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Host is looking for help immediately
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
29 Dec 2025
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Details
Description
We have availability from the 22nd of March onwards...
Please note: we are still setting up, and the toilet block is still being built... though the rooms & cooking facilities are now fully set up, warm and comfortable! And we now have hot shower available and power connected. - Bring gumboots. It's really muddy when it rains!
We are a permaculture based project. We love what we do and love to share and learn together.
We are a family of 2 mums and a 7-year-old. We have 2 cats, 5 chickens, 5 ducks and a bottle lamb, who is now a big fat sheep, and... the dream to transform our blank canvas and bush property into a nature paradise.
We are self-employed and work hard, but our family is our priority, so we make time to do fun things together. We home-school our daughter with a child-led, life-learning, or unschooling approach.
We eat mostly plant-based food and eat all our meals together.
Autumn is a Naturopath, Medical Herbalist, and Shiatsu Practitioner.
Jenni managed the family business(es) and is currently planning the development of the new property :-)
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House & pet sitting
Interests
Events & social
Self development
Van life
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
LGBTQ
Carpentry
Animals
Cooking & food
Gardening
Music
Plant care
DIY & crafts
Art & design
Yoga / Wellness
Beach
Camping
Nature
Dancing
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are a permaculture based project. We love what we do and love to share and learn together.
From our experience and feedback from previous travelers, the things that you can learn here are:
- a simple way of living... we don't have wifi, we have very limited power, we will cook and eat mainly from the garden (starting over, so yet to establish gardens at this property!), we live mainly outdoors, we don't have much stuff, we appreciate nature and the small things and we love having people here.
- the beginnings of a permaculture project... because we are a young project and a lot of what we do is starting from nothing, it's really easy to see the basic beginning steps, which people report are much harder to see on an established and well polished permaculture property. So if you are wanting to do something like this back home, here is the ideal place to see how.
- learning together... we also make heaps of mistakes that you can learn from. We are not too shy to tell you about all things that haven't worked and what we messed up. We are always learning, studying and looking things up, which we like to share with you also. And we are really keen to hear about things that you have seen and done at other places, which we can then try out here.
You will experience a simple way of living on the land.
We eat simple, wholesome, mostly organic, mostly plant-based foods.
We are also involved with two gardening groups, which we love! We visit each others gardens on a regular basis to help each other out, so you will probably be joining us to meet others and garden together at some stage during your stay.
THE LOCAL AREA:
Okaihau is a very small town (with a cafe, a nice gift shop, schools, a post shop, dairy and a liquor store - and not much else). It is on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail, so an opportunity to hire bikes and cycle a bit :-)
We are close to Kerikeri, which has plenty of Cafes, Op Shops (2nd hand shops/Thrift stores), near Paihia and the Bay of Islands Beaches, and a day trip from Cape Reinga / 90 mile beach. We are also within 30 mins drive of Waitangi, where you can learn about New Zealands Maori & settler history, if you are so inclined. And we are a short drive away from the Nga Wha Springs mineral hot pools. There are many waterfalls and swimming spots in the vicinity, but all driving (not walking) distance.
You will need a car or be willing to hitchhike to any of these places - unless we are going in that direction anyway.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
THE DEAL:
We expect 25 hours of work per week and we will make a plan with you at the beginning of the stay when you will work and have days off, so you can plan your time for sight seeing and exploring the area.
We prefer helpers to stay for a minimum of 2 weeks, so we can get to know you and spend some quality time together. Please be prepared to stay for 2 weeks or longer. If you have less time and still want to stay, please contact us, but understand that enquiries of 2 weeks will be prioritised. If you stay less than 1 week, you may not have full days off, since we fit this in with our schedules.
WHO WE LOVE TO HOST:
- You are independent and communicate well.
- You are open to learning, sharing, and connecting, and are curious about the world.
- You are a nature lover and want to be connected to the earth in a simple way.
- You are practical, and able and willing to follow instructions
- You are physically fit and able to work outside (all weather situations) > we don't have inside jobs, but we can manage work times around weather conditions.
Also, we have found that couples and friends traveling together have a better time here, as at times we are pretty busy and work and evenings can be a social situation, but also may be you working alone once we've shown you what to do. Okaihau is small and pretty isolated. We are able to take you out when we are out during your days off, and of course invite you to join us to most social activities we attend. But if you have your own car, you will have a lot more freedom :-)
CURRENT ACTIVITIES:
As we are just setting up our new property tasks include everything including:
- simple building/home improvement projects, including sanding and painting
- manual weeding (continual management of gorse, privet, tobacco weed, thistles, and others)
- creating gardens
- child care (the right people only)
- lots of planting coming up over autumn and winter
- cleaning and tidying
- prepping firewood for winter
- and much more.
Helpers will also be responsible for daily tasks such as washing dishes, helping with meal prep, and feeding the animals.
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
We would love to learn more Spanish and Te Reo Maori, both of which we have learned some. We need more opportunities to practice. We can teach German and English and some basic Te Reo Maori words to foreign travelers.
Accommodation
Accommodation in a cosy caravan with a queen bed. We can accommodate extras on a mattress on the floor, a tent or if you have one, your own camping vehicle.
We don't have proper toilets (boom bucket only)... so it'll be much like camping.
The rooms are now fully set up, warm and comfortable! And we now have cooking facilites, hot shower available, and solar power connected.... so devices can be charged!
What else ...
Please bring appropriate clothes, natural insect repellent, sunscreen and personal hygiene products. Please note that we have simple grey water systems and cannot accept anything but natural products without fragrances and chemicals in our grey water!
We are aiming to live free from plastic and waste to landfill. If you must bring rubbish onto our land we ask that you take these with you when you leave. We are happy to take care of recycling: recyclable plastics, metal, glass, paper, and compost.
We live rurally and the area is best suited to people with their own transport. If you don't have a car, please ask us and we might be able to arrange pickup, but you will be restricted as to what you can do in your time off.
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 space for vans and motor homes, some flat ;-) The deal remains the same whether you stay in your vehicle or make use of our accommodation.
Can possibly accept pets
We may be able to accommodate pets. Please enquire.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chili, Sally, Skye, Indi-Rose, Snowflake, BlackMoon
Besito & Bell
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (8)
Jenni and Automn are very open minded. When I felt sad I felt safe to share my emotion and they supported me. I felt solidarity, it's was great to share about our personal life during the greats meals we shared together. they also take me when they went… read more
Levina also dug out and planted a banana circle, planted flaxes, weeded gorse and other property maintenance… read more
Their English wasn't great (we were their first hosts in nz trip), so communication was sometimes hard, but worked with hand, feet, drawings and translation apps. They are so keen to learn and always asking for correct… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
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)
Jenni and Automn are very open minded. When I felt sad I felt safe to share my emotion and they supported me. I felt solidarity, it's was great to share about our personal life during the greats meals we shared together. they also take me when they went… read more
Levina also dug out and planted a banana circle, planted flaxes, weeded gorse and other property maintenance… read more
Their English wasn't great (we were their first hosts in nz trip), so communication was sometimes hard, but worked with hand, feet, drawings and translation apps. They are so keen to learn and always asking for correct… read more
The exchange was fantastic: the boho caravan was beautiful and super comfy, and Jenni's fresh, home-cooked vegan food was honestly the best I’ve ever had.
My help included stripping out gorse… read more
We were so lucky to spend the covid lockdown in March/April in Jenni and Autumn's "bubble"! Between the gorgeous food, the readiness to teach us permaculture techniques, and the kindness of taking in two strangers during an already stressful time, we can't thank them enough. We got to… read more
Vienna is the most precious and clever kid and was… read more
Julia did some work in the gardens under direction from both us and another woofer and took direction well. She was prepping garden beds according to permaculture principles and planting seedlings, and… read more
If you have no car it is a bit difficult to get there or to make excursions, but nearby there… read more
