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ARE YOU OPEN TO VISITORS?
We welcome folks who are interested in our land-based educational project. We take a hands-on approach to hosting, and have a few options for visitors. Visitor weekends combine a sort of open house—where we share who we are and what we are trying to do—with activities that allow folks to get involved in our day-to-day work.
During our work parties, also usually held over a weekend, we focus on advancing one of our long-term, labour-intensive goals like land clearing, building infrastructure, or doing remediation work, while having tons of collective fun. Visits at other times are also possible, so if what we are doing resonates with you, then get in touch!
WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN I VISIT?
If it’s your first time, we will show you around and orient you to life on an off-grid, rural property. We’ll tell you how to preserve power and water, and how you can keep yourself safe and well. We’ll also show you fun stuff like our swimming hole, the local beach access, and the many kilometers of Provincial Park trails next door, some of which lead to beautiful Chickadee Lake.
On visitor weekends, or for visits at other times, as hosts, we will usually plan a few activities that we think will fit our visitors’ interests, skills, and abilities. We welcome you to help us with daily chores like feeding the chickens or chopping wood, or to spend time in the gardens, tending to the crops. And we encourage you to get to know our beautiful property and nearby lands.
For work parties, we’ll have a more structured plan, but always with time for collective celebration and enjoyment.
Land-based work is a full-time endeavor for us, one that we embrace joyfully, and so while we enjoy taking time off and hanging out, preparing and eating great meals together, and playing music, those activities usually happen in the evening after we’ve done what we need to do during the day.
ARE YOU OPEN TO VISITORS DROPPING IN?
That’s not ideal. We are usually busy on the land during the day, and it can be hard to take time out when we haven’t planned it. So, we ask people to contact us in advance, especially during growing and market season (May to Oct).
CAN I BRING MY PETS?
Going on a farm visit conjures images of happy friendly animals ranging free, so we understand why you would want to give your pet that experience!
We work hard to provide our animals with a safe, secure environment and are constantly attending to their wellbeing. For that reason, we try to avoid having outside animals around the farm that are not necessarily attuned to the ‘animal ecosystem’ (with a few exceptions, like service dogs, or at the cabin by the pond).
While we prefer that you do not bring your pet on your visit, we recognize that sometimes it is unavoidable. So we ask that you talk to us about it beforehand, and respect the following guidelines:
● Outside animals need to be supervised and under control at all times, and must be kept away from garden beds and the food forest, to prevent them from damaging sensitive plants and crops.
● Pet owners are responsible for cleaning up any pet waste and disposing of it off trails and away from farm areas.
● Owners must ensure their dogs never chase other animals, including deer roaming the property.
● We don’t have pets inside the buildings with the exception of service dogs. This includes our home, as we have a very skittish and sensitive rescue cat.
Thank you for your understanding!
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE WITH YOU?
We are currently trying out an expansion in the number of residents, and so are not actively looking for more people to live here right now. As we build our capacity and infrastructure over the coming months and years, get to know folks through working together, and see how bylaws develop on Denman, we will decide how to further expand.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WOOFERS TO STAY AND WORK WITH YOU?
We may be open to woofers at some point in the future and will post any positions on the website.