Help with the beginnings of a homestead in the Kootenays, Canada

Details

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  Description

  We have 16.3 acres, mostly forested, partial wetlands, with a creek running through the land. There is a soothing, cool wildness to the land. I'm creating a space where people can connect with other humans, and nature. A space to learn, heal, and love. I currently have a small homestead here. Ideally, I'd like to develop the space into a small community!
  
  I spent many years volunteering with various communities around the globe! After spending years searching for a place to set some roots, I've rooted here, in the West Kootenays.
  
  I have experience with permaculture, building, plant medicines, and many things in between! I'm happy to chat about these things and share knowledge.
  
  While there are plenty of tasks to be done, I like to practice bringing awareness to how things are being done. I'd like to empower others by providing tasks that teach skills they are interested in developing.
  
  There are caves/mines around the property-- it was a mining site many decades ago. Town is 10 minutes away, wifi/cafe 3minutes away(by car). There is cell service and wifi. There is power, its grid-tied.
  
  Slocan lake is minutes away. We have a canoe, too.
  Great hiking/biking all around.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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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

  Travelers will learn about the early stages of homesteading.
  Preparing spaces and developing systems for humans living in harmony with nature. This experience is high value for anyone seriously considering homesteading or being a part of a farm in its early stages.
  
  Ideally, the lifestyle and the tasks themselves will be learning experiences. They are for me, I'm only mildly experienced in most of what is going on here. That said, I seem to have enough knowledge to teach everyone that shows up, so that's good.
  
  I like to go to farmers markets, and this is a good opportunity to learn about the local culture. (It's an awesome community here!)
  I'm happy to teach what I know about alchemy, plant medicines and connecting with nature.
  
  I am connected with a couple communities in the area and there could be events that volunteers will be able to attend.

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  Help

  These are the projects/general tasks for 2025:
  
  Spring:
  -Growing mushrooms(logs, buckets)
  -Helping mill/process wood
  -Helping with construction projects-- Rock wall, others.
  -Tending the greenhouses, seedlings, garden(all year)
  -Building a coop, natural building-- a clay/woodchip roundhouse!
  -Renovating the small cabin, putting up walls/floors.
  -Salvaging materials, mechanic work, misc. small projects
  
  Summer:
  -Helping to build beds for the food forest.
  -Timber framing the big roundhouse.
  -Tending the garden/ducks.
  -Building a platform for a yurt.
  -Building soil. Hugelculture beds, biochar creation and inoculation, cover cropping. bed formation(Spring, too)
  -General landscaping
  -Helping to mill
  -Helping to gather and process firewood.
  
  Fall:
  -Helping finish up projects from spring/summer
  -Winter prep!
  
  Garden, mechanic, or building skills are an asset, but not needed. For people that have no/low skills, a interest in learning is all that is needed!
  
  If I can find lots of help the plan is to get a young puppy in the fall! :)
  
  Volunteers will have to be in generally good physical condition, able to spend ~25 hours per week(3-5 days, if requested), often engaging in moderately challenging physical duties. I can be flexible with when hours are done, or it can be structured. Depends on what works best for the person and/or group.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  There are accommodation options available right now the following is available:
  
  There is a 15ft diameter bell tent. It has a bed + stove inside. It is in its own little area, near the creek.
  There is a small cabin in with a stove and bed. It is very near to the creek, and gets some wifi.
  There is a fairly large RV with a woodstove that is tucked away in the forest.
  
  There is a full kitchen in the yurt. It is also available to hang-out for most of the day.
  There is a bathhouse with a wood-fired tub. The cabin has a shower, the bathhouse is having a shower installed.
  Laundry is usually done in town, there is a laundry mat / community center 3-4minutes away.
  
  Please note that there is wifi in certain areas, but it is not accessible from everywhere on the property. This is intentional. There are some ethernet hookups at various locations. and 2 cafes with wifi, about a 25minute walk away for long periods of wifi use. There is a full kitchen in the yurt which is used during the day to prepare/eat meals.
  
  Food stuff:
  
  I can provide cooked meals in the mornings each morning. My cooking is quite simple, and fortunately for the volunteers, I prefer to use mostly organic materials. If you appreciate high quality food, this will work out well for everyone!
  
  Lunch/dinner we will figure out a schedule where everyone gets to contribute in some way to the process of making/eating food.
  This is generally structured and is a conversation to be had on the first day. Volunteers will have access to the kitchen in the cabin, and provided with food. Kitchen access is available during the day, but not in the middle of the night!(Someone, usually me, lives in the yurt!)
  
  It's mostly a vegetarian, mostly organic diet. There is occasional dairy and meat, if the group wishes. I can provide space in the fridge for people to supplement/prepare what they wish.
  
  Volunteers are encouraged to cook and clean. Cooking, cleaning, eating, and other activities that would normally be performed in any living environment generally doesn't count towards working hours for the exchange. We believe that eating food, cleaning dishes, taking poops, cleaning messes/spills and such is a normal part of living in any setting.. and is not part of the energy exchange. It's a bit different if there are 4people+ on the land, in that case often time one person ends up cooking/cleaning most of the time, and it does become part of the contribution!
  
  Curries, veggies/grains with sauces. Big garden fresh salads. Occasional eggs/tofu. We like yummy oats on working days. There will be ample staple foods(vegetables, greens, quinoa, rice, beans, oats, peanut butter, bananas, eggs, tea etc) provided. Treats may be possible, but are not to be expected! Volunteers are welcome to use the kitchen if they would like to bake, make bread, or play around with recipes. We generally minimize cooking meat inside of the yurt/cabin during times of high bear-activity (typically late spring, and late fall).
  
  Other stuff:
  
  We like to go to the hot springs a couple times a month in the spring and fall. I can provide a lift to these locations. This is a good place to bathe, and shower. There is also a nature shower set up in the creek.
  
  Farmers markets and such are frequented, too. We like to mingle with neighbors and be friendly with the community.
  
  I sometimes do full, day-long trips to town and can drop people off and pickup on the way back.

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  What else ...

  There is a bus that comes by and goes to nearby cities on Tuesday and Thursday.
  I make a trip into town each week and can usually bring people along.
  There are lakes, hikes, biking trails, springs, hot springs, and more around to do.
  
  I like to keep things clean around the property and ask that people leave the space as good or better than when they arrived.
  
  I've found most people that have come here use drugs/alcohol to escape problems, rather than for occasional enjoyment purposes or raising awareness. So, in most groups the policy is:
  No alcohol on the land.
  No drug use on the land.
  This can change so feel free to ask!

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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 accessible from a couple spaces. I have struggled with digital nomads(who require a strong, steady connection) in the past, there is only really one location with reliable, stable wifi, and that space is usually occupied. If people are staying for 1month+, I can entertain the idea of boosting the wifi to make the smaller cabin a possibility for a longer-term stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Yes, there is a space where vans or smaller vehicles can park.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Yes, I love pets. I have a male cat, he is okay with most dogs. There has been a couple dogs that have chased him up a tree.. however, he has met many a dog and the vast majority of the time, its all good. He has even booped a couple canines.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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