Profile information
Host rating
60 %
Last replied
18 Mar 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 17 days
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Details
Description
Our 12 and a half acres are located on the original indigenous land of the Lower Skagit tribe. It is beautiful pastureland just a short walk to the Beach and local free Island transit bus route that takes you anywhere for free on Whidbey Island to festivals and Farmers Markets all through Spring and Summer. We are located about 2 hours north of Seattle and just an hour south of the Canadian B.C. border in WA State.
I am a retired Army Veterinarian. My family and I are living in harmony on the land raising our own produce and enjoying our horses. My horses are pets. Our pond is home to local wildlife including eagles (we've had as many as 6 at a time in the pond), ducks, geese, deer, and coyotes. This is a peaceful area with limited view of neighbors and quite lovely.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
HORSE HUSBANDRY AND ORGANIC GARDENING ON THE LANDS OF THE LOWER SKAGIT TRIBEOF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN PNW
We own 5 beautiful horses --3 are rideable for our travelers and who will learn about animal husbandry from your host who is a retired veterinarian. Husbandry tasks taught are: housing, vaccinations, deworming, grooming, and feeding. We use organic composting methods on the horse manure to amend our organic garden. The travler will help in the garden which uses Ruth Stout method (low/no weeding) so consists mostly of watering and harvesting! Most of the vegetables are for family (and traveler!) consumption, but our crop of Inchelium garlic from the Colville Indian Reservation will be harvested & braided. So, traveler will learn how to harvest & dry then braid the garlic.
Help
HOSTING VISITORS FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE
We are so excited for this chance to be host to people from around the world. We are happy to show visitors around our beautiful Whidbey Island. We can't wait to spend time together with travelers and share meals. We hope that some will want to practice their English with us too. We look forward to this opportunity for cultural exchange.
YEAR ROUND STAY FOR HORSE HUSBANDRY
My horses are pets, just like dogs and cats, albeit lots bigger. My horses are not part of any type of business whatsoever. As the saying goes, "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man,' and thus my horses make me happy.
We mainly need our travelers to participate in horse husbandry since I need help caring for my 5 horses. Horses live a long time--up into their late twenties! Horses like to have a companion and they bond. All horse husbandry includes training by the host, so all questions are answered and a thorough understanding about horses is enjoyed by the traveler. Husbandry methods include:
-repair our fence lines (electric and T-posts), and maintain the horse round pen/paddocks.
- lime our own pastures and drag them to fertilize, and you will learn about how this method grows 1/3 of our own hay.
-learn how to collect and stack about 100 70# bales to store in the hay area.
- learn how to drive a full size tractor to move the additionally purchased 25 round bales that will need to be stacked and covered.
-- horses pasture rotation, a husbandry method that means the horses eat pasture for free for about 6 months and hay for the rest of the year in winter.
-- tool/equipment repair and organization for riding mowers, weed eaters, etc (repair/refurbish is taught by the host).
--organic gardening, edible berries, and baby fruit tree care
FOREST
We have about an acre of forest on our land where I also want to clear out the fallen trees and replace all the barbed wire fence on our perimeter. A bonus is that we might find edible mushrooms and other foraged foods in their too!
Languages
Languages spoken
Spanish: Beginner
Italian: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
I plan to travel to Italy again for a real vacation with in the next 2 years so I am very excited to meet some native Italian speakers. I grew up learning Spanish in school in Miami Beach, but it has been so long that I don't have any fluency. I really hope to be able to practice my Spanish again. I would love to help them practice their English. I will be very happy to help others to learn to speak better English if they want to sit and practice with me!!!
Accommodation
We offer Camper/RV as well as a room above the garage. WE can also erect a tent if the person prefers to stay in one.
We offer Tent camping and Camper / RV parking for those travelers who have their own and just want to use theirs.
The traveler will be coming inside the main house for full access to the facilities (bathroom/shower, laundry, and kitchen.
We have great internet available too.
What else ...
Our 12 and a half acres are located on the original indigenous land of the Lower Skagit tribe. It is beautiful pastureland just a short walk to the Beach and local free Island transit bus route that takes you anywhere for free on Whidbey Island to festivals and Farmers Markets all through Spring and Summer. We are located about 2 hours north of Seattle and just an hour south of the Canadian B.C. border in WA State (bring your passport).
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have fantastic internet -- in fact, we have regular high speed fiberoptic cable AND we also have Star Link satellite. We have a back up generator in case we lose power, and this always backs up our internet as well so we are never without it.
Space for parking camper vans
We have set up for electrical hook ups for Campervans and Motorhomes and welcome any who have them.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
