Homestead
British Columbia
Casa Rosa is an acreage in stunning Tlell, on Haida Gwaii, in Northern BC. It is on the traditional territory of the Haida Nation. A sweet ferry ride across the Hecate Strait will get you here from Prince Rupert (7 hours), or you can fly up from Vancouver to either Sandspit (YZP) or Masset airports (YMT) (2.5 hours). Casa Rossa is located on the east coast of Graham Island, on 16 acres of mostly forested land with about 3 acres cleared. You will sleep in your own private bunkie, out on the dune, amongst coastal Sitka spruce trees, overlooking the Pacific ocean. The bunkie is simple, self-contained, with a single bed, small desk and basic kitchen supplies and equipment (kettle for coffee/ tea, toaster) Hammocks hang outside the bunkie for afternoon snoozes and there is a cute bivvy for a toilet just adjacent. The bunkie has rainwater catchment for hand-washing/ dishes (summer) and drinking water provided in a separate jug. You will look after your own breakfast and lunch, with basic groceries provided at the main house. We will compile a shopping list weekly to ensure your needs are met. There is a small country store just 2 km away where you can walk/ bike to grab a coffee or luxury items you miss. Dinners will be together, with me, and my son (if he is around) and they will be prepared with local, seasonal ingredients as much as possible and typically are for omnivores, but we can accommodate different needs (vegetarian). Participation in dinner prep is helpful and taking turns is too if you like to cook, and even if you’re just learning.
You will spend time helping us with a neverending list of farm chores that we will compile together depending on your experience, including: moving rounds of wood, wood splitting & stacking, gardening (weeding, planting, watering, fertilizing, mulching, harvesting, prepping, storing), brush burning, manure collecting, compost-turning, light carpentry, collecting eggs, feeding & watering chickens.
We also have a small greenhouse where we grow mostly tomatoes, cukes, basil and hot peppers that needs tending on a daily basis (depending on season). We start some seedlings indoors and transplant them out to the garden, or move them to the greenhouse.
We enjoy a lot of DIY projects and welcome creative ideas to spice things up around here. I make homemade, yogurt, jam, pickled sea-asparagus, hang-dry herbs, pick and dry wild mushrooms in the fall, and freeze berries for the winter. There are lots of learning opportunities around here related to growing food, food storage (garlic, potatoes), incorporating edible flowers, fresh herbs etc. Bring your own gumboots and work gloves (or check with me in advance as I have a few boots in different sizes).
No smoking is preferred. We are looking for individuals who are looking to learn and share knowledge, and enjoy working 5 hours a day/ 5 days a week. Minimum required stay is 1 week. There are lots of hiking trails in the area including the Anvil Trail, the Pesuta Shipwreck trail, and access to the Tlell River for swimming or fishing, and you could always start your day with a dip in the Pacific to get the blood flowing.
COVID-19 UPDATE: Check Council of Haida Nation Website
Haida Gwaii Pledge: Take this before coming.
Organic methods: Permaculture techniques; use materials from our area for mulch (seaweed, alder chips) and bedding material for chickens (paper shreddings/ wood shavings) manure from chickens and cows, rain water catchment for washing veggies, beach wood for fence posts, rainwater catchment, etc.
Certifications: Home garden so not "certified"
Spring is garden cleanup and prep for planting. Liming, pruning perennial bushes, fertilizing and mulching with alder. Next is weeding and harvesting berries. Ongoing is chopping and stacking firewood, burning brush, watering the garden and deck plants, cleaning the chicken coup, collecting eggs, and greenhouse care (tomatoes, cukes, peppers). Window cleaning; I am hoping to paint the fascia on the house this summer too. Some cabin cleaning as well.
Internet access available
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Poultry farming
Forestry
Wild foraging
Flower farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Bakery
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Methods or systems
Biodynamic agriculture
Permaculture
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
6
Hectares
|
14.8
Acres
Christine
Member since 2019
Languages spoken:
English, French
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 1 day
British Columbia
YMT Masset Airport/ Skidegate Ferry Landing
Reviews
Jasmine
Canada
•
October 2024
Amazing First WWOOFing Experience with Christine
I recently had my first WWOOFing experience with Christine, and it exceeded all my expectations. From the moment I arrived, she was incredibly welcoming, making me feel right at home. Christine's knowledge gained from years of personal experience were clear in everything we did.
The variety of jobs kept things fun and interesting, and I never felt bored or overwhelmed. As someone who was new to WWOOFing, I appreciated how safe and comfortable she made me feel throughout my stay.
A special highlight for me was spending time with Christine’s lovely family. Her son managed to reinspire my interest in the world of Pokémon, which brought back a lot of childhood memories! And some of my fondest moments were enjoying warm cups of tea and shared laughter with Christine's mum, Joanne, whose company was such a delight.
The animals, Yukon (the friendly dog) and Whiskers (the adorable cat), added even more warmth to the whole experience. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better host or a more fulfilling introduction to WWOOFing. I highly recommend staying with Christine to anyone considering a WWOOFing adventure!
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Louise
Switzerland
•
June 2023
Wwoofing at Casa Rossa was great!
Christine was very open and a great host. My tasks were divers, fitted to my abilities, and i could work on my to-do-list independently. The place is beautiful, the little bunkie very cozy, the dog and the cat are cute, the meals are great. I also enjoyed meeting a lot of Christine's friends, and especially her son Coen, as well as having time on my own.
My time at Casa Rossa is for sure a highlight of my trip in Canada!
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Tamara
Germany
•
June 2023
I stayed almost three weeks at lovely Casa Rossa and enjoyed my time here!
The tasks I did, were every day different and reached from weeding and planting to fixing the chicken coop, piling wood and making new chair covers. There is always something to do for whatever talent/ ability you have.
Christine is a caring women and really wants to make you're having a good time e.g. connects you to her social environment and/or points out things to do in the area.
Another thing I really appreciated, was the healthy and very delicious food we prepared often in the evenings!
Totally recommended to come here! :)
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Nagiho
Canada
•
May 2023
I spent just about two weeks at Christine’s place and she was such a lovely host.
At Casa Rossa, every day was just so full of excitement and events so much that I (not even kidding) needed to catch up on my journals constantly.
-She made me feel included upon arrival and it felt like home the whole time. She had lots of gatherings and her friends were all super sweet. It felt like a big family.
-She prepared me a To-Do list (and yet i get to decide when or what or how i want to do it) and left me clear instructions that definitely helped me spend each day productively.
-She was always ready for any questions and so much was learned thanks to her.
-Big property feels very relaxing and makes you want to sing and work all day. At least that’s what i did. Naughty little cutie puppy Yukon would accompany you.
I feel very lucky I had my very first WWOOFing experience at Casa Rossa.
Thank you so much Christine:)
I can’t wait to return someday.
P.S. if you have a chance just try the asparagus… it’s so good.
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Tashana
Canada
•
October 2022
I had an incredible experience at Casa Rosa with Christine as my host. I felt very safe and at home upon arrival, and Christine made sure to include me in any social plans - I feel like I got to know Haida Gwaii so much better because of this!
Christine is extremely knowledgeable about permaculture and about local culture on the island. She left clear instructions day-to-day for the tasks needing to get done (painting, pruning, moving firewood, etc.), and did not hesitate to answer any questions or clarify. I'd recommend anyone who wants an authentic experience and close-knit connections to come WWOOF with Christine. :)
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Lana
Canada
•
August 2021
Christine was an excellent host that provided a warm and inviting environment for her wwoofers.
She was available for questions but gave her wwoofers space to create their own schedule and select some of their jobs. She provided nutritious meals and took her wwoofers (me) to see some of the local treasures and included me in some of her activities which was so kind and appreciated. Thanks for making my time on Haida Gwaii so peaceful and unforgettable.
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