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Host is looking for help immediately
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
14 Dec 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
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Details
Description
Welcome to my little slice of the countryside. My husband and I moved here from the city to begin our next adventure on just over 5 acres of bare land. We built a garage with a small workshop to live in while we finished the cottage. Sadly, he passed away in 2023, but I’ve continued working toward our dream of being as self-sufficient as possible.
The property is peaceful, with beautiful sunrise and sunset views from the small hills.
It is very important that guests follow instructions carefully. Some tasks directly affect animal health, and I have sadly lost animals when instructions were not followed, so attention to detail is essential.
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Food
I grow a good portion of my own food, preserve what I can, and cook most things from scratch. We run on solar power and collected rainwater, so I kindly ask guests to be mindful of electricity and water use. If you love fresh air, quiet surroundings, and friendly animals, this is a wonderful place to relax, learn, and settle into rural life.
I am not a business and don’t sell anything. Everything grown or preserved here is for myself and my guests. Most of our meat (beef and lamb) and many vegetables are homegrown or gifted by neighbours.
I normally say Grace before meals. Most dinners include meat, but I am happy to cook vegetarian meals, sorry I cannot guarantee vegan meals. Meals are healthy, home-cooked, and generous. You’re welcome to bring snacks if you like to eat between meals.
I also have food intolerances (such as coffee and kidney beans),
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Water, Power & House Guidelines
All water on the property is collected rainwater that is filtered and stored. Please help conserve it by keeping showers short and using a plug in the sink when washing vegetables or dishes. Hot water is gas-heated, so shorter showers support our sustainability efforts.
I have solar-powered, so please turn off lights and appliances when they’re not in use.
Animals
You’ll be greeted by my three very friendly Border Collies—Aunty Lily, Basil, and Charlie Brown. They live inside, love cuddles, and can be quite excited when you first arrive or if they haven’t seen you for a while.
Each has their own personality:
Charlie is the goofy one, always tripping over something, but very affectionate and keen to “help” with the animals.
Basil is gentle and calm, especially with the sheep. He keeps Charlie in check but cannot play fetch anymore due to an old injury.
Lily is small but very talkative—she loves to “tell you off” in the mornings if you were gone (even if you were just sleeping). She’s energetic during the day and cuddly in the evenings.
Because the dogs get excited at night, I do ask guests not to enter the dining/sitting room once everyone has gone to bed.
I also have Buddy, a stray cat who comes and goes as he pleases, as well as free-range chickens and ducks who are fed and locked up safely each day.
My cows, Caerphilly, Caernarfon and Kilkenny enjoy silage two or three times a day from autumn to late spring.
My biggest joy, however, is my flock of Valais Blacknose sheep—often called the cutest sheep in the world. Many are named after Scottish castles, such as Cardoness, Dumfries, and Eilean Donan. Hattie, a purebred ewe who had a rough start in life, is a favourite and especially enjoys thin slices of apple. The sheep are friendly, love attention, and move easily with a bucket of multinut.
Lambing takes place between August October, which can be busy if we’re bottle-feeding orphans. Throughout the year we also do drenching, foot care, and general animal maintenance.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Sustainability
Pets
Farming
Charity work
Plant care
History
Gardening
Cooking & food
Animals
Nature
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I’m happy to share what I’ve learned about growing and preserving food, as well as baking and cooking with homegrown ingredients. Most of the food here is homemade and sourced directly from the property.
You’ll also have the chance to help with animal care, especially with my beautiful Valais Blacknose sheep.
If you enjoy nature, there are lovely sunrise and sunset views from the small hills on the property—perfect for a peaceful moment at the start or end of the day.
I’m also able to teach basic dog training, self-defence, and karate for those who are interested.
Help
The work here can be physically demanding, so I’m looking for helpers who are hardworking, reliable, and have a positive, “can-do” attitude. You should be comfortable working independently as well as with others, and able to follow instructions carefully. This is extremely important—there are specific reasons tasks must be done a certain way, and in the past I have unfortunately lost animals when instructions weren’t followed. If you’re ever unsure why something is done a certain way, please ask—I’m always happy to explain.
From time to time, chicken feed will need to be carried up the hill to the chicken house. Bags can weigh up to 20 kg, so you will need to be able to handle that. Silage for the cows and sheep can weigh up to 50 kg, so being able to push or pull a bale is also essential.
Although this is a small farm, it is a very busy one. You will likely get muddy, dirty, and occasionally covered in “other things” 💩—that’s just farm life! Gumboots and gloves are necessary. I have a few spare pairs, but not all sizes. Wet-weather gear, a sunhat, and sunscreen are also important, as work happens outside in all types of weather.
Current Work
At the moment, I have two bigger projects underway:
Pasture maintenance (weeding paddocks)
Sorting and organising the shed
There is also ongoing work in the vegetable gardens, greenhouse, and around the paddocks.
You may also be helping with feeding out—two or three times a day—by giving silage to the sheep and cows for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Other Jobs Throughout the Year
Tasks can vary widely depending on the season, weather, and farm needs. Examples include:
Feeding animals
Bottling-feeding lambs
Moving animals (they’re very friendly and easy to move)
Removing weeds from pastures
Collecting eggs and ( washing duck eggs)
Gardening and watering
Organising workshops and sheds
Tidying around the property
Helping with preserving food: canning, dehydrating, fermenting, and pickling
Baking and cooking
House cleaning
Painting
If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, take pride in your work, and can follow instructions, I’d love to hear from you. A good attitude and willingness to try new things are more important than experience. Sometimes you may be working on your own, and sometimes with others.
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A Typical Day (as much as a farm has one 🤣)
7:30 AM – Let the chickens and ducks out, feed them, collect and wash the duck eggs. Feed the sheep and cows, and bottle-feed lambs if needed.
8:00 AM – Breakfast, then helping with dishes and tidying up.
Morning Work – A variety of tasks depending on weather, season, and priority.
On dry days we usually work outside, unless it’s too hot.
On wet days we try to work indoors. This often means cleaning.
However, urgent jobs sometimes need doing in the rain—sorry!
If you prefer outdoor tasks regardless of weather, just let me know.
12:00 PM – Lunch, followed by dishes and kitchen clean-up.
Afternoon – Free time.
5pm feed out and put the chickens and ducks away.
6:00–6:30 PM – Dinner, followed by tidying up and dishes.
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Weekends
Saturday is a day of rest.
Feeding out can be done at 8 AM if you’d like a sleep-in, followed by breakfast and cleaning your bedroom, change sheets and tidy bathroom before you leave.
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If you’re motivated, dependable, and enjoy the rhythm of farm life, I’d be very happy to welcome you.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
There is a comfortable queen-size bed in the east wing of the house, with a bathroom and shower located right next to the room for your convenience.
Before you leave, I kindly ask that you remove the used sheets, put fresh sheets on the bed for the next guest, and give both the bedroom and bathroom a quick clean. Please place all used bedding and towels in the laundry so they can be washed.
What else ...
For everyone’s safety, please ensure you are in good health and free from colds or flu before arriving. Illness can have serious consequences for me and may result in hospitalization, so this is very important.
I currently do not have Wi-Fi available. The only mobile providers that work reliably here are Spark and Skinny (Skinny is usually the cheaper option). Other networks do not get service on the property.
The closest town is Mamaku, which has a small dairy. If you wish to sightsee, it is strongly recommended that you have your own transport, as there is no bus service into Rotorua.
The InterCity bus stops at the corner of State Highway 5 and the top of Maraurara Road in Mamaku. I’m happy to pick you up from this stop.
Please do not book the Rotorua bus stop, as there is no connecting bus to my place.
Having your own car is a real advantage for exploring during your free time. Rotorua is about 30 minutes away and offers plenty to see and do—Skyline, hot pools, cultural venues, the beautiful Redwood Forest, and Blue Lake are just a few highlights.
There are also several smaller towns and cities within 30–90 minutes, each with their own great activities and places to explore.
If you like to snack between meals, please feel free to bring your own snacks. All meals and food should be eaten at the dining table.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Cows
Chickens are Ducks
Hattie- Sheep
Buddy
Black cat
Basil, Lily and Charlie
Basil and Lily are brother and sister.
Charlie is Basil's son
They are all border collies
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (38)
Food was great and plentiful, the working hours fair and clearly communicated. You share the house with 3 charmingly silly border collies who seem to really love having new people over.
In regards to the work we really enjoyed working with Cole on the farm. She seems to have found a good balance… read more
From the start our communication was easy going. Cole is a great soul, kind and extremely knowledgeable about farm life, animals and life in general.
Pack some wellies and rain gear, something… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.9)
Food was great and plentiful, the working hours fair and clearly communicated. You share the house with 3 charmingly silly border collies who seem to really love having new people over.
In regards to the work we really enjoyed working with Cole on the farm. She seems to have found a good balance… read more
From the start our communication was easy going. Cole is a great soul, kind and extremely knowledgeable about farm life, animals and life in general.
Pack some wellies and rain gear, something… read more
Cole is a fantastic host and a super special human. She is so kind, caring, intelligent and an incredible cook. We felt very welcomed… read more
These days were a once in a lifetime experience and I am grateful that Cole put so much trust in me when I fed her animals and moved the sheep to another shed.
Cole taught me a lot about farm life and cooking, we had lots… read more
Cole gives clear instructions and the work/hours are fair. During meal times, I loved… read more
Me and my partner Adam loved our stay with Cole, we are so grateful we had this experience and would recommend it to anyone. Cole is a warm, welcoming, interesting and hardworking women who opened her home to us as if it were our own. The food we ate whilst staying was all home grown, cooked from scratch and… read more
The did the following
Meal prep
Cleaning the house
Doing dishes
Stacking firewood
Helped moving cows into a new paddock.
Picking, cleaning vegetables from the garden
Let out the chickens in the morning, feed and lock up the chickens at… read more
Also Cole likes to… read more
Thanks so much for your help and working hard
She also worked well on her own doing the following Cleaning the… read more
In the morning we would head out and feed the animals then come in and have breakfast together which was nice. Then (weather dependent) I would head back out to get on with things that needed done outside. Back in for lunch and I would help where I could with prep etc. The meals were delicious and there was always a fresh… read more
We helped in the farm taking care of all the lovely sheeps, cows, chickens and ducks, and inside the house we helped with cleaning and cooking.
Cole is an amazing Chef, she cooks yummy… read more
in the rain and replace an electric fence . They were respectful towards the animals and handled them confidently so Chris could give the calf an injection.
They also worked well on their own doing the… read more
When I drove up to the farm for the first time, I was greeted by the 4 nicest border collies and the 2 smiles of Chris and Cole!
I had a lovely week on their farm in Rotorua (only 20 minutes from the centre of the city). I spent my time gardening, weeding, helping take care of the sheep, the chickens and ducks, and the cows!… read more
She also worked well on her own doing the following
Repair the windbreak around my garden, Cleaning the stable,
Let out the chickens in the morning and… read more
She also did… read more
moving the… read more
The food prepared by Cole is delicious and very home made.
They have 4 very smart and friendly dogs, which are an undoubted advantage of staying in their home.
The… read more
They also did the following
Cleaning the house… read more
The did the following
Cleaning stable
Meal prep
Pasture maintainance
Removing a garden bed
Digging in two lots step
Washing the outside of the house and garage/shed/2 workshops,… read more
They both did "some" gorse and weed removal from the paddock, and helped with the animals. They did some meal prep and setting the table, and doing dishes etc. However, we felt farm life may not be suitable to them as it wasn't easy finding tasks that matched their expectations and with the onset of… read more
The room is very comfortable and you even have your own bathroom.
Cole is an extraordinary cook and the food was to die for. We have never eaten so well at a workaway :)
Unfortunately we had to leave the farm very spontaneously due to the weather (rain) because Cole had no work for us. We were… read more
Cole is an incredible cook. Chris is a car wizard. They make a great team and they'll bend over backwards to make you feel welcome in their home. They were kind enough to extend me the offer to stay for Christmas, and that made me really feel like part of… read more
Kiana is hardworking, and willing to give anything a go as well as to do a wide range of jobs around the farm and home including:
Cleaning stable
Meal prep
baking
Cleaning the house… read more
We recommend them as workaways, they are friendly and hard working, willing to do a wide range of jobs around the farm and home. Will give anything a go. They did a wide range of work including:
Meal prep
Pasture maintainance
Moving cows, the goat and sheep to the new paddock.
Bottle feeding lamb
Let out the… read more
Cleaning stable
Meal prep
Cooking/baking
Pasture maintainance
Weeding garden
Building garden beds
Clean and… read more
