Small town life with a big hearted, happy, hardworking family of dreamers in Owen Sound, ON, Canada

Detalles

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  Descripción

  Hi!
  We live at the edge of Owen Sound, Ontario, in a century old farmhouse with 3 children. We play multiple instruments, love sports and animals, eat well, enjoy working on the land and being in nature, and are connected to many awesome people in the area.
  
  Emma is a 45 year old high school teacher of Green Industries and Patrick is a carpenter and handyman fixer of everything! 😊 He is 49 years old. Our children are Rosalie 11, Quinlan 9, and Nelliana 7 yrs old. They're amazing and involved in everything we do. We're full of ideas, eco-conscious, hardworking, and always inspired to use our time wisely or passionately. :)
  
  Our family believes in working hard, both at our jobs and at home. There is always something that needs to be done, and we want our children to grow up understanding the value of hard work, taking pride in a job well done, and finding enjoyment and purpose in contributing to the household and community. Having said that we also love to sleep ;), play music, make art, engage in many sports, relax with friends around bonfires, and explore the local forests, fields, and beaches with our children either on foot, bicycle, or in a canoe etc. You are certainly welcome to join us in some or all of these activities.
  
  In January 2021, we moved to this property in Owen Sound that we think is pretty special. It’s 2 acres with a barn, silo, 10 magnificent Maple trees, lots of young fruit trees/berry bushes, and growing gardens. When the house was for sale, there was a bidding war but our letter to the seller sealed the deal. Our family was chosen by the sellers, out competing a housing developer, who would have bulldozed the 2 acres flat and turned it into a suburb. The house and dairy barn were built in 1927 and the original owner’s nephew, in his 80s, used to live next door until recently. We basically saved it all from being destroyed, so we feel very proud.
  
  During the warmer season
  (May 1 - Nov 1)
  The volunteer work, depending on your skills and interests, will primarily be connected to…
  1) Landscaping and gardening
  2) Construction (mostly carpentry)
  3) Harvesting/processing fruit and vegetables and preparing meals
  4) Miscellaneous house and yard work
  
  On a side note, we also have 32 acres of wild land that needs both taming and nourishing so if you want to experience some true Canadian wilderness, you’re welcome to head there for the weekend and pitch a tent. It's got a large creek, old growth Cedars, huge Silver Maples, marshes teeming with life, a windy hill with a sunset view, a ravine with a tiny creek, evergreen forests, and a winding river, just steps away, that flows into beautiful Georgian Bay. We call the land “Loxley” and our goal is to also make it as rich and healthy as possible for animals and people alike. However, in general we’re focusing most of our energy on our town property these days.
  
  During the cooler months of the year
  (Nov 1-May 1)
  
  We'd be happy to simply share some family life with you and fill the winter days with good food, fun games if we're still awake after the kids have fallen asleep ;), art, music, indoor projects, and outdoor snowy fun -ice rinks, ski/snowshoe trails...
  
  As for the working part, we'd be grateful for your help...
  1) Cooking, processing food, and doing daily house chores
  2) Caring for 3 strong children in a colourful, primarily screen free house... except for sports. We LOVE sports!
  3) Organizing and engaging in projects, depending on your interests and skills
  
  ACCOMMODATION
  
  Beside our house we have a big, old barn that is partially renovated. It’s where we have a small library, craft area, music jam and exercise space, and woodworking shop. Attached to that area, closest to the house is a small, private room with furniture and internet access. You will share the rest of the house with us, including kitchen and bathroom facilities.
  For a more rustic or wild experience, you are also welcome to stay in a 26 foot camper trailer or tent. 😊
  
  FOOD
  Lunch and Dinner: We often cook together and share the responsibility of making lunch and dinner. Sometimes we’ll all just fend for ourselves –grab whatever is leftover and quickly make whatever we want. The time you spend making these meals with us will not go towards your volunteer hours, if we do it together - it’s just part of living in this family.
  Breakfast: We will provide you with the basics for you to make your own breakfasts.
  
  Snacks: Other than the occasional bag of chips and jar of Nutella, you won’t usually find snacks of that kind in the house. So if you’re wanting to snack in between meals on something other than an apple or slice of bread etc. then you’re welcome to buy your own treats and stash them in your room. ;)
  
  
  So maybe there are some other people out there who are positive minded and want to join in the fun of creating an inspiring place to live?
  
  The END. 😊

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  Tipos de ayuda y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  Jardinería básica

  Proyectos creativos DIY «hazlo tú mismo»

  Cuidado de animales

  Cuidado de niños y juegos creativos

  Cocinar para toda la familia

  Ayuda doméstica

  Mantenimiento básico
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  Intereses

  

  Historia

  

  Arquitectura

  

  Fotografía

  

  Astronomía

  

  Escritura

  

  Artes escénicas

  

  Autostop

  

  Dibujo y pintura

  

  Carpintería

  

  Cocina y alimentación

  

  Jardinería

  

  Idiomas

  

  Cuidado de plantas

  

  Música

  

  Bricolaje y manualidades

  

  Libros

  

  Arte y diseño

  

  Animales

  

  Deportes de equipo

  

  Naturaleza

  

  Navegar / barcos

  

  Deportes de invierno

  

  Deportes acuáticos

  

  Actividades al aire libre

  

  Senderismo

  

  Ciclismo

  

  Deportes de aventura

  

  Fitness

  

  Acampada

  

  Playa
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  Intercambio cultural y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  Your learning depends on when you visit.
  
  At all times of the year, you can gain valuable experience and skills related to...
  
  1. Childcare of young children, by helping out with the daily task of orchestrating meals, naps, and playtime.
  
  Our children are very lucky and awesome but they can also be little lions at times. 🤪 Therefore, patience and understanding is critical. They rarely watch screens, barely eat sugar, play outside a lot, run around barefoot and get dirty. They have natural, creative toys to play with and a circus hoop, climbing wall, aerial silks, and gymnastics rings in our living room...
  
  We believe in holistic education, fitness, healthy food, the arts, community, environmental stewardship, social emotional intelligence, and love.
  
  Emma knows a lot about... Waldorf education, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, Indigenous studies, gardening, feeding children vegetables, nature, arts and crafts, song writing, sports and sports training, salads, soups, mental health... 😋
  
  Patrick knows a lot about... pop culture, board games, fixing anything and everything, cleaning anything and everything, musical instruments, tools, mechanics, animals, clouds...😉
  
  The opportunities to partake in a variety of purely social and recreational activities are boundless as well because we love to have fun too, when time and energy permits. We live in a unique part of the country and are part of a lovely community of outdoorsy/artsy folk. We enjoy swimming and hiking, playing music, hanging out at social gatherings, going to farmer’s markets, playing a game of footy, drinking coffee (Patrick!), attending music festivals and shows, making art, and checking out the big city of Toronto.
  
  Furthermore, you have the chance to engage in many artistic and/or musical endeavors, if you so wish, in your free time. We would be happy to teach you all that we know about guitar, violin, piano, mandolin, banjo, accordion, flutes/recorders, singing/songwriting, knitting, sewing, jewelry, painting, batik, pottery, basic drawing, paper arts, wood burning, mosaics, wood carving, pen and ink, collage, printmaking, and sculpture.
  
  BUT you MUST be proactive and ask to do these things early on and pin us down lol because otherwise time slips away and suddenly you're off on another adventure and you missed your chance.

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  Proyectos con niños

  En este proyecto podría haber niños. Para obtener más información, consulta nuestras directrices y consejos aquí.

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  Ayuda

  MUST READ:
  
  The Canadian weather will dictate what projects we will be working on.
  
  Travellers visiting us MUST be patient, very flexible, thoughtful, independent, self-motivated, and open-minded. Participating in our daily routines, like eating meals with us and going outside on a daily basis, is also encouraged. The quicker you connect with the children the better, as is exploring the area within the first week of your stay.
  
  AND it's really important that you have experience being around children under 8 yrs old and are prepared to respond positively and/or maturely to their ever changing moods and ideas. ;) In other words, you must be good with kids, enjoy their energy, and embrace their ups and downs. If rambunctious and talkative kids stress you out, then please seek another adventure. ;) Furthermore, we STRIVE to create a space that is void of pessimistic, negative, and apathetic attitudes so skip us on your travels, if you find yourself like that more often than not, at this stage of your life.
  
  From MAY - NOVEMBER, you should be happy spending most of your time outside.
  
  Again, being able to follow a flexible schedule is imperative at all times. Our work schedule and parenting responsibilities vary from day to day, depending on weather, mood, kid well being, and social events etc., and thus plans can change very quickly with barely any communication at times. Emma is home every day in July and August.

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  Idiomas

  Idiomas hablados
  Inglés: Fluido
  Francés: Intermedio
  Alemán: Principiante
  Español: Principiante
  Japonés: Principiante

  Este anfitrión ofrece intercambio de idiomas
  We are always interested to learn more about your native language!
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  Alojamiento

  At this time you will have a few options, depending on the weather.
  
  1. The Blue Room, a small room attached to the barn that is heated in the winter. There is a double bed, a desk and a table, plus shelving for your belongings. There is electricity and wifi.
  2. Our 26 foot camper with a double bed, kitchen, electricity, and wifi.
  3. A big camping tent in our backyard, if you want to rough it a bit more. ;)

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  Algo más...

  Both Patrick and I are world-travelers with spontaneity in our hearts, who have returned home to make a life for ourselves where we grew up. We love and respect nature and people, and we want to live with other people who feel the same.
  
  We have several extra bicycles. There is world-class hiking on the Bruce Trail, fantastic mountain biking and cycling around the Blue Mountains, and wonderful swimming virtually anywhere. The local food and arts community is also vibrant. There are several towns within 15-45 minutes away from the land that have many of the attractions you would expect from a small city: art gallery, library, recreation centers and parks, shopping and entertainment (music venues, theater, cinema, farmer’s market, coffee shops, and bars). Owen Sound also offers a premier folk festival, 'Summerfolk,' in August, and we can provide you access to it with us. Patrick volunteers as a juggling performer and I facilitate a flower garland activity.
  
  We’ve opened up our home to many travelers over the years, usually through word of mouth or spontaneous meetings on the street. We look forward to introducing our children to other adventurous spirits and sharing some life, some work with you.
  
  Be prepared for... an adventure, some family chaos involving young children, a daily work routine, our Grey county weather, and a learning experience.
  
  Be ready to go with the flow, look at the bright side of life, and independently make yourself happy, that's very important. Family life with 3 young children is glorious but also super challenging and it's up to us to rise above their daily challenges. Overall, we’re on a happy roll, and have big dreams, so arrive with some drive, patience, and similar dreams of your own!
  
  Cheers!
  
  Patrick, Emma, Rosie, Quinn, and Nellie

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  Un poco más de información

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    Acceso a Internet

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    Acceso a Internet limitado

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    Tenemos animales

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    Somos fumadores

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    Puede alojar familias

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  Puede acoger a nómadas digitales

  We've got WiFi at the house, but only mobile data at the land. But if you are staying at the land you can come back to town to get your digital needs met.

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  Espacio para aparcar autocaravanas

  From May 1 to November 1 you can stay and park your vehicle on our land. Workaways have had good experiences doing this in the past.

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  Podría aceptar mascotas

  Your pets are welcome as long as they get along well with everybody. We have 3 cats and a dog that roam free.

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  ¿Cuántos voluntarios puedes hospedar?

  Más de dos

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  Mis animales / mascotas

  6 pet fluffy rabbits

  Sonny Boy and Moxie

  Moona

  5-Year-old whipadore... Very sweet, sensitive rescue.

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