Description
Hello there! My name is Diane and my husband(Matt) and my 2 children (16 and 13 years), our 6 horses, 1 dog, 5 pigs, a hen house full of chickens and 3 cats live on a 160 acre property where wild life & fresh air is abundant. We are an active family with lots of activities that love to work hard together but also believing in playing hard together.

I with my business partner run a successful horse riding program and also an equine assisted learning program where we teach valuable life skills using horses as teachers. In my free time I enjoy many of the equine sports activities in our thriving horse community such as cattle sorting, penning, cutting, trail riding, and gymkhana. In the spring, summer and fall our area has many experience levels of hiking trails that we love to explore as a family. This year we are also planting a huge vegetable garden and green house!

We purchased this property - our new dream property - because my business has expanded and we needed more land. So we moved in last November 2016 to a property with no fences and in complete production with hay all around the house. That's when I decided the workaway program would be perfect for our family. As we love to travel a lot but with our new property and all the work that needs to be done we decided to bring travellers to us.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Help around the house
Animal Care
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I feel travellers can benefit from a Canadian cultural exchange in our home because we love to include all our workawayers in all our family activities and community events.

For example on Sundays we always start our morning with a big family breakfast, and we love to go for long walks around our property and look for elk, moose, coyote, deer, grouse, owls, and hawks.

We also have a very welcoming & busy community with lots of activities to join in on.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are looking for help with building fences, building corrals, stables, painting ... In addition we're looking for help with general horse care, grooming, riding (only if you are comfortable), feeding the animals and gardening help (watering flowers, planting trees, vegetables and weeding).

Generally I love to work along side Workawayers and learn about their cultures and get to know them. But also Workawayers must feel comfortable with being given instructions and work independently as I might be working while you were doing your tasks. If anyone has farming experience with heavy duty farming equipment or tractors they are very welcome here. As my parents also own a 160 acre farm in full hay and grain production as well.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have a 5400 sq ft home. You would have your own room with your own bathroom in our house. We also have home gym that you have complete access to.
What else ...
In your free time you could travel by train to Prince Rupert and go whale watching or salmon fishing. In the other direction you have to possibility to take the train or bus to Jasper National Park and see the Rockies. Also, Fort st. James (45 minutes away) has a very neat and interactive Historical Native village to tour.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 743498318774

Feedback (2)

18 Apr 2017

Left by Workawayer (Carolin) for host

Let me say, it was an honour for me to stay with Diane, Matt, Gracie, and Campbell and I would love to repeat my stay with them every time! You are looking for a varied, funny, and real Canadian family experience? Here they are! :)

The story, how I met Diane and her lovely family and stayed with them is funny and in some point definitely fated ;)… read more I was the workawayer of a friend of Diane and my first host asked me to stay with them for only a couple of days because of some private issues. During the time I was with Diane and her family we became really good friends and I felt truly included as a family member! So I decided to stay with them until the end of my workaway time over there. And I never regretted this decision! :)

During my stay I helped Diane with whatever she was dealing on this day: Driving the kids to school or their free time activities, pile the wood fire for the house up, feed the horses, clean up the barn, take care of the hay with the tractor, join her while riding lessons or "horse play afternoons" (cuttle sorting ;P), cooking, painting the entrance area, weeding the pathway, filming and creating a powerpoint presentation with Campbell and so on. There was always something to do and Diane is a very enthusiastic person, she was my motivation kicker and good mood partner. And she was a good teacher for driving the tractor (beside the trust she and her dad Al had in me not to crash their tractors ;P)!!! But beside the work I really do appreciated their loving family life and that I was always included in their free time activities: we went to the cinema, watched movies (and the weekly Grey's Anatomy series ;)), went together to the highschool musical play, had family visits ... And Matt fulfilled my wish to see a hockey game - so he organized the tickets and we drove to the next bigger city to spent a lovely evening together watching the hockey game: Thank u again for that, Matt!

I do also want to mention at this point Gracie and Campbell: If you want to have your personal updated DJ, get some good hairstyle and beauty tipps = Gracie is always wanted to help you with that ;) And if you want to learn more about hunting, reading tracks in the field, dirt bikes or only a person that is 'SOOOO funny' = you have to meet Campbell. Both kids are great and have a totally different but loveable character.

Even though I could write more and go into raptures I want to use this rating also to thank Diane & Matt again for their wonderful kindness, their trust and (also) interest into my life, and of course all the walks (and runs) we went for together!!! :)

Big hug, Carolin

(Excellent )

29 Mar 2017

Left by Workawayer (Carla) for host

Yeaahh, you finally have a workaway account! :D

I was their first "inofficial" workawayer. I was supposed to do some house sitting for another workaway host. Diane and her family moved in, too as they are the house owner's friends. Together we took care of the property and the animals which was sometimes quite an adventure. I had so much fun and… read more I felt right at home with them. Thus, I stayed even longer than I planned. Later, I helped them moving in their new big house (which is awesome by the way. Watch Dallas and you will understand ;)).
If you look for a host who is open-minded, kind and funny, you are definitely right here! They included me right into their family. Their guest room(s) is clean and comfortable. And there was no problem that I am a vegetarian. I was able to try so many delicious meals (poutine, beaver tail, kielke, perogies, mac and cheese, "grandma's buns", s'mores and grilled cheese, THE Canadian experience). You won't be hungry at all ;)
I really liked to help Diane and her family that's why I didn't really consider it as work. I helped almost everywhere... in the kitchen, cleaning the house but I also stained boards for fences (after a while I knew all the lyrics of every country song in the charts :P), I helped with the horses and with moving their stuff in their new house...
Don't worry, there is still enough to do ;) they have amazing ideas for their home/ranch and you should be willing to help and to work. You won't regret it!
Diane is a very kind person who is very talented in working with animals and children. She also cooks very well especially Mexican food :) her friends and parents are really nice people and everbody immediately accepted me.
Matt works a lot but he is also very friendly. He is a real gentleman and very respectful. You can also have some really good conversations with him :)
Last but not least, Diane has some amazing kids. Together, we were listening to music or carving pumpkins for Halloween. Both, Diane and her daughter have really good riding skills and I am thankful that I was allowed to work with their horses, too (I have already had experience with horses).
Diane's youngest son is the funniest person I have ever met. He is very creative. We had a very good relationship even if we sometimes had different opinions (He is definitely not vegetarian. He hunts "carrots" :D). We laughed so much and I enjoyed the time we spent together. He was like my little brother :)

I just want to thank you for everything! I learned so much from you. You took me to so many interesting places. Together we chased cows, especially one :P, called for Kiya in the evening, drove to a special auto shop probably five times because of one car, took pictures of sunsets, were listening to country music (Dirt on my boots) and we learned some words in sign language ;)
I miss everyone and as you already know, I want to come back :)
I wish you all the best!
See you (and next time I will come when it's warm ;))

Love, Carla :D

(Excellent )

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18 Apr 2017

Left by Workawayer (Carolin) for host

(Excellent )

29 Mar 2017

Left by Workawayer (Carla) for host

(Excellent )

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Description

Types of help and learning opportunities

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Projects involving children

Help

Languages spoken

Accommodation

What else ...

A little more information

How many Workawayers can stay?

Hours expected

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