Island Sanctuary.... hmmm

[XiXiQ]

You gain exp more or less passively by caring for your animals, plants and the workshop.

It is not meant to be grinded out just by gathering.

I have those on auto, but not to get too excited they only offer 20 xp a piece and a limited amount per day, just a few hundred extra XP. I had no idea you got XP from the workshop though, thought that was just the cowries.