Emily

Travel information

I am currently

Description

I am driven by a passion for restoring our relationship with the land while building soil, plant and community health. I love balancing hands-on, hard work with learning and researching new topics. Grounded in a commitment to local food systems, soil health and our interconnected well-being with the earth and each other, I find joy in regenerative farming and ecological restoration projects that help ecosystems get where they need to go.

I have been learning about permaculture in the Pacific Northwest of Canada and would like to continue my education and gain more hands-on experience. I am on a working holiday visa in New Zealand until January 2026. My ideal vision is to find a mutually beneficial apprenticeship/farm stay for the 2025 season on a regenerative and innovative farm where I can learn more about the business of growing food (and/or medicine) while caring for soil, community, and the bioregional as a whole. If ecological restoration is a part of the experience, even better! I am also eager to connect with practice-based communities such as yoga and meditation centres.

Interests

Self development

Outdoor activities

Art & design

Drawing & painting

Plant care

Vegetarian or vegan

Books

Mountain

Gardening

Farming

Yoga / Wellness

Sustainability

Music

Cooking & food

Camping

Animals

Culture

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
This workawayer has indicated that they would be interested in sharing their language(s) or learning a new language. You can contact them directly to discuss this.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Eco Projects

Art Projects

Teaching

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Some knowledge of:  

Languages

DIY and building projects

Being an elderly companion

General Maintenance

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

House sitting

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Able to teach about:  

Gardening

Helping with Computers/ Internet

More details about your skills

I have 7 years experience in farm work, having previously worked for a food forest, an organic orchard, winery, a medicinal herb farm,and several market garden-style operations, mainly at rural meditation centres. I have also been a wwoofer and workawayer several times since 2018. Hard skills I've developed include proficient weeding and plant ID, pruning, planting, harvesting, herbal medicine making, animal care and seed saving. Through my work as a Gardener & Landscaper on the Saanich Peninsula, BC, I have honed my practical skills in plant care, garden maintenance (including using small power tools), invasive species removal, as well as client relations. I also recently completed a 10-month certificate in Permaculture Design through Pacific Rim College, Canada.

My most recent employment was with The Galiano Conservancy, an environmental non-profit located in the Pacific Northwest of Canada. Assisting the Sustainable Food Systems Coordinator, I maintained and helped expand their permaculture-focused food forest and adjoining plant nursery, both social enterprises for the organization. Tasks included propagating and caring for native and edible plants, building soil health including on-site composting, harvesting produce for local restaurants and other direct markets, foraging and harvesting medicinal plants and blending teas, as well as preparing for and attending local farmers markets. I also helped the Ecological Restoration Coordinator on several projects, including restoring forested land recently acquired by the organization.

Other skills include plant-based cooking and meal prep, computer/admin work, as well as researching and compiling data. I also hold a certificate in geographic information science and enjoy cartography, map making, and using satellite imagery and GIS software to understand environmental problems.

Age

29

What else ...

My academic background in environmental science/studies provides a comprehensive understanding of local food systems, regenerative agriculture, conservation, and sustainability principles. My master's research focused on the challenges confronting farmers' markets and small-scale growers in Nova Scotia. I would love to continue to study soil health and the efficacy of biodynamic soil applications such as plant ferments and soil teas.

I am a meditation practitioner and would love to find a community/farmstay where I could practice with others. I adore animals of all sorts, though I am partial to cats and alpacas. I have no known allergies. I enjoy plant-centered cooking, board games and cards, cold plunging, kayaking, camping and exploring new places.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements
  Preferably vegan, but vegetarian if this is not possible to accommodate