Urban agriculture and community gardens in Nanaimo, Canada

Details

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  Description

  Welcome to Our Home
  
  At this house, we are building a community rooted in mutual aid, urban agriculture, and sustainable living. Our mission is to create a cooperative, community-minded space where people live purposefully, work together, and connect through food, land, and shared purpose.
  
  We empower ourselves and others to engage with local food systems that promote healthy living, environmental stewardship, and food security. Every member of the house contributes labor—whether it’s in the garden, the kitchen, or with daily upkeep—so we can keep costs low and life abundant.
  
  We value diversity, inclusivity, and equality, and we reject all forms of discrimination. Our home is a safe, welcoming space for all.
  
  Travelers staying with us will live in one of four rooms alongside long-term residents. You'll have access to weekly community dinners, shared meals, and plenty of opportunities to connect with local networks.
  
  If you love the outdoors, you're in luck—this area is rich with hiking, camping, and wilderness adventures. As longtime residents of Vancouver Island, we can point you toward the best local spots and help you plan your journey.
  
  This is a genuine and immersive experience, designed for those who want more than just a place to sleep. Having traveled extensively myself, I understand the desire for connection, culture, and purpose. We hope to offer you all three.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Urban agriculture and community gardens are popping up all over Princess and Columbia Street. Parks, schoolyards, and personal properties are being decorated with seed and soil, creating a self-sustaining environment that spans beyond what’s trendy. Born from both the challenge of limited space and a spirited creativity, our urban/community garden projects have grown beyond the traditional plot of land and become horticultural marvels. This is exciting and we hope that it will inspire you and future generations to think outside of the box when it comes to food production. As a member of Workaway, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself and work directly with a large community. We offer an exceptional opportunity to meet a diverse and large group of individuals who are seeking to make positive changes in our neighborhood.

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  Help

  At our collective we have made an intentional decision to pursue goals that foster a sense of community. It's our desire to create an abundance of food by supporting and encouraging the establishment of gardens on unused land and space while increasing diversity. Indeed, our intentions have evolved from living in our likeminded neighborhood. We hope to accomplish big things in concert with our neighbors creating a new aesthetic paradigm, as well as better physical and mental health.
  
  The collective networks in our community are interested in raising their sustainability related ambition, sharing best practices, and offering mutual support to one another. Our collective effort fosters peer-to-peer exchange and learning to accelerate and scale up the impact and stewardship of the self reliant methodology practiced by our community. As a member of Workaway, you will contribute to the maintenance and production of food for our Pay What You Can Food Stand. Additionally, you will assist in community gardens and local watershed restoration projects.
  
  We are open and welcoming of diverse skills and appreciate Workawayers who have creative ideas, a desire to learn and share, and bring unique projects to the table. We can always use help with animal care for our 4 sweet chickens, carpentry, gardening, and community education initiatives. Some examples of previous projects initiated and assisted by work exchanges include painting rooms in the house, building garden beds, building a plant stand for by donation seedlings, spearheading food re-distribution of food saved from local grocery stores.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  A room in a shared house.
  We can provide meals for workawayers as well as fresh produce.

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  What else ...

  During your time off, there’s plenty to explore right from our doorstep. We’re about a 15-minute walk from downtown Nanaimo, where you’ll find cafes, thrift stores, local markets, live music, and a beautiful waterfront promenade. The local bus system connects easily to other parts of the city and the region, including Departure Bay ferry terminal if you’re looking to visit Vancouver or other parts of the island.
  
  We’re also close to a variety of walking and hiking trails—Petroglyph Park, Colliery Dam, and the E&N Trail are all nearby. Westwood Lake and Ammonite Falls are a bit farther out but offer amazing swimming spots and forested hikes. You’re welcome to join us for daily dog walks, which are a great way to explore these areas and enjoy the local landscape.
  
  If you’re hoping to get further off the beaten path, we can help you plan trips to other parts of Vancouver Island. There’s incredible hiking, camping, beaches, and natural beauty throughout the region, and several of us in the house know the island well and are happy to share tips.
  
  We also frequently host vanlifers and nomadic travelers. While there’s limited shade, we have three available parking spots—two on the street and one leveled concrete pad that’s ideal for vans.
  
  Whether you're here to explore, recharge, or connect, we ask that all guests contribute meaningfully to the daily rhythm of the house. In return, you'll be part of a supportive, community-minded space with lots to discover and share.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This house frequently welcomes people living or traveling in vans. We have several parking spots available—two on the street and one leveled concrete pad that’s well-suited for van living. While the main limitation is the lack of shade, we regularly host vehicle-dwellers, not only through Workaway but also from the broader nomadic and vanlife communities that pass through the neighborhood.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

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