Ranch/ Livestock Farm

British Columbia

30 reviews • Updated 5 months ago

If you are interested in Regenerative Agriculture - not just talking about it, but real experience in Managed Intensive Grazing - this is the place to be, especially in June and July when the grass regrows quickly and the cows need to be moved every day. In order to get enough grazing pressure we are custom grazing 25 dairy heifers for a local dairy. We use 'tumble wheel' electric fencing, and open up a fresh strip of pasture to the cows every morning. We also have a mobile irrigation system (K-Pods from New Zealand) and when it stops raining every day we will be irrigating as needed. If you want to learn how farmers can safely sequester carbon, this is the place to be! We have a Jersey cow that is milked twice a day, and 2 dairy heifer yearlings who are super cute! The heifers have been bred and are being trained to stand in a 'squeeze' which is important education for their future as dairy cows. We make fresh dairy products (yogurt, sour cream, butter, etc.) and several kinds of cheese The helpers' schedule is typically 7 am - 12 noon (with a break for breakfast), and then 6:30pm-7:15pm for evening chores and milking the cow. It averages about 30 hrs/week. Two days off per week, your choice. We are very flexible about which days you take off. Please be clear: this is a working farm, not a petting zoo/hostel. If you need to be working remotely for your main employment, or want to keep looking at a screen &/or listening to music or chatting with friends, this would not be a good place for you. For safety and for the quality of your experience, you need to pay full attention to where you are and what you are doing. I am a retired Biologist enjoying life on a farm. I am deeply committed to regenerative farming, and creating a rich mix of plants and animals on this 40 acres. I have had a lot of experience in Canadian ecosystems, especially in British Columbia. If you are interested in Ecology, Animal Husbandry, Genetics or the thrills and spills of running a small farm, you can learn a lot here! Armstrong is a real farming town about 20 minutes from Vernon, not (yet) taken over by suburban sprawl. This is a great area for hiking and bird watching, and we are close to Silver Star, Big White, Revelstoke and Sun Peaks - ski resorts that are also great for hiking. There are several local wineries to visit and lots of wildlife like deer, quail, coyote, rabbits, and the odd bear. We would like people to stay for a minimum of 3 weeks - more is better because the animals need to get to know you. We have nice bedrooms in the house for helpers. We have a house cat, so you must not have allergies to cats, dust and dander. The kitchen is very active, making many items from 'scratch', and we expect Helpers to do some of the cooking and share their favourite recipes with us! We are Omnivores and, being primarily a meat producing farm, we find that Vegetarians do not fit in. Please note that the farm gets little or no cell phone signal, but we get internet from StarLink and have a good wi-fi system in the house. We have a TV but no TV service - it has a chromecast and can play DVDs and anything you can play on your phone. We are not close to public transportation. We will give you a ride to local destinations on your days off, or loan you a car if you can be covered by our insurance. Organic methods: Regenerative Agriculture, managed intensive grazing, cover crops, composting Certifications: ProCert - applies to our (former) grain acreage only. Current projects: There are daily chores to move the cattle, milk the cow, collect eggs, etc. We are sorting through lots of chicken equipment that needs to be repaired and sold. Come give us a hand! Internet access - high speed and unlimited via Starlink.

Learning opportunities

Poultry farming

Pig farming

Cattle farming

Dairy farming

Cheesemaking

Meat processing

Beer, cider, wine, or juice making

Bakery

Food justice / sovereignty

Methods or systems

Biological pest control

Biodynamic agriculture

Holistic management

No-till farming

Permaculture

Regenerative agriculture

Mentoring opportunities

Woman-operated

Host type

Production farm

Certified organic

16 Hectares | 39.5 Acres

Accommodation

4+ WWOOFers

Bedroom

Children not accepted

Pets not accepted

Meals

Omnivore

Length of stay

3-4 weeks

Over a month

Emily

Member since 2016

Languages spoken: English Response rate: 84% Response time: typically within 1 day

November 2025

Open

Planned visit

Closed

MapLibre | Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap

British Columbia

Armstrong and Vernon

Reviews

Sarah

Netherlands • August 2025

Happy to learn from Emily. Unfortunately I had to leave earlier than planned

Joanna

Australia • September 2024

During my one month volunteer stay at the farm, my daily chores included milking Amber twice a day, collecting eggs, feeding the pigs, moving the calves, checking on the turkeys and ensuring the cows had sufficient water and food. I also watered the garden as part of my routine tasks. On top of these duties, I would ask Emily for additional work, which varied from staining the deck and weeding to cleaning, shucking garlic, harvesting vegetables and cutting down burdock weed. One task I found interesting while I was there was moving the cattle into the barn to sell and how to set up the electric fence. Emily's extensive knowledge about farm operations was evident throughout my time there. Her ability to provide detailed information on various farming tasks was notable. Overall, I am grateful to Emily for the opportunity to volunteer on her farm.

Julia

Germany • June 2024

I stayed with Emily for a little over 3 weeks and it was an amazing experience. Emily is a wonderful and good hearted host with a lot of stories and knowledge she loves to share. You will get wonderful meals and there is always plenty to eat including desert and snacks;) I loved our conversations and everything she taught me from how to milk a cow, care for baby turkeys to making your own mozzarella. The animals are another highlight. Amber is a wonderful milking cow and once she gets used to you she’s really affectionate. The calves love to cuddle, as well. The pigs with their little piglets get so excited to see you and will bring a smile to your face. The work was pretty consistent as you take care of the animals twice a day and help Emily in the garden or other small jobs around the property. So you’ll get into a good routine. Overall, I can highly recommend to stay with Emily and her wonderful animals and enjoy your days on her true north farm. I would definitely do it again if I had the time.

Margot

France • March 2024

Emily's farm was my first stop in my trip to Canada and I couldn't have wished better for a first experience. I felt comfortable right away. I learned so many things at Emily's farm and she was always ready to pass on her knowledge. I miss Emily's cooking which was hearty and generous. The cows were so cute and friendly. The pigs were so funny, always eager to have their meals! I met wonderful people during my stay and I would never have thought I'd have friends so soon in my journey!

Dareyne

Canada • February 2024

We stayed at Emily's farm 3 weeks and we had a nice experience. We learned how to milk Amber, which was really nice. We did some cleaning and painting in the house as the weather during winter time was mostly foggy for the first 10 days (but it got pretty sunny for the rest of our stay!) We had a lot of free time so we did some hikes and made bread with the amazing recipe that Emily has in her book ! (Thank you so much for that !! :)) Emily's cooking is amazing, we felt like we were celebrating something every night ! Thank you for this 3 weeks and the good and instructive conversations we had :)

Pauline

France • February 2024

I spent 5 beautiful weeks at Emily's side, I loved taking care of Amber and the pigs! Thank you Emily for taking the time to explain everything to me despite my poor English. She also took us to the theater, which I loved! Don't hesitate to go and share some great moments.