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Hi there, Kia Ora,
Welcome to our Rewilding Project in New Zealand's Far North.
We are a group of 7 people, 3 adults and 4 children. Recently we moved onto a 7-acre, 30+ year old certified organic orchard near the town of Kaitaia.
This region is famed as one of North Island's most stunning expanses of wild nature. Bush, beaches and birdsong galore!!
The orchard has been neglected for the past few years, but the fruit trees, vegetables and pure abundance is breath-taking.
Our goal for the coming months is to get the land back on it's feet and get things planted in the gardens. Mulching, composting, planting are the go-to tasks.
We are also needing help getting our produce ready for weekly markets and assisting with day-to-day life on the land.
Recently we purchased a just-retired school bus. We are converting this into a tiny house space for three of the residents to live in. So we welcome handy-persons and people with design skills.
Additionally you will have the option of helping with the homeschooling of the children of the land. The children attend the local school, but we try to educate as much as possible in any spare time we have. So after school activities and teaching of nature and art are all tasks which are important to us.
We follow an alternative schooling system called Waldorf Steiner. This approaches education with the whole child in mind, learning using the mind, body, and soul.
Children learn through art and play with academics taking a back seat role.
Our children are Nature Children.
We live together sharing the common vision of developing a space to grow our own food, build natural structures, and host visitors for a range of workshops and nature retreats.
Come and be a part of the start of a beautiful project to protect this special piece of land, and create a space of growth and beauty.Types of help and learning opportunities
GardeningDIY and building projectsBabysitting and creative playCreating/ Cooking family mealsGeneral MaintenanceFarmstay helpHelp with Eco ProjectsHelp around the houseLanguage practiceTeachingUN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will have heaps of opportunities for growth.
We are learning too, so you will learn all of the techniques and tricks alongside us. We are not experts, but this is the biggest learning immersion experience for us all.
Organic gardening and food production is in full swing: learn about permaculture, biodynamics, and working with the cycles of nature.
Learn about Steiner Homeschooling as you help us with lessons such as Harvesting, market price calculation, pottery, painting, crafts days, and much much more!
Also plenty of opportunities to learn the philosophies put forth by Rudolf Steiner about education.
Learn about natural building concepts as we brainstorm building ideas and put our conversion into progress. We have a range of invaluable resources and books to fill your brains with.
Lastly, experience being part of a British-Kiwi Family. Plenty of play, creativity, quirks and of course, lots of English language practice.Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are needing conscientious, able-bodied and eco-minded people to help us to establish a way of caring for this land in reciprocity with nature.
We are looking for loving, gentle natured, friendly, motivated learners. People who want to learn about and experience a way of life closer to the land.
Learn about organic gardening, New Zealand nature and the environment, and Steiner-Style schooling.
Help will be for 4-5 hours per day, 4-5 days per week depending on how much tasks there is to be done.
Tasks that need attention this winter:
- Mulching, Compost and garden prep.
- Planting/Sowing seeds.
- Bus Conversion.
- Mowing.
- Market Prep.
- Baking/Preserving.
- Child Care/babysitting for one of the children who is special needs ( low level of care required.)
- Steiner Home Schooling of two of the children.
- Language help, especially Maori, Scots Gaelic, and French.Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Gaelic (Scottish): BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.Accommodation
You will be staying in the loft of our little sleep-out.
This hut is devided into the downstairs and the loft. The downstairs is a storage space, preserves room and art room. It is a converted shed, so it is not the prettiest. However the loft is open, cosy and comfortable, with a double mattress and space to keep your things.
The cabin has its own composting loo, and an outdoor cold shower. However we prefer if you use the cottage facilities, as the compost loo doesn't have a proper decomposition space yet and the shower is only cold water in the sleepout.
Food is all provided. This includes 3 meals a day, two of which will be shared.
We will eat Lunch and Dinner together.
We are mostly vegan, with two of our group who are vegetarian.
Please do not bring or prepare meat or fish on the land!
If you cook for us ( which we hope you will... We love to try new recipes!) Please consider the lifestyles we choose <3
Please make yourselves breakfast, as we tend to wake at different times. But feel free to use the food in the house.
If you want any extra food ( snacks, etc) please provide this yourselves. We make regular trips into Kaitaia.What else ...
In your spare time: Explore this stunning region!
Ahipara ( 90 Mile Beach) is 20 minutes away by car. This is not to be missed, a breath-taking expanse of beach. Famous in New Zealand and Beyond!
Kataia Market: Every Saturday there is a farmers market in the town. With plenty of stalls of food, produce, plants and crafts.
Cape Reianga: Cape Reianga ( The top of New Zealand) is just 2.5 hours north of us, at the end of State Highway 1.
This is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean at the famed Spirits Bay.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have plenty of driveway space, as well as space in the field when it is dry and the ground is hard enough. Facilities will still be shared in the main house, as composting toilet construction is still a project on the to-do list! Showers and laundry are in the house.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 4-5 days a week
Feedback
He is an incredibly hard worker and put in more time and effort than expected to our project. The ginger-weed patch was completely cleared by the time he left, somehting which we expected to take our workawayers at least a month!
He was also keen to share French language and… read more