Help in my garden in Sapporo Hokkaido, Japan

Details

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  Description

  Hi I'm Tom I am an American expat living in Sapporo Japan. I have been living in Japan for over ten years and a few years ago I bought a small farm property and built a small second residence, so I can stay there when I feel like it. I am over 60 years old and up until this year I did not really need help with my DIY projects.
  UPDATE 2023 OCTOBER...
  I have a second surgery scheduled for NOV 20th on my right shoulder this time . I just had surgery in February of this year on the left shoulder for the exact same problems and I am still not fully recovered.I will have a long recovery which means no work or snow shoveling basically at all till maybe spring time.
  
  UPDATE MAY 22nd 2024 - August 20th 2024
  The work will be to help me with modifications and upgrades to all three concrete block planters as well as working in the garden planting, weeding, digging, mixing and moving dirt . I also plan on building a heavy duty bean trellis or two and a few other small concrete and gravel walkway projects for 3 hours a day , five days a week...
  
  October 21st 2024 thru New Years 2024
  After the harvest season is finished and before the snow starts to stick on the ground, I work on various small upgrades and construction projects. After that the jobs will be shoveling snow and shoveling snow and then shoveling more snow... After the DIY projects are finished the hours are not set, you only need to work enough to keep the parking area and path clear... Sometimes that means no shoveling or a very short time shoveling , but if it snows hard and heavily ,longer times will be needed to keep the parking and paths clear.
  
  A few upgrades this year 2024...
  A larger newer fridge and a two burner IH cooktop along with a third single burner IH cooktop are installed...A ventilation hood was also built and installed.
  The kerosene heater was moved from the kitchen to the back room, closer to the bedroom and allowing the kitchen to be the coolest room in the house in winter. The back room and bedroom are now the warmest.
  
  One of the major projects was to try to winterize the water pump and water system to last through the winter... Most years the water system freezes up by December or the tank runs dry and that's it for the winter till Mid March. As soon as the pump or pipes freeze or the tank runs dry ,then the pump is disconnected and brought inside for the winter...
  
  Last year winter 2023 we built a pump enclosure and winterized the pipes and valves for the water system and were able to keep it going throughout the winter... More upgrades are planned for this upcoming winter.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The place is located just on the outskirts of Sapporo, so it is very easy to go back and forth from my place into the city. there is a bus stop about five minutes walk from the place and from there the bus goes to the South Sapporo subway station. There are not many other locations like this that are so close to the city center around Hokkaido...
  
  I am not really into doing cultural exchange as I am not Japanese, but you can learn a fair bit about gardening and farming and about DIY construction Japanese style ....sort of....

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  Help

  I need help with various small projects related to DIY gardening and farming and construction . The help is not too difficult but it is repetitive... I will be there most of the time to provide instructions and to provide all the tools and materials needed. I will be working in a limited capacity where my skills are needed.
  
  I prefer to start in the early mornings mainly to avoid the bugs, because the weather is cool and rainy in the spring time and fall and hot and humid in the summer and there can be biting bugs during all three seasons. The helping hours usually would be 6 am to 8 am or 9 am. I am flexible and if the weather is real bad then I can pivot to another project until the weather improves or delay working until the afternoon. If you are not a morning person then this opportunity will not be a good fit for you... you are free to hangout after your help sessions or you can take off and do whatever it is you want to do. I usually work seven days a week in the spring summer and fall time but I do not expect you to do that. As long as you do five sessions a week we can work out which two days you would like to take off.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Japanese: Intermediate
  Spanish: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  A three room basic residence that is comfortable for two persons, it would be possible to house three people if you can manage it. there is a basic kitchen with a fridge and IR stove top and a Microwave range along with basic cooking utensils and pots and pans. So you can cook basic meals.
  The bedroom has a double bed, but I have found its not quite big enough for two people. There are extra futons that can be used for extra people.
  The semi private bathroom has a Toto washlet toilet and sink and vanity and a shower. It is usable for 9 months of the year as it is a rainwater catchment system. During mid winter the tank is dry and frozen and the water system is frozen until the snow starts to melt in the spring around late March/early April. I usually drive to the nearby convenience store and use the restroom there before going in to buy coffee or other drinks or food. Koganeyu onsen is also nearby and I occasionally drive there to have a hot soak after a long days work. There is fast internet at this location good WiFi and easy log in.

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  What else ...

  You are free to hangout or take off after your help session is done and do whatever you like and go wherever you like...
  Again the advantage to this opportunity is being close to Sapporo city and all it has to offer

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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

  I have very good internet connection here and two loud boom box speakers since I like to play deep house music at full volume. if the walls are not vibrating it isn't loud enough. I HAVE NO NEIGHBORS NEARBY

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  Space for parking camper vans

  I have room 7 months out of the year, the other Five months is deep snow and therefore not really suitable for large campers although that would be fine if you are willing to shovel your parking space in the winter. BE aware there is up to 2-3 meters of snowpack on the ground at the end of winter

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  Can possibly accept pets

  It depends on the pet. Big dogs would be fine but they would need to stay outside and are not allowed inside. Any other pet runs the high risk of becoming food for the local wildlife, mostly foxes and Tanuki dogs ...

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  SUMMER: 3 hours /day 5 days/week WINTER: varies

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