Learn how to grow the food, tend animals on a remote home in Hazelton, BC, Canada

Details

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  Description

  We are a small-scale diverse organic farm in the Kispiox Valley, northwest BC. This land that we steward, and the communities who we grow food for, lie within the homelands of the Gitx̱san and Wet’suwet’en peoples. We take to heart our responsibility to nurture and respect these lands and waters, so they may continue to provide for future generations as they have always done.
  We can offer minimum wage plus accommodation and some fresh veggies from the farm (depending what is in season).

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Music

  

  Architecture

  

  Nature

  

  Winter sports

  

  Water sports

  

  Hiking

  

  Cycling

  

  Mountain

  

  Sailing / Boating

  

  Carpentry

  

  Books

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Gardening

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Animals

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Pets

  

  Farming

  

  Charity work
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Before moving north in 2009, Jonathan had a popular organic bakery on Vancouver Island and helped set-up a small social-enterprise bakery in town. He has travelled widely and done stints wwoofing and cross-country cycling. These days his focus is on building projects on the farm, including restoring the original hand-hewn farmhouse, a new wood-fired oven and propagation greenhouse, growing grain and tending the animals.
  
  Jo is a naturalist and biologist and has done extensive field work throughout BC, Alberta, and the Yukon. She works part time as the Northern Seed Security Coordinator and is also an organic farm inspector (visiting other farms to ensure compliance to the organic standards), and has a passion for seed saving, and foraging mushrooms and plants. Her focus these days is on growing vegetable seed crops and variety trials.

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  Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

  This host offers accommodation and payment.

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  Help

  Our main focus continues to be on finding a measure of self-sufficiency in food, energy needs, and building materials here on the farm. Everyday work usually combines time in the garden, preserving food, tending the animals, preparing meals, and some work on an ever-evolving list of building projects.
  
  Seasonal tasks include planting, weeding and harvesting vegetables throughout the growing season; bringing in the hay in mid-summer; harvesting and cleaning seed and grain crops; and cutting firewood in winter. And of course, there's no shortage of repetitive tasks like pulling thistle, rock picking, mowing, pruning and washing and packing veggies, the perfect way to let the mind wander while keeping the hands and body busy.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Intermediate
  German: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Accommodation is usually in our guest cabin up on the hill, looking over the farm and the surrounding mountains (it's the A-frame structure in the middle of our cover photo above). There are 3 private bedrooms, and a full kitchen, bathroom and living area that may be shared with other farm helpers. The cabin has electricity, running water and decent wifi. If the cabin is unavailable, we have a hip vintage Trillium travel trailer perched in a scenic spot for your comfy abode.
  
  The cabin is equipped with a full kitchen. We provide food to cook your own meals. Some lunches and dinners will be communal, for instance on baking days when the woodfire oven is going we usually invite friends and neighbours to share a meal. As our diet is largely based on the foods we grow in our northern climate, including our seasonal vegetables (stored vegetables in the winter) grain products, dairy and meat, accommodating diets markedly different to ours can be a challenge, so please let us know up front if you have dietary restrictions. If you have a sweet tooth or desire for tropical or non-seasonal foods - ingredients are available to make treats, or you may want to bring some extra food and snacks along. Strawberries and raspberries are in abundance in June and July.

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  What else ...

  There are some beautiful forest hikes down to the river, right from the farm. And further afield, many rivers and mountains to explore. The nearest community with a 'downtown' is Smithers, which is just over 1 hour drive. We make occasional trips to town, but sometimes go a couple weeks or more without straying too far from the valley. Local buses are available with a pick up point 10 minutes away from the farm. Bicycles are also available. June is the valley rodeo, and there are other community events occasionally, and gatherings with friends. Music nights and food is sometimes available at the Kispiox Lodge, 10 minutes drive away.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  Wifi is fairly reliable, but can be slow at times, so not to be fully relied on if your work involves frequent video calls. Service is good in most parts of the farm.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Outhouse, access to water and power.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

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