Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
27 Feb 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
20
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We are a country couple in our mid 60's. Our farm is currently leased out, to a dairy farmer, however we would like some help splitting firewood and general help in our large garden. We have hosted many Woofers over the last five years and have had excellent feedback.
Geraldine is a beautiful small town on the way to Tekapo and Queenstown areas.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are friendly and flexible. We can show you how we farm sheep, beef, dairy and forestry. Marie is a keen gardener and cook. We have a number of farming animals which we still manage ourselves. These consist of beef cattle. They range in age from 6 months to 2 year old animals. We are daily shifting electric fences, feeding silage. These have been hand reared so a quiet animals, easy to handle. During the season we also make silage, feed for the animals in the winter months. We have a small number of sheep, sometimes helpers are here when David shears them. They are interested in all these things and they don't have to pay for the experience. Marie has a vege garden, which provides many home grown veges for our visitors .
All home made compost for the garden plots. Some visitors have never had the advantage of having fresh vegetables . We have chickens to provide fresh eggs for the household also. All our visitors get to meet our friends, and familiy , in the district if we have a social gathering. We also take them to experience other farming activities in the area which may be happening on other farms,whilst they are with us. These may include to see dairy cows being milked, calves being feed on the feeders from a very young age, milking goats are also in the district. We as a whole are a farming community who know each other well and are happy to support each other when farming life gets busy. We have forestry blocks on the farm, which David and our children planted, up to 20 years ago, David and the boys have done most of the pruning and thinning on these blocks. Whilst visitors have been in our home , Marie has taught them some skills with home baking, and cooking meals . We have a very varied lifestyle in the farming seen. We love where we live and have a brilliant view from our front terrace of the mountains in our area , where, weather permitting we spend a lot of time relaxing .
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are looking for help splitting firewood, gardening, general help around the house and farm.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Queen Bed and Ensuite or Singles. We have 3 spare bedrooms.
We will provide you with home cooked meals for your stay
What else ...
Our farm is close to a rural town of Geraldine, South Canterbury, also 2kms from State Highway One at Orari. This is also a tourist town on the main route to Mt Cook and Queenstown. Public transport is available, both in Geraldine and Orari. Timaru is also nearby, 30 kms away. Caroline Bay is a relaxing place to spend time walking the boardwalk.
Peel Forest has several walking tracks, including Little Mount Peel, which is and enjoyable outing with panoramic views of the Canterbury Plains. Many of our previous woofers have visited this area and walked the mountain. Geraldine also has walking tracks on The Downs, also a picturesque river walk. There is a mountain bike track, which is close to our farm, that follows the Orari River .
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, Flexible
Feedback (11)
I stayed at them for 12 days, I enjoyed there. They are very welcoming and lighthearted people, I felt free to say what I wanted to!
Marie is looking after their big flower garden, there are always lots of beautiful colors and scents from flowers, that’s wonderful. She is also growing vegetables, she has a lot… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
I stayed at them for 12 days, I enjoyed there. They are very welcoming and lighthearted people, I felt free to say what I wanted to!
Marie is looking after their big flower garden, there are always lots of beautiful colors and scents from flowers, that’s wonderful. She is also growing vegetables, she has a lot… read more
The work consists of either helping Marie in the garden or, more often, helping David to split wood, cut trees and look after the animals. You work in the mornings most of the time and you're free in the… read more
They were very attentive to explain everything in detail, take detours while on the car to show me the area around… read more
Since this was our first Workaway experience, we didn’t know what to expect, but David and Marie were very welcoming and made it easy to settle into their daily routine. Their farm is very neat and tidy, and they take excellent care of their… read more
