***Last minute space available for August***
Hello WOOFERS!
Welcome to Kootenay Acres Farm Sanctuary (KAFS), nestled in the stunning West Kootenays! I’m Aimee (39), the proud founder of this sanctuary. I share this little slice of heaven with my partner (46), my mother (69), and a delightful assortment of animal companions—all rescued, rehomed, or with special needs. Our residents include horses, goats, sheep, chickens, roosters, ducks, geese, turkeys two lovable "teddy bear" dogs, and four pampered cats.
Here at KAFS, our animals aren’t just residents—they’re family. Caring for them means daily feeding, cleaning, bedding changes, watering, fence repairs, shelter building, social time, and occasional veterinary TLC like hoof trims, supplements, and health checks.
In 2025, we’re diving into gardening with plans for a small herbal and vegetable garden plus a greenhouse. Our dream? To create natural salves and sprays for both humans and animals, as well as a thriving food garden. Guests may help prepare garden areas, enrich soil with our manure and mulch, and tackle landscaping projects.
If you have carpentry or trade skills, you’re in high demand! We’re always looking to improve our animal shelters, and I’m eager to learn more about building from anyone willing to teach.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re a great fit for animal lovers with experience or enthusiasm for farm life. Since most of your time will be spent with our furry and feathered friends, kindness and compassion are essential.
Schedule & Expectations
You’ll work 5–6 hours a day, 5 days a week, with shifts scheduled including weekend days to ensure daily care for the animals.
Sample SUMMER schedule(when there’s only one guest):
Morning Feed & Chores: 8:00 am–11:00 am
Evening Feed & Chores: 6:30-8:30 pm
Afternoon Check: 3:00 pm–3:15 pm
With multiple guests, you can coordinate morning and evening shifts and rotate for fairness. (You may start earlier in hotter weather then head down to the beach during the day to cool off!)
Living Arrangements & Food
We’ll make sure you’re well-fed! While you’ll prepare your own meals, fresh eggs are always on hand, and group dinners are encouraged if we have multiple guests. Bonus: we’ve been alternating cooking duties with guests lately—it’s working very well. Everyone cooks dinners 1-2 days a week on average. I am personally transitioning to a vegan plant based diet, so guests who are vegan or vegetarian are highly welcomed and we will eat plant based meals together in the evenings.
We work full time during the week days, so Wwoofers spend most of the time with the animals during the day. I work from home so am available during my breaks, and in the evenings/weekends. We often spend time together in the evenings talking, playing games and having the occasional bonfire.
Accommodations include three cozy bedrooms (TV with Netflix and Wi-Fi included in two of the rooms and a rec room downstairs), tent spots, or space for those with camper vans. The property has a BBQ, patio seating, and a hot tub and pop up pool. On clear nights, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of the stars and, if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights.
What to Do in Your Free Time
Nature lovers will be thrilled! We’re close to Krestova Regional Park, perfect for hiking and biking (bikes available). The Crescent Valley Beach is a 30 min walk, and there are several other hidden water holes we can tell you about. If you have a vehicle, you’re a short drive from Nelson, Castlegar, and amazing hiking trails in the Valhallas. Hot spring enthusiasts can visit Nakusp, Halcyon, Halfway, or Ainsworth, all within two hours. Skiers and snowboarders? Whitewater and Red Mountain are less than an hour away.
Public transit is accessible, but you’ll need your own transportation for independent trips beyond your initial pickup and drop-off (don’t worry, we’ll handle that part!).
Ready to Join Us?
If you’ve read this far, we’d love to hear from you! Send a message sharing your experience with animals and why you’d like to visit KAFS. Check our availability (we’re on both WWOOF and Workaway), and let’s chat!
***Due to our special needs animals, and challenges with transitions, we have revised our bookings and are currently only booking minimum 8 week stays and focused on finding individuals who are as PASSIONATE about animals as we are. We spend most of the time caring for and talking about the beautiful souls we share this property with.***
We would consider host longer term individual(s)who is the right fit for the animals.
Fall Projects:
In addition to the daily chores with the animals we will be tackling some of the following tasks to help make the property more safe for our animal residents and guests alike:
*Firewood
*Fence/gate repairs
* Grading land in special needs animal pens
*Metal scrap yard clean up
*Outbuilding organization and clean up
*Social media/website
*Animal enrichment
*School group and community tours
*Endless animal cuddling
Getting to the West Kootenays (Castlegar/Nelson):
You can fly into Calgary, Vancouver, or Cranbrook and then take the bus with Mountain Mike.
If you fly into Kelowna, you’ll need to connect with Silver City Stagelines to get here.
You can also fly directly into Castlegar (YCG). Many people prefer this option because the bus ride from other cities can take 4–12 hours.
We can pick you up in Castlegar or Nelson.
For ride-sharing options, check out PopaRide app or West Kootenay Rideshare website— they often have locals posting rides to the area.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to meeting you,
Aimee
Read more
Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Poultry farming
Sheep or goat farming
Raising of other farm animals
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Traditional crafts
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Holistic management
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Nonprofit / Community
2
Hectares
|
4.9
Acres
