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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
17 Apr 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
20
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Description
We have a lifestyle property 20 minutes out of Tauranga, dedicated to sustainability and self-sufficiency with sheep and chickens.
There is no access by public transport, but we can arrange to pick you up from Tauranga.
We are hobby fruit wine makers, not commercial in any way, and can teach wine making skills, mostly in autumn, as well as share our experiences in organic gardening, vegetable and fruit preservation, bottling, and drying as well as turning fruit, sugar and water into wine, it's not a miracle, just time-consuming work :-).
To introduce ourselves we are an out and proud gay couple, who celebrated 20 years together in August 2019.
Formally, Colin (Col) and Stephen (Steve). We have both traveled to many places and received great hospitality
Our dog Voddy passed away on Monday 14/10/24. We miss her terribly.
We have now adopted a new dog, Whiskey, a 7 month old Sharpie Lab cross from Thames SPCA She’s lovely and gradually learning how we like her to behave 🤔
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Technology
Sustainability
Politics / Social justice
Pets
Movies & TV
LGBTQ
Events & social
Music
Performing arts
Photography
Plant care
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Animals
Nature
Fitness
Camping
Beach
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Permaculture principles, organic gardening and wine making. Pest eradication from NZ forests, [we have been involved with a 300 Ha pest free zone in the Kaimai,] low carbon living.
Help
Whatever season, we are busy clearing gardens and preparing for the next season. In autumn, we make fruit wines, and bottling it, which is a non-commercial hobby activity.
The property is one of the better examples of self sufficiency you will have the opportunity to visit in NZ. Compost, worm farms, vege gardens, solar PV panels and an electric car, solar hot water are some of the carbon friendly, permaculture things we do.
Also we are involved in organising a 300 Ha pest free zone in the Kaimai Mamaku State Forest Park, so you get an insiders view on possum, stoat and rat control up the end of the road.
We live simply, majoring in low carbon and a gentle footprint on the earth. We are a non-smoking, non-Vaping property. We mostly eat home grown produce. We are dairy free, making our own Oat/almond milk. if you can't live without cheese, you may care to bring some.
We love making new international friends from Workaway. However, due to NZ laws we insist that you have a working holiday visa, as if you have an accident (God forbid) while working with us and needed medical attention we would all be in deep trouble, as you would have to pay for it, and we would be in trouble with the Labour Department.
If the weather is good, there are lots of interesting stuff to help us with.
In summer, we have so many requests we are sorry to have to turn down so many great people. It is best to book at least a month in advance if you would like to stay with us.
There is no access by public transport. We prefer our guests to have their own transport but we will pick you up from the bus or backpackers in town.
We can teach wine making skills, mostly in autumn, as well as share our experiences in gardening, vegetable and fruit preservation, bottling, and drying as well as turning fruit, sugar and water into wine.
We hope you will have a choice of tasks to do for a minimum of four to five hours daily, in return for full board and homemade wine. :-) We like to have simple projects, such as a new chicken room, berry cage or sheep shelter so you have a sense of accomplishment. Then there's always weeding :-)
Food wise we can do vegetarian, vegan [with help] as well as home reared omnivorous catering. To sleep, you may have the spare double bedroom, or a pop-top camper outside or couch according to availability. We have broadband.
When you apply, mention Dogwood Green to show you read to the end :-) Bonus points
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Maori: Beginner
Thai: Beginner
Accommodation
Double bedroom for couples.
We also have an outside pop top camper for summer stays. A tad fresh in winter.
What else ...
We are a long way from public transport, so you really need your own vehicle, although there is a good swimming hole and 40 hectare patch of virgin NZ bush [forest] both within easy walking distance. We will also take good workers for local trips to beach and areas of interest.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Parking next to the garage, with water and 3pin 10amp power available if required.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (15)
Great comms, good worker, good to live with, no dramas
The experience was brilliant—from being immersed in the workings of a self-sufficient lifestyle block, learning how Steve makes his famous Blueberry Port, to feeding Whisky (their dog) toast in the mornings. I learned so much and truly felt like part of their family.
I would highly recommend Col and… read more
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Cultural exchange:
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Great comms, good worker, good to live with, no dramas
The experience was brilliant—from being immersed in the workings of a self-sufficient lifestyle block, learning how Steve makes his famous Blueberry Port, to feeding Whisky (their dog) toast in the mornings. I learned so much and truly felt like part of their family.
I would highly recommend Col and… read more
During my stay, I learned so much about New Zealand’s nature and history – they were incredibly generous in sharing their knowledge and stories. It was such a… read more
Lucy has a really cool interesting heritage of Vietnamese and German. We wish her well in her tour of NZ
I did some work outside, it was the first time for me but with the clear instructions I've been given,… read more
Colin and Steve have so many interesting and funny stories to share, so we learned a lot in our stay with them.
They taught us about the local Puketoki Reserve and shared many of their… read more
Better than all the rest" - Tina Turner
I had one of the best weeks staying with Colin and Steve. I had my own very comfortable room, lovely dog to pet and amazing food every single meal :) What else you could want? Oh wait, Steve and Colin can offer you more - their company - they have so many interesting stories to tell… read more
We wanted to thank you for this great experience, it was our first volunteering. We were delighted with his sustainable lifestyle and attention. We regret not having been able to share more time with Steve, we hope he recovers soon. We will miss his dog Voddy, his delicious food, his sweet wines and his kindness despite our low… read more
thank you again for hosting and welcoming us in your lovely Dogwood green piece of earth. We really enjoyed the week with you two and of course your lovely dog Voddy. We always ate delicious food and drank homemade wine. They told us a lot about there way of life, we could learn much about a dairy free way of living and how… read more
We mostly helped them out with some gardening and log splitting. We really enjoyed the company of Colin and Steve and their adorable dog. Thanks so much again guys for having us and all the best! Hopefully we'll see you again soon! :)
