Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
1 May 2024
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100.0 %
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Details
Description
Come join us at our country home. We are looking for one or two visitors for 3-10 days at a time to help primarily with land restoration and gardening projects. We’re excited to meet new people and share our life for a short time with you.
We live on seven acres in the Columbia River Gorge with our dog, Ike. We grow enough fruit and vegetables for us and to share and preserve. We are also restoring habitat, keeping chickens, creating native gardens, hedge-rows, orchards, and building trails. The land has woods, a creek and big views of the Columbia River Gorge. The property is one mile from the small town of Stevenson and 50 minutes from Portland. Part of the land is actively managed and a work in progress; the rest of the land is wild - wooded and hilly.
If you are interested, please read our whole profile before reaching out - most of your questions will be answered here.Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco ProjectsGardeningDIY and building projectsAnimal CareCreating/ Cooking family mealsHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceUN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We can offer visitors a chance to learn about self-sufficiency and permaculture. We use these principles to manage our young orchard, berry patch, Hugelkultur vegetable beds and perennial vegetables. Doug is a DIYer, loves to build things and work the land. Gudrun is a seed-saver, sourdough baker and all-around homesteader. The Columbia River Gorge is gosh darn beautiful with endless hiking, windsurfing, swimming and plenty of other recreation opportunities.
When not gardening we spend our time cooking, baking, preserving, woodworking, building pollinator habitat and working on green building projects. We volunteer with seniors and at the farmers market and have a great community of neighbors in our little watershed.Help
The work!
Visitors work five hours a day with two days off after five. We value focused work when you are with us but schedules are flexible. Individuals who are independent and self-sufficient will be the best fit. There is usually only one visitor here at a time and we might not see you all that much outside of work hours and dinner time.
You can expect a variety of tasks, with a lot of the work focused on land restoration
- Trail work, grubbing and digging
- Habitat restoration, brush clearing, planting
- Baking, canning, cooking, preserving
- Gardening, seed starting, weeding, watering, pruning
- Poultry tending
- Building projects and home maintenance (fence, bed and outbuilding maintenance, greywater system development, greenhouse, chicken tractor, interior painting)
- A small share of the housework, food preparation & clean up.Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
We don't speak any other languages but we'd be happy to help you with your English.Accommodation
Accommodation is in a Vanagon Westfalia with a pop top and kitchenette (sink, fridge, stove). The bench seat in the picture folds down to a bed. You’ll have your own bathroom inside the house. The van has electricity and heat but staying in it is still like camping. There are camp chairs, a picnic table and a hammock around the property for hanging out. This is a good fit for someone who is happy to spend their time outdoors.
Please note: April, May & October can be chilly and wet.
The van is small, if there are two of you (and you are not a couple) one of you will probably want to pitch a tent. We have room for that or to park your own van/RV. Internet is available in the van.
Breakfast and lunch are on your own with the basics provided (including fresh eggs, veg, fruit and bread), dinner is family style with us on your work days, on your own on your days off. We eat mostly vegetarian and can accommodate vegans. We might have meat once in a while but it’s not the norm.What else ...
We are in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. There are endless hikes along the Columbia River. Mt Hood, Mt Adams and Mt. St Helens are each about an hour away. The PCT crosses the Columbia here at the Bridge of the Gods. Mt. Rainier National Park is about three hours away. We have reference books, maps and are happy to provide guidance.
You'll have the most flexibility if you have a car, but if not we can pick you up in Cascade Locks, OR (get there from Portland via Columbia Area Transit (CAT) bus), we have bikes you can borrow and, depending on our schedule, we can drop you at nearby trailheads for hikes.
Please ID verify your profile through WA before requesting a visit.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (2)
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