Small farm, raising horses, chickens, vegetables & grassland - rural
Alberta
Hello Wwoof travelers, The farm is full until August 15, 2026! I am currently filling fall and winter 2026. Please note, the process for confirming a stay. You send a request, next we do a whats app meeting/interview to make sure the farm and you are a good fit. I will be interviewing a few requests for the same stay, so please make sure you are available for this. If you are the successful wwoof guest for the rough dates we both agree on, then I accept. Once the accepted guest is making firm travel plans you communicate this to me to make sure I am available to pick you up on a specific day and time, and then you adjust your stay dates on the request and click confirmed.
Spring and Summer 2026 stays will include caring for horses, cleaning horse sheds, burdocking (its a thing), weeding, fixing fences, riding when the weather supports a pleasant ride, welcoming new foals to the farm, caring for the chickens, gardening (we grow amazing garlic), raspberry patch nurturing and more! This May, my favourite pony Grinner, is expecting a foal, lots of work, but the whole process can be very rewarding. There is a Working Equitation Show I attend mid August this year, and I will need help getting ready for that.
Summer wwoof guests have the option to stay in the cooler main home large spare room that we are currently finishing. There is room for one guest only unless you are a couple, and we share the bathroom I am transitioning to a minimalist household, striving to reduce waste and reducing the use of plastic, work and live more efficiently so we can spend even more time in nature and enjoying the horses and animals.
The farm is a great place to rest and "disconnect with the online human world". Sourdough is a tradition Sebastien created in 2022 and the starter is hence named "Sebastien". Most wwoof guests bake sourdough during their stay, I am happy to share Sebastien's recipe, with Lisa's additions, Ella and Ava's savoury and sweet additions, Sophia's experience and my tweaks. In summer, the farm has Harvest Host Campers staying for a night. The campers have become yet another fun tradition, with guest dog walks and interesting people traveling across Canada in large and small RV's.
We welcome Wwoof Guests who have a work visa , have good extended health care insurance coverage for travel and have the Wwoof option of liability in their membership.
If you are vegan or vegetarian (or just willing to try that for a while), and enjoy a tranquil and quiet time, follow safe horsemanship and farm practises, and want to learn more about riding English or Western, groundwork and horse/pony handling, with minimal cell phone access, healthy food and maximum outdoors, this is the Wwoof stay for you!
There is enough to do on the farm to keep folks busy, happy, rested, learning new things and sharing knowledge. If you enjoy snowshoeing and skiing, exploring the mountains, riding horses, caring for animals, managing the pastures, spending time in nature and bird watching, there will be plenty of adventures to experience. The farm is also located within 1 - 3 hours drive to 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Waterton Lakes International Peace Park, Dinosaur and Writin On Stone PP, and Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump.
This landscape is all Nitsitapi land; Blackfoot Territory since the beginning of time. “Niitsitapi” (nee-itsee-TAH-peh) means “the real people.” I am grateful to be on this land and share it with so many people.
Winter 2025/2026 wwoofing includes keeping a close eye on the herd who will be in the main large pasture, keeping the chicken house clean and caring for the birds, walking a farm dog, and caring for the cats. An added benefit, is the cozy wood fire that keeps the house warm and the exercise we all get moving firewood to keep the wood stove going. The home we share is basic. A bath, (no shower), a good washing machine and drying racks (wwoof guest Inspired), hand washing dishes, and imported non plastic brooms to keep the floor clean.! Inside tasks include carpentry in the space under development, and there always is tack to clean. We bake our own bread, grow sprouts and strive to create healthy meals. The rustic lifestyle is slow paced and keeps us all in touch with nature and the winter.
Organic methods: The land is managed as sustainably and naturally as possible. Invasive species management, (hand and mowing), growing an organic garden (container gardening), fencing, pasture rest, rotational grazing and more.
Certifications: I do not produce a food product other than what we grow and eat from the garden ourselves. The land is managed organically. Heidi is certified in Equine and Human First Aid and is a retired Environmental Educator and full time Farmer.
Current projects: In summer, work to get the pasture ready for fall grazing, burdocking, moving hay, working with the ponies and horses is the norm. We always share cooking. WWooF guests are encouraged to keep their own space clean and tidy and more importantly keep all shared spaces in the house and workshop tidy and clutter free. We have a WWOOF Cookbook to share favourite international recipes! It is important to note, we have cats and two young large dogs in the house, WWOOF guests with allergies should know this. Guests will be taught how to manage the dogs properly! There are always firewood moving, building projects inside and outside, and animal care projects.
Internet access available.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Poultry farming
Sheep or goat farming
Wild foraging
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Green Building
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Holistic management
No-till farming
Regenerative agriculture
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Heidi
Member since 2008
Languages spoken:
Dutch, English
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Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Alberta
Fort Macleod
Reviews
Denzel
Canada
•
January 2026
I had an amazing time at Windy Coulee! It’s a great place to learn about Canadian horses and gain real, practical knowledge about farm and horse safety. Highly recommend.
Ariane
France
•
September 2025
My stay at Heidi's was truly the most amazing of all, I was supposed to be there one month and ended up staying three ! Heidi is super welcoming, I felt at home right away. I fell in love with the place and the animals, I got to cook a lot and share my culture with everyone. I met wonderful friends of hers and other wwoofers and got to see the beautiful countryside. I will certainly be back there just like many of the other wwoofers before me. Thank you for everything Heidi and Kara !
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Juna
Belgium
•
June 2025
My stay with Heidi in Canada was an unforgettable experience. I learned how to saddle a horse and guide it properly.
Even without a driver’s license, I got to see so much of the area thanks to Heidi and her amazing friends who were happy to give me rides — I’m so grateful for that! Her farm is beautifully located, and a horseback ride on her property is an absolute must.
I truly appreciated being invited into her circle of inspiring friends — strong, wise women I learned so much from. If you get the chance, definitely ask Gina for a cheese-making class. It’s a long process, but so fun and you end up with your own feta, mozzarella, and mascarpone!
Heidi also made me realize how important proper waste sorting is, and how different types of plastic need different handling — super eye-opening.
She’s a warm, funny person who makes sure you feel good on her farm. Her knowledge about animals, nature, and food is impressive and she shares it in such an engaging way.
Oh, and her homemade bread? Absolutely delicious — and yes, she teaches you how to make it too 😊
Thank you for everything, Heidi! 💛
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Reply from Heidi
Was a pleasure to host you Juna! And your flowers are coming up all through the garden!
Ricarda
Germany
•
June 2025
Gute Kommunikation im Voraus und ein sehr nettes Telefonat haben mich überzeugt. Ich wurde freundlich empfangen und hatte eine traumhafte Zeit auf der Farm. Katzen und 2 Hunde im Haus, Hühner und Pferde am Haus und auf den Weiden. Das füttern und pflegen der Tiere und reparieren von Stall/ Garten etc gehört zu den Aufgaben. Ich fühlte mich sehr wohl und hatte sehr schöne Ritte und Ausritte in die Natur und die Rocky Mountains. Ein wirklich aussergewöhnlicher Ort mit viel Natur direkt vor der Haustür und sehr herzlichen Menschen.
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Reply from Heidi
Danke Ricarda!
Yi-Chun
Taiwan
•
April 2025
I had an amazing time at Windy Coulee this winter!
Heidi is a truly kind, welcoming, and encouraging host. She not only introduced me to all the wonderful animals on and around the farm, but also showed me interesting spots nearby and introduced me to her lovely friends in the area. She generously shared her deep knowledge about horses — from grooming and feeding to hoof care, training, and even breeding. I learned so much more than I expected!
The work mainly includes daily chores, taking care of the animals, and helping out with special projects depending on what’s happening. This year, we built a sawbuck, cut firewood, and prepared for skijoring. There's always something new and exciting happening! The workload is very reasonable, and there's plenty of time to enjoy other activities — we tried to ride twice a week when the weather permitted, and I also had time to go snowboarding regularly.
I've had so many wonderful moments here, and I already miss Heidi and all the horses and dogs and cats.
If you would like to try wwoofing, I highly recommend Windy Coulee.
Thank you again for everything, and wishing you all the best!
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Magdalena
Austria
•
November 2024
Heidi is a very educated, animal loving person! If you love animals, as much as her you will have a awesome time there.
She is very fair with the amount of work you have to do and gives great advice what possibilities you have in your free time. The area is full of adventures! And even if you don’t like to go on adventures, staying at home with the lovely animals and their lovely owner will be just fine.
Heidi: thanks for everything and I wish you all the best and give luke and lucy a hug from me.
All the best Magdi
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Reply from Heidi
Thank you Magdi for all the help, especially for your work with Lucy and Luke. Hugs back!
