Vue d'ensemble

• Description

  We are situated on 10 Acres and have a good sized family vegetable garden. We respect and love animals, believe in a simple natural lifestyle. We would appreciate help in creating and tending to our vegetable and flower gardens. There is always work to do including general maintenance and yard work, carpentry, fence building, cleaning and caring for chickens. If you have specific skills you would like to utilize, just let us know and will let you know if it would be helpful. During your off-time, if you are interested in helping out with horses being saved from slaughter and cruelty I can connect you with others that would love to ride and train with you if you have experience.

  We are always on the go yet take time enjoy social time, local entertainment and events.Salmon Arm is a small town on Shuswap Lake in central British Columbia; half way between Vancouver and Calgary. Although only minutes from town, we are in a peaceful rural area surrounded by forests and hiking trails.

  Within walking distance, or a very short drive, you will find our recreation centre with a swimming pool, gym, 3 golf courses, mountain biking, and a lovely public beach down at the lake. Our community is very active providing a wide variety of concerts, theatre productions, outdoor activities, community gatherings, and events to encourage tourism.

• Type of help

  Gardening
  Building
  Babysitting / child care
  Cooking / shopping
  General Maintenance
  Farming
  Help in the house
  Animal care
  Helping with Tourists
  Charity work
  Other

• Help

  We welcome shorter or longer stays. Help is needed with a wide range of projects…..creating and tending to our flower and vegetable gardens, building raised garden beds, planting, seeding, mulching, watering, weeding, harvesting, canning, drying, freezing, feeding chickens, cleaning chicken pen, building fences, carpentry work, lawn maintenance, yard clean up, firewood, helping in home, assisting with meal preparation, and with guests. Lots to do : )

  While you are here, there are a few other opportunities that you might be interested in during your time off:

  Horses - I am part of a newly formed non-profit group helping to save horses from being shipped for slaughter. if you are interested, there is an opportunity to help with the care of the horses during your hours off. If you are an experienced rider, you may want to help with training and riding out on the trails. You may even find yourself at an auction helping to save and rehome the horses.

  My daughter trains horses and competes, on occasion, in 3 day eventing and I enjoy going to watch those events and perhaps you would too.

  In the past, helpers enjoy getting up early - before it gets too hot - then have free time in the afternoon to explore or rest. You may choose the times during the day you would like to work, averaging 5 - 6 hrs per day; some days longer, some days shorter pending other activities. Ideally my guest would enjoy quiet time working on their own as well as alongside of me. We open our home to guests seeking short term room rental similar to Bed and Breakfast or, to students here to study at Okanagan College. Helping prepare and clean the rooms may be required as well as greeting guests.

  Your room is in our home, has its own private entrance although, we appreciate you being flexible to move to another room should we have guests renting that room for a few nights during your stay. The bathroom is beside bedroom. You may have your room to yourself, or share with another worker. If we have a houseful, you may need to stay in a tent; another adventure for some.

  Meals are primarily vegetarian although, if you want meat… feel free to purchase your own meat to cook inside or on BBQ outside. There are two kitchens so you are welcome to use either one.
  Please feel free to contact me with any questions to see if our place is a fit for you.

• Languages spoken

  English

• Accommodation

  Volunteers have a quiet, bedroom either alone or shared. - private bathroom/shower and an entrance separate from the main living area. Your room is on the ground level and contains a small fridge, WiFi. Rarely are all three of my rooms rented out but should this happen for a short period while you are here I will make a tent available for you.

• What else …

  We are within walking distance to public transport or, you can walk all the way to town (about 35 min) and the Recreation Centre (pool, gym, bowling) via forest trails or, along the roadside. There are endless hiking and mountain biking trails within a 10 min walk from our place and easy walking nature trails across the street. The beach at the lake is only a short 7 min. drive or, drive 15 min. to Enderby where you can spend your day floating down the river. More beautiful beaches where you can swim or rent kayaks, peddle boats, and other water toys are in Sicamous (20 min), Blind Bay (25 min), Kelowna (1.5 hrs), and Penticton (2.5 hrs).

  Silver Star Mountain is approx 1 hour away and has numerous ski runs, cross country skiing, tubing hills and outdoor skating in the winter. During summer months there are hiking and mountain biking trails galore. Other mountain adventures can be found at Sun Peaks (2 hrs), Revelstoke Mountain (1.5hrs), Big White (2hrs) ~ you can google each, for more information. Explore and find other adventures in Armstrong is 25 min away, (as is Blind Bay and Sorrento,) Vernon is 35 min, Kamloops and Kelowna are both 1.5 hrs, Lake Louise and Banff are 4 to 5 hours away, Vancouver 5.5 hours and Calgary 6 hours. Feel free to adventure out and about and return to your home-base, right here.

• A little more information

  • Internet access

  • Limited internet access

  • We have pets

  • We are smokers

• How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

• Cultural exchange and learning opportunites

  I am connected with a group that saves horses from slaughter. During your off-time, if you would like to help out, it would be appreciated. They always need loving and attention. If you are an experienced rider, then trail riding is an option. Also would LOVE someone to build fencing for me so that I can foster some till they are placed in homes.
  There is lots to do and see if you love the outdoors. I do my best to ensure you have an enjoyable time.

• Volunteering hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week