WE WELCOME REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE!
How lucky we are and how much we would like to share. The freshest air, the healthiest food, the opportunities to learn about vegetable and protein production in an organic way. Now more than ever we are focusing on becoming self sufficient. What does that look like?
We produce our own meat, vegetables, eggs, and dairy. We have started to produce honey, mill our own flour, bake bread, preserve vegetables, and make pasta, cured meats, butter, yogurt, kefir, and cheeses. We are looking for a volunteer who would appreciate learning these skills or teach us some of their own.
Need something different in your life? Pigs, bison, beavers, music, milk cow, northern lights, wilderness, tractors, gardening, organic, turkeys, trees, swans, swimming, skiing, solitude, chickens, community, canoeing, campfires, choir, concerts, cats, cows, cuisine, festivals, fishing, rodeos, etc. etc. etc. Lots happening! No two days are the same!
A long time ago (>30 years) we signed up to the WWOOF program. We were the second farm in Alberta to do so.
Certified organic for the past 34 years, First Nature Farms is considered an ecological reserve of over 3000 acres of mostly aspen forest, three creeks and several beaver ponds. Organic since 1990 and WWOOF hosts for almost as long, our diverse ranch includes grass finished Belted Galloway cattle, Plains bison, free range chickens and turkeys but our specialty are the Berkshire pigs. We raise heritage breeds in a gentle environment from farrow to finish, outside, year round. "Empress" the milk cow is a close member of our family, supplying all our dairy needs. Easy to milk too! We also have two large dogs, Figaro and Magnifico (super friendly), one inside cat, Ghost and one turtle (38 years old).
Help is appreciated throughout the year with most jobs centred around caring for the animals (no shit shovelling as all animals are free range on pasture). Accommodation is either in our log house (5 bedroom, one bathroom and shower), heated with wood. Jerry (the host) lives there along with the cat and turtle. The cabin (rustic plumbing) is just a 30 second walk from the house and gets used mainly in the warmer months.
Volunteers should be kind, independent, innovative , motivated and ready for adventure. People wanting to learn skills about raising livestock, micro-greens and vegetables organically will learn lots. Some have even gone on to start their own businesses and farms!
Meals include a lot of organics with all meat coming from the farm. Lots of opportunities for cooking or learning how to cook. All living costs are covered with the exception of personal products, outside entertainment, clothes and junk food. Breakfast is something you make yourself, omelettes or toast, sausages or steak, your choice.
The day starts at 8:30 AM and mornings are always centred around caring for the animals. No one wears a watch so we quit for lunch around noon and take a couple hours to check emails, snooze or whatever. We usually put in a couple of hours in the afternoon working on projects or whatever needs doing. WWOOF help maxes at 30 hour per week with Sundays and another day of the week off. Lunch and dinner preparation and clean-up is shared. No cooking experience? No problem. We have lots of cookbooks and love to teach the skills needed to turn wholesome, organic ingredients into gourmet dining.
Aside from good times on the farm, we also try to provide our guests with a "cultural experience" unique to our area. This can be anything from hiking, canoeing, XC skiing, fishing, visiting waterfalls, concerts, auction sales, star gazing, workshops, protests, rodeos, etc. Lots of campfires and neighbourhood parties. Even the northern lights (aurora borealis) like to visit. Other visitors include moose, deer, coyotes, swans and the occasional bear. Sundays are called Fundays. WWOOFers also have another day off during the week.
Cooks and musicians are most appreciated! We have a piano, a couple guitars , an accordion along with other instruments in the house. Internet is high speed (thanks to Elon). And there's over a hundred stories and videos about the farm which can be found at Farm News on our website.
How to get here? Bus, plane, drive, cycle, hitchike or parachute. We'll pick you up in Beaverlodge, Grande Prairie or Dawson Creek. Any person of any age or gender is welcome. The longer the stay, the more you learn and the richer the experience becomes. As a matter of fact, some of our neighbouring landowners started out as visitors to our farm.
Organic methods: Organic livestock care. Too numerous to list.
Certifications: EcoCert
Current projects: Food, Water and Shelter. Every morning we:
- feed the chickens, ducks, turkeys
- milk the cow(s)
- feed the pigs
- assess the projects for the afternoon.
Read more
Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Poultry farming
Pig farming
Cattle farming
Raising of other farm animals
Cheesemaking
Meat processing
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Production farm
Certified organic
1,214.1
Hectares
|
3,000
Acres
