Market Garden, Plant Nursery
Yukon
My Farm is located at various spots throughout Haines Junction, Yukon, gateway to the magnificent Kluane country, in the traditional territory of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. I grow vegetable, flower and herb starts for sale as well as produce for myself and for market. I also save seeds, grow cut and dried flowers and culinary and medicinal herbs. From March to June, the focus is on the plant nursery, along with preparing the gardens and planting them. July and August finds me doing lots of garden maintenance, harvesting and the Dakwäkãda-Haines Junction Community Market. September and October are the harvest and preserving months, as well as cleaning up and putting the gardens to bed.
My situation is quite unique - I don't own any land. I have developed several relationships in my community and I use the land and gardens of my neighbours. I follow organic growing practices in all my growing endeavours. The opportunities to learn about supporting oneself in a land-based business, growing plants for sale, growing a market garden, seed-saving, medicinal and culinary herb use, composting, basic carpentry skills, soil-building, harvesting, preserving, wattle-fence building, cold-frame growing and community market involvement are all available with me!
Accommodation is unique! I live in a small house and have no room for anyone else! My neighbours, however, have converted an old highway lodge into rental lodgings. WWOOFers will be accommodated there (within walking distance of my house and the greenhouses). Lodging consists of a private room, with one or two double beds (bedding and towels included). Single WWOOFers or couples or two friends who are comfortable sleeping in the same room will find it quite comfortable. There is a shared full kitchen, bathrooms and living room. It must be noted that this accommodation, as well as my house and greenhouses, are located 20 kms west of Haines Junction, about a 10-minute drive or 40-60 minute bicycle ride (I can provide WWOOFers with a bicycle). The lodging is a non-smoking facility.
Meals are also unique, as I am not able to share 3 meals/day with my WWOOFer. Other work that I do requires my time in the mornings to be to myself, so breakfast and lunch are the WWOOFers own responsibility. To facilitate this, I will take WWOOFers on a weekly grocery shopping trip, in order to purchase supplies to prepare your own breakfast and lunch. WWOOFers are welcome to produce from the garden. Dinners and afternoon tea will most likely be shared together - we would take turns or share preparing dinner, washing dishes and baking snacks. My diet is 60% ovo-lacto vegetarian and 40% meat-eating. It must be noted that any WWOOFers who come to help me will need to be fairly autonomous, self-sustainable and enjoy the outdoors. Living outside of town, wildlife sightings are inevitable and bears do live in the area. WWOOFers who are comfortable in a rural setting will find my lifestyle and community amazing! WWOOFers who have never seen a bear or uninterrupted wilderness in their life, but are unafraid to experience this, will also find my lifestyle and community amazing!
Expected hours of work are 5 days per week, 4-6 hours per day. The days may not be consecutive. At the beginning of the week, we would sit down and discuss work days, so you know when your time off will be. Each week will be different. Work encompasses a broad range of activities, from pricking out (transplanting) seedlings to soil-building to composting to working at the community market to harvesting to collecting manure to preserving to seeding to planting in the garden to wattle-fence building to watering the greenhouses. A degree of physical fitness is required, as we will work steadily all afternoon, with one tea break. Gardening is hard work!! Experience is not required - all tasks are easily learned. We will be using tools such as shovels, hammers, drills, garden forks, pitchforks and rakes. WWOOFers would be wise to bring work clothes, work boots, a sunhat (we have a lot of sunshine!), rain gear and their own gloves (none of these items are provided). We work outdoors in all weather. All tools and training will be provided.
WWOOFers should be prepared to come to a very small town (the nearest large town is Whitehorse, which is 160kms away). We have a grocery store, seasonal restaurants, library, liquor store, weekly community market, gas stations, hotels and little else in the way of amenities. There is no place to purchase items such as work gloves or boots in Haines Junction. Haines Junction has a vibrant arts community and there is often live music or workshops throughout the summer. There are myriad places to hike, bike, walk and paddle in the area.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Wild foraging
Flower farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Traditional crafts
Food justice / sovereignty
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Biodynamic agriculture
Holistic management
Mentoring opportunities
LGBTQ+-operated
Woman-operated
Host type
Production farm
0.4
Hectares
|
1
Acres
Jolene
Member since 2015
Languages spoken:
English
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 1 day
Yukon
Whitehorse
Reviews
Wulf
United States
•
October 2025
I had a wonderful time working with Jolene. I was lucky enough to stay for a month. During my time there, we harvested vegetables and started preparing the plant nursery, and some other bits of the property, for winter. We worked in the afternoon, then had a break before I returned for a delicious dinner in the evening.
Jolene is a kind and fun person, who is a pleasure to work with. She is well organized, and knowledgeable about what she is doing. She is an excellent teacher who imparts information in a way that is respectful and accommodating to what you may, or may not, already know. We usually enjoyed music and were quite productive, but worked at a relaxed and steady pace.
The land and the community around this area of the Yukon are both lovely to experience, as well. There are many drives, lakes, and hiking trails to explore in the surrounding area. The views are absolutely breathtaking (especially in the fall, when I was there, according to everyone I spoke with). The local folk were all friendly and welcoming, and I enjoyed talking with them.
WWOOFing at the farm with Jolene was a happy experience, indeed. I highly recommend it.
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Alexandra
Germany
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August 2024
I stayed only for 12 days with Jolene but there were a lot of things going on!
I had the mornings to myself as we started work at around 1 PM on most days. Most of the time, I worked in the market garden, harvesting vegetables, helped preparing the stand for the Farmer's Market or worked on the big "pot-sorting-project" on the farm. It was interesting to learn about plants, animals and the people in the Junction and Jolene is a gold mine full of information. She always took time to explain things or show me interesting plants and so on.
She also took me with her on some social events as well as in the heart of the National Park.
I stayed in a small cabin, which I had for myself, including an outhouse and water out of big jugs I filled in Jolene's house - a true Yukon experience all in all.
I had some great conversations with Jolene, learned a lot and stayed in a beautiful spot with lots of opportunities for hiking.
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Lasse
Germany
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May 2024
My month-long farm stay with Jolene was an unforgettable experience that I loved from day one. Jolene proved to be super nice, polite and funny, which made my stay particularly enjoyable.
Working on the farm was not only pleasant and relaxed, but also extremely educational. Thanks to Jolene's vast knowledge, I was able to learn a lot of new things about farming and had a lot of fun, especially because you always listen to music while you work. (Jolene has very good taste in music!)
The work breaks were neat as there were always self-baked cookies, cakes or other treats. These little treats made the breaks a welcome change.
I was absolutely pleased with the accommodation, I stayed with Jolene´s neighbor. The cabin was very nicely furnished and had a pleasant atmosphere. Her neighbor proved to be extremely friendly and funny, and the deep conversations with him enriched my stay. The weekly volleyball games with him were also very entertaining.
Last but not least, the nature in Haines Junction was absolutely breathtaking. The daily views of the mountains left me speechless and made my stay very special. I highly recommend a stay at Jolene's Farm, it was an experience I wouldn't want to miss.
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Giacomo Teoldi
Ireland
•
October 2022
Dear wwoofers I can assure you spending time with Jolene in Haines Junction is such an experience.
The Yukon Territory is unbelievably amazing, wilderness is pleasantly overwhelming and the low population makes it something unique.
There’s a lot to explore and Jolene will be glad to share that with you.
Jolene is a super host and no question about it.
She’s very passionate about the place she’s living in and everything she does.
I’ve spent five weeks with her and was so hard to leave.
The small community in Haines Junction is lovely and the work with Jolene never that hard.
She really needs help but is surely able to accommodate properly in exchange.
If you’re looking for one of those lifetime experiences in a gorgeous spot alongside a beautiful person don’t hesitate. And mark my words.
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Adam
Canada
•
July 2022
I spent two weeks with Jolene and it was simply not long enough! Jolene is a fantastic host, who knows how to accomadate a wwoofer well. The area she lives in is breath takingly beautiful. It is filled with cascading mountains all around, endless wilderness, and fantastic trails. She has many friends and knows mostly everyone in the Haines Junction community which is really something special to see. It's a very homely community out here, filled with love and ingenuity among the locals. There was not a single day out here that I was over worked, and everyday there was something new and exciting to learn. If you do decide to come wwoof here you certainly will be very happy you came out here. I believe this because Jolene is one of the best hosts I have ever had, and I have had many.
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JA KYEONG
Canada
•
October 2017
I stayed here 2 weeks, and I had such a great experience with her! Jolene is absolutely the nicest host I've ever met before! The working condition is far better than she wrote on the board. I usually work in the afternoon so morning time is off!! And if you want day off, tell her and she will arrange your work and time. I stayed separated lodge that she rent for me. It means I have my privacy in the fancy lodge! The lodge is so cool. And other workers in the lodge are all nice! We could share our meals!! :) All the bedrooms, toilents, bathrooms, kitchen and halls are nice! And she gave me such nice groceries both from markets and her own farm. All the veges from her farm is organic and good quality! So I know they are really fresh! She gave me the best one that she can! And I can realize that all the people, about 500, in Haines Junction are satisfied with their lives. So they have time to help and connet you. I really felt free, happy and peaceful with them. Whoever I met is such a nice person to get along with! They are always kind and funny. And Jolene, whenever I ask her whatever, she always answered me in a quiet detailed way. She knew a lot of about farming, YK and Haines Junction. So feel free to ask. I love to talk to her. It is really special time. My main job is pulling all the stuff over the garden cuz now is end of the harvesting season. She has a really pretty garden. I love it. There are so many plants and veges that I can learn most of them : their specialities, species, etc. And everyday she told me what's gonna tomorrow, so I didn't mess at all! And all the neighbors around her knew her, cuz it is small town, and like her. Oh! Of course, the nature in YK, especially Haines Junction is so~ nice!! All the mountains are so gorgeous! They are so big and have a snow on top. The weather is pretty shiny. The sky is clear blue! And when she drove me out of HJ, the scenery changes. It is really amazing! You can meet such amazing views, people and experiences! So expect and feel free to contact her!! I bet!
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