Help with house chores and renovations on our homestead and share our sustainable lifestyle in Cape Breton, Canada

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  • Last activity: 2 Feb 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: No minimum

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Our names are Michael and Leslie and our home is on a farm located in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. We are quite central between the towns of Whycocomagh, Inverness and Southwest Margaree, all 20-30 min drive away.
    We moved here the start of 2018 with the vision of starting our own homestead and to live as sustainably as possible. We work in forestry seasonally and are interested in wildlife habitat management as well.
    We keep a large organically grown garden and livestock (pigs, cattle and poultry) that feeds us all year long.
    We are also in the business of breeding and training hunting dogs. We keep spaniels, pointers and treeing dogs.
    In December 2022 we welcomed our son Jack to the world. We are excited to raise him on good food with many furry friends as well as in our small close knit community.
    When we purchased the farm the house and outbuildings were in a dire state as it had not been lived in for over a decade. So we are in the ongoing process of renovating.
    We are looking for someone to assist us with these renovations, a bit of childcare, cooking, and cleaning. Michael and I fill our days with farmwork and working with the dogs, so any relief from the daily house chores would be valued. We would likely ask for a hand or two in the garden and yard too. And one must be comfortable with dogs.
    At the moment accomodation is limited so one should be prepared for more of a camping set up. One project is to finish a bedroom in the house so this could change shortly.
    We would like to limit people to two weeks at first and if it's working out, we can discuss a longer stay.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We hope to offer some insight on how to live within your means. Of course there is also unavoidable canine companionship. Michael is originally from the UK, while I, Leslie, am from another part of Canada. We are still discovering so much about this land, the culture and always trying new things.
    We hope the learning will go both ways. The exchange of knowledge and experiences is invaluable. We are constantly learning ourselves and appreciate different perspectives and ideas.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    We expect maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week from our guests. This is very flexible though.
    Tasks include:
    -Childcare
    -Household chores
    -Meal prep and clean up
    -Help processing food for us - canning/drying/freezer prep
    -Renovations

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    I’m afraid it’ll be roughing it for the most part. We have a three-man tent, sleeping bag/extra blankets, and sleeping mat. I am currently renovating a bedroom in the house so that may become available soon. If possible bring your own head torch/flashlight for the evenings. There is no hot water yet, we use the woodburning stove to heat it. In the summer we bathe in the river at the bottom of our driveway or the lake 5 min down the road. There is a laundromat in Inverness 20 min away. There is satellite internet and wifi however if you are an avid user, a data plan on your phone might be best as it is limited here. Good phone service.
    For food we will provide breakfast and dinner. Most of it will be homegrown. It will be a bit challenging to accommodate vegans as we love our eggs and dairy however not impossible.
    In the evenings we like to hang out, listen to music, do crafts (knitting/basketry), play boggle, have campfires and drink our homemade wine.
    Lastly, having your own car is highly recommended as there is no public transport and getting to town is not within walking distance. We can do our best to arrange pick up but we are limited. Also when you are not working with us, there is so much to see around Cape Breton that you shouldn’t miss out on.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Our property connects to a large area of crown land with a network of forestry roads and trails, yours to explore. Locally, we have Lake Ainslie 5 min down the road, and the Southwest Margaree river at the base of the driveway, both great to swim and fish in. Also Egypt Falls, a well known waterfall, is a short drive or hike away. The ocean is a 20 min drive away as well as the famous Cabot Trail.
    Cape Breton is an exciting place to be. The incredible wildlife, scenic views, close knit community, and abundance of live music is what drew us here in the first place. It is internationally recognized as a tourist destination for a reason.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Lots of space to host a campervan

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 659981413265

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