Family home and garden - rural, Homestead, Hobby Farm, Market Garden, Horse Ranch, Orchard
British Columbia
We are a young professional family (We have a 8 yr old and a 7 yr old) with a rural 5-acre gulf island farm as well as a 15 acer farm on the other end of the island. We both work in the emergency field (Will is the Fire Chief of the local fire department) and (Jenn is the Acting Unit Chief paramedic and a Lt. firefighter on the island) we love farming, love the water, and love this island. Gabriola is surrounded by beaches and is one of the most breathtaking places on earth with an amazing farming community. On our farm we grow lots of different vegetables and fruits in our 15,000 square foot gardens. Some of these include carrots, lettuce, chard, kale, beets, herbs, peas, corn, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and garlic. Our garlic crop is our commercial crop and we plant around 12,000 a year. In our orchard we grow four different apple trees, a plum tree, two pare trees, five fig trees, 4 hazelnut trees, and two walnut trees. In all our gardens we use sustainable and organic practices and no pesticides or herbicides. We also rise laying hens as well as meat birds with our current count at 30 layers. We sell our eggs at at a roadside stand. We also feed our hens non-GMO feeds and lots of fresh fruits and veggies. In addition to our gardens we have an equine retirement horse boarding facility currently housing 3 horses. There is a developed riding ring, pasture lands, and near by 1000 acre park with an amazing trail system for riding/running/walking.* The horses borded here are client horses and there is no horseback riding available unless requested by their owners. One of the horses is owned by us and may or may not be available to ride by an experienced rider as she is still green. Please note that if you are only interested in riding horses on your stay then you should check out a program called Yard and Groom instead. But if you're interested in learning how to run a horse bording busness, take care of horses, and learn about these beautiful creatures then please send us a e-mail. In addition to our farm we use to run a Cabinetry and Woodworking business. We specialize in sustainable start to finish products. From milling dead standing trees to creating and finally installing a finished piece. Our woodworking business is a multigenerational family business with practices and knowledge passed down from generation to generation. We have a 1,000 square foot shop space with all essential equipment. With Wills new job as Fire Chief we don't take on many woodworking jobs anymore but we are currently renovating the barn and adding a new addition on to it.
We also just built an amazing sauna and cold plunge area down near the pond that is a great place to hang out and relax after a day of work!
We are also just about to start building a few little bunk houses for wwoofers to stay in so now is a great time to come and learn some building from Will!
We are excited to learn from our WWOOFers and pass on some of the knowledge that we have gained and make new friends.
** Please respond to this question in your first email request to us, "What is the main thing you would like to learn from us and why?"
Note: applicants that do not respond to this question will not be considered for a stay on our farm.
** Year round WWOOFing Experiences Available **
*NO SMOKING ON PROPERTY*
**SERIOUS inquiries only!!! It is our busy season and we are looking for help but we need committed WWOOFers only**
Organic methods: Deep Roots Farms is committed to using ethical and sustainable farming as well as animal management practices. We also do not use any herbicides or pesticides in any of our gardens.
Certifications: Not Certified but use organic practices
Current project time lines:
Help around the home (year round, more in the winter months)
Animal husbandry (year round)
Building (on going)
Garlic planting (October)
Garlic Harvest (August -July)
Weeding (late spring summer)
Planting & Harvesting Vegetables (April-Sept)
Internet access available though limited on some areas of the property.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Sheep or goat farming
Dairy farming
Forestry
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Traditional crafts
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Holistic management
Host type
Production farm
2
Hectares
|
5
Acres
Jennifer
Member since 2015
Languages spoken:
English
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 56%
Response time: typically within 6 days
British Columbia
GERTY community bus
Reviews
Volker
Germany
•
January 2026
From the very beginning, I was welcomed with incredible warmth and hospitality. At first, like with every new host as a volunteer, it was a bit of a mystery what to expect. Very quickly, however, it became clear that this family is open, kind, and genuinely caring. It never felt like I was just a guest; instead, I felt like a true part of the family. I was also warmly included in their wider circle of friends, which made the experience even more special. Even though my English was not perfect, they always helped me to improve my language skills, which made communication even more meaningful.
Life on the farm was both exciting and enriching. The projects were diverse and hands-on. The construction work was similar to classic carpentry, including finishing a sauna made of the finest cedar wood and advancing a cabin for future WWOOFers. It was also incredibly exciting to see how maple syrup is produced, and I had the chance to get creative myself. For Christmas, I was able to make a cutting board for my parents, which was a very personal and special experience. In addition, I helped with the daily farm tasks and worked with the animals, especially horses and chickens. Each day felt like another enrichment, full of shared work, learning, and genuine collaboration. Everything had purpose and was done together as a team.
The food deserves a special mention. Honestly, the best food I’ve had in Canada. Fresh, home-cooked meals shared around the table added greatly to the strong ...
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Leonie
Germany
•
November 2024
We spent 5 weeks at this Farm. Our main tasks included taking care of the horses and chickens, and during this quieter season, we also helped out with house cleaning and other small tasks. We stayed in the camper during our time there.
It was nice to play games like hide-and-seek with the kids and on our days off, we explored the island by bike or walking. Some of our favorite memories include the boat trip with Will, the fireworks, and the relaxing evenings drinking cider.
Jenn and Will were very welcoming, and we left the farm with many great memories.
Thank you for having us!
Leonie and Tomke
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Timothée
France
•
June 2024
I spent 2 great weeks in Deep Roots Farm with Jennifer and Will and their children. I did various work in this organic farm like planted brocoli, zucchini, lettuces, tomatoes, or feed the 10 chickens and of course feed the 3 horses. I'm not scary about the horses but I must to admit that I was not completely at ease with. So, thank you to Ruxtene, their son, 7 years old, who helped me to be more comfortable with the horses.
Jen and Will have been very kind and thoughtful with me. I was invited to visit Gabriola island with them several times, to hangout with their friends or to use their bike. All the family and friends that I met were very nice and open minded. Don't hesitate to come in their farm you will spend a great time to work as a farmer, to explore this beautiful island and to meet this nice family. Thank you all.
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Vivian
Germany
•
April 2024
Very vivid, welcoming family. There is always a lot going on. The working projects were of various types. Thanks a lot for showing us around on beautiful Gabriola Island!
Ian
Canada
•
September 2020
This was my first WWOOF’ing experience and what an experience it’s been! Over the last 3 weeks I’ve learnt what it’s like to truly live sustainably, from field-to-plate salads and barn-fresh eggs on toast, to the most delicious free-range chicken, I can honestly say I’ve never eaten healthier and fresher food.
The work was varied with the main focus on cutting and cleaning garlic amongst other things such as tending to their 2 horses and feeding the chickens.
If you’re after a truly authentic farming experience coupled with great hospitality then look no further than Deep Roots Farm.
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Fabian
Germany
•
August 2019
I had two great weeks staying at deep roots farm with Jen, Will and Todd.
They were always kind, very friendly and open minded, we had funny moments working, eating and talking together. They take care of you. Work is different (you get to know how farm-life works and how a farm is evolving), there is breakfast (help yourself), lunch and dinner. Jen‘s food is unbelievable, it was always a surprise and fine taste. As to the island there are very friendly, kind people living there, you will find friends quickly- just go out and visit the spots. There’s a bike to go to the beach (carefull- much height to cycle). You will learn how to appreciate water (no shower every day!) and where food comes from. You are staying in a camper or tent what is perfect, you have space on your own.
You are not working alone as there are usually 2-3 woofers.
I hope to be back sometime.
Thank you so much for all the precious experience, Jen, Will and Todd and enjoy your life on this beautiful island!
Fabian
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