with Alison at her beautiful property with her lovely dog Annie and her two beautiful horses Bydee & Bobby! 😍🐴
Alison is such a wonderful, generous and friendly woman who we got to know very well during our… read more
We feel extremely lucky to have had an extended stay with Alison at her beautiful property with her lovely dog Annie and her two beautiful horses Bydee & Bobby! 😍🐴
Alison is such a wonderful, generous and friendly woman who we got to know very well during our… read more
19 Aug 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Joshua & Eleanor)
If you are lucky enough to host Josh and Ellie, you won’t want them to leave. They are creative, reliable, hard-working, energetic and great fun to be around.
Ellie is like the “Energizer Bunny!” She just doesn’t stop. If she’s not tidying and cleaning, she’s gardening, designing, sorting, reorganizing, shifting furniture around and making… read more
Ellie is like the “Energizer Bunny!” She just doesn’t stop. If she’s not tidying and cleaning, she’s gardening, designing, sorting, reorganizing, shifting furniture around and making… read more
(Excellent)
1 Feb 2023
Left by Workawayer (Zoë) for host
The name does not lie, this really felt like a home away from home. I had a wonderful time with Alison, the two horses and Annie ofc, filled with much laughter, walkies along beautiful beaches, several Nanaimo bars, new idioms to learn and countless episodes of Jeopardy. Gabriola is an amazing small community with extremely calming nature spots to… read more
25 Jan 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Zoë)
Zoe is awesome! From the moment she arrived,, she became part of my little family. She took care of the outside chores (including animal care) and kept the household clean and running smoothly.
We had some really interesting conversations and laughed a lot. I was so sorry that she could only stay for a couple of weeks, but she knows she’ll… read more
We had some really interesting conversations and laughed a lot. I was so sorry that she could only stay for a couple of weeks, but she knows she’ll… read more
(Excellent)
20 Dec 2022
Left by host for Workawayer (Workaway member)
Jakob and Olivia are magic!
They ran my household, horses, dog and property while I was recovering from a broken ankle and completely immobile. They handled all the chores cheerfully and efficiently, solving any problems with initiative and taking care of everything so I could focus on my recovery.
My house is very small, but it was easy having… read more
They ran my household, horses, dog and property while I was recovering from a broken ankle and completely immobile. They handled all the chores cheerfully and efficiently, solving any problems with initiative and taking care of everything so I could focus on my recovery.
My house is very small, but it was easy having… read more
(Excellent)
11 Dec 2022
Left by Workawayer (Workaway member) for host
Our time with Alison was amazing! We had great three weeks together, learned a lot and enjoyed every day. We mostly worked with the three horses and also worked on some outdoor projects.
Alison was really nice and appreciative of what we did. We had lots of fun together and from the moment she could stand again, she showed us as much of the… read more
Alison was really nice and appreciative of what we did. We had lots of fun together and from the moment she could stand again, she showed us as much of the… read more
28 Nov 2022
Left by Workawayer (Fiona) for host
I had a lovely time working for Alison on her farm and learned so much about the horses. Gabriola Island is such an amazing place to explore and the nature is beyond mesmerizing. I will definitely be back to visit and can't wait to see the horses and Annie again!
Thanks Alison, hope you're recovery is going well!
Thanks Alison, hope you're recovery is going well!
5 Nov 2022
Left by host for Workawayer (Fiona)
This was Fiona’s first Workaway and she jumped into a crisis situation to help me out. I have 3 horses and a dog …. and a broken ankle!
Despite zero experience with horses, by the end of the first week she was feeding, grooming, picking their hooves, handling their blanket needs, cleaning stalls and handling all the farm chores like a pro. All… read more
Despite zero experience with horses, by the end of the first week she was feeding, grooming, picking their hooves, handling their blanket needs, cleaning stalls and handling all the farm chores like a pro. All… read more
(Excellent)
16 Nov 2022
Left by host for Workawayer (Aoife )
I really enjoyed the week Aoife spent here. She is energetic, curious and hilarious.
I needed somebody to run the household and care for my horses while I’m laid up with a broken ankle. Aoife did a great job and kept us all fed and watered (and entertained) during her stay.
This was not a “normal” Workaway experience and she was flexible and… read more
I needed somebody to run the household and care for my horses while I’m laid up with a broken ankle. Aoife did a great job and kept us all fed and watered (and entertained) during her stay.
This was not a “normal” Workaway experience and she was flexible and… read more
(Excellent)
24 Jun 2020
Left by Workawayer (InigoR) for host
My first Workaway experience and it was memorable. I went there with my friend Alex and we immediately felt at home as Alison and Rod are wonderful hosts, thoughtful and appreciative.
We got the amazing opportunity to spend almost 3 months with them and it was really hard for us to leave. We enjoyed the variety of jobs that we did all around the… read more
We got the amazing opportunity to spend almost 3 months with them and it was really hard for us to leave. We enjoyed the variety of jobs that we did all around the… read more
16 Jun 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (InigoR)
Inigo, and his friend Alex, came to us at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown. They had been working at Whistler Mountain until the resort shut down due to Covid. We were able to accommodate them in a trailer on the property and keep them on outdoor chores for 2 weeks of quarantine before moving them into the house. They were absolutely… read more
(Excellent)
18 Jun 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Alexander)
Alex, and his friend Inigo, came to us at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown. They had been working at Whistler Mountain until the resort shut down due to Covid. We were able to accommodate them in a trailer on the property and keep them on outdoor chores for 2 weeks of quarantine before moving them into the house. They were absolutely… read more
(Excellent)
9 Mar 2020
Left by host for Workawayer (Caitlin)
Caitlin was great and we were delighted to have her here. Sadly she had to return to Ireland for a family emergency and was not able to complete her time with us. However, while she was here, she was a great help and willing to learn new things. We wish her all the best and hope to see her again one day.
(Excellent)
18 Sep 2019
Left by Workawayer (Stefanie & David) for host
Alison and Rod are one of the kindest people we ever met. They help you with everything you need. We felt like at home and the work was always so much fun. Our duties included house cleaning, gardening, fruit picking, poo picking (funniest part) and lots of different projects. It's hard to give them back through work what they offer you. Most of… read more
14 Sep 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Stefanie & David)
Steffi and David were with us for almost a month and were absolutely magical. They are self-motivated, have a fabulous work ethic, need no supervision and are really fun to have around. Their enthusiasm was infectious and they were willing to try new things and learn new skills. We miss them and hope one day they will come back. If you ever have a… read more
(Excellent)
22 Jul 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Lisa)
Lisa "got" us from the moment she arrived and it was very difficult to let her move on as she became part of the family immediately. She is calm, confident, organized, self-motivated and very conscientious. She never needed direction as she would just look around and do whatever needed to be done. She was an absolute joy to host and we will miss… read more
(Excellent)
21 Jul 2019
Left by Workawayer (Lisa) for host
I wouldn't have ever thought that leaving Alison and Rod’s house will be so hard. That was tough. So we’ve decided on not saying goodbye, only for now. I will come back; for me it became Home-away-from-Home and for that I can't thank the two of them enough! I felt welcomed from the moment I got picked up at the Bus Depot and entered their… read more
5 Jun 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Georgia & Aaron)
Info notice: Workawayer cancelled stay or there was a no show at the last minute
(Workawayer cancelled last minute / no-show )
17 May 2019
Left by Workawayer (MarionFin) for host
Alison and Rod are excellent hosts. This was my first workaway and I was not disappointed. The work was varied, with plenty of indoor and outside work depending on the weather. Alison and Rod were so welcoming and helped me feel at home, it was great to spend time with all the pets and meet lots of the family. They were very accomodating and… read more
16 May 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (MarionFin)
Marion was great! She fitted in immediately and was a huge help on the property. She is good fun, self-motivated and conscientious. Always welcome to come back.
(Excellent)
