Improving native biodiversity in Coastal North Canterbury, New Zealand

Details

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  Description

  We have a 113 Ha farm used for grazing sheep and beef and forestry including pine trees and some areas of native bush which we are regenerating to improve native biodiversity and birdlife. There is also a QEII reserve with native bush established in the 1980s. We have set up our own small native nursery for propagating and planting native trees, and are active members of the Blythe Valley Community Catchment Group aiming to improve our local environment.
  Our home block has a vegetable garden, berry cage and lots of fruit trees and we grow most of our own fruit and vegetables, we also have hens and ducks, and beehives. We have a separate cottage surrounded by NZ native trees. We trap for predators and hunt feral deer on our land. We live close to the beach, like to have fun and make our own cider in the autumn!
  
  We are looking for enthusiastic, high energy people to help us with various projects on our property.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  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

  Experience a rural way of life and contribute to our local community by meeting our neighbours and friends. Learn how to successfully grow your own vegetables, fruits and berries (and how to deal with some of the practical challenges), learn about improving native biodiversity and how to initiate and care for native trees and plants, how to trap for introduced predators.
  
  We usually will work alongside anyone helping us, ensuring that they are doing the job the way we wanted as well as getting to know them, learning more about where they come from and sharing some of our knowledge and experience with them. On the other hand, once people know what they are doing and are competent and confident, you might be left somewhat to your own devices....
  
  We very much enjoy good food, we hope you will teach us your favourite recipes and expect that we will have some great fun meals together! I am a keen baker .... home-made ice-cream is a favourite in the summer months or when our hens and ducks provide us with a surfeit of free-range eggs.

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  Help

  The sort of activities we hope you can help us with would likely include maintaining native tree plantings, culling wilding pine trees, spraying weeds such as gorse/ broom/ blackberry, working in the vegetable garden and harvesting fruit and berries, weeding/ cultivating the soil, baiting traps, chopping and stacking firewood, extracting honey and helping with the beehives (if you are keen), pressing apples and pears to make cider or bottling the cider, feeding hens/chickens and ducks/ ducklings, pruning fruit trees…++++.. all depending on the season/ weather of course. Mostly we request help with physical jobs, outside, so fit, enthusiastic, high-energy people are are good fit for us.
  We may also ask for assistance around the house with cleaning or maintenance and focus on indoor jobs if the weather is awful. We usually have a number of DIY projects on the go - if you have specific skills we will try to use them. It would be very helpful if you have a valid driver's licence, having the use of your own vehicle is good but not absolutely necessary. We request you stay with us for at least a week, preferably 2 weeks, and maybe longer if things work out well.

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  Languages spoken

  Spanish: Beginner
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  We have relocated a small 100-year-old cottage onto our farm block, about a kilometre away from our home, which is off-grid and surrounded by native trees - often Workawayers would stay there allowing a degree of independence if you wish and have your own transport. It has 2 double bedrooms, a simple kitchen with gas stove and gas hot water.
  We also have 2 spare rooms at our home, both of which are slightly separate from the main house - this is perhaps the most practical option during the depths of winter. The closest bedroom to our house has a queen bed and a small ensuite bathroom, the furthest away is a renovated garage which has a big arched window looking out onto regenerating native bush and its own small deck. This second room has a 'trundler' bed which can be made up as either a king single, two twin beds or a large king sized bed, depending on who is using it - they share the main bathroom in the house with us.
  Wherever you stay, Workawayers will be expected to keep your room neat, tidy and clean in your own time.
  
  Frequently we will prepare an evening meal together at our home but breakfasts and lunches are likely to somewhat more 'casual' and could be at the cottage or out in the garden/ paddock depending on the work of the day. We will provide food to make simple meals, if you have particular dietary requirements then you will need to bring any special supplies. Helpers are requested to help with harvesting vegetables and fruit, preparing meals and washing up.
  We generally eat very well and healthily, and try to use our own produce whenever we can - our family usually eats meat and fish and so meat-eaters are easier for us to feed, nonetheless we can readily accommodate most food preferences. Note however that vegan or gluten-free diets are in the too-hard (and too expensive) basket for us.
  
  We politely request non-smokers only; smoking is absolutely not allowed anywhere on our property or in any of our buildings, and I hate the smell of cigarette smoke. This is absolutely non-negotiable.
  
  We are pretty easy-going, sociable people but also enjoy quiet periods from time to time.....

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  What else ...

  We live a few kilometres away from Napenape beach which has black sand with contrasting white limestone rocks and seals, and there are a number of walking tracks nearby. You can also go fishing in the Hurunui River (license required). Nearby Gore Bay is great for swimming and surfing 20 minutes away.
  
  Cheviot township is 20 minutes drive away (we can pick you up on request) and you can go to the hot pools at Hanmer Springs 1.5 hours drive away or swim with dolphins/ watch whales at Kaikoura 1.5 hours away. Christchurch airport is also ~ 1.5 hours away. Given that, it would be useful for helpers to have their own transport, but it is not essential. We can arrange pick up from the bus in Cheviot or Greta Valley.

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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

  We have a good satellite internet connection at our house as we rely upon it for our own business, with a generous data allowance. Note however that occasionally we have experienced unexpected power cuts here (e.g. power lines down if trees are blown over) which we have to work around. Nonetheless, we do not encourage visitors to use lots of data downloading movies or music, and hope that they will not spend all their free time using their devices and ignoring us - we would prefer to ensure that we have some time to interact with each other! There is no internet at the cottage - it is off grid, anyone staying there may come and use the Wifi at our house by agreement.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have a reasonable amount of parking space, and may request that a visitor's vehicle is parked somewhat out of sight for improved security. Note that the Blythe Road is a gravel road so please drive carefully!

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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