Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
26 Apr 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
32
Email verified
Badges (3)
Give the gift of Workaway
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Details
Description
Join us in Balfour (Southland) on our dairy farm with wide-open spaces and fun-loving people. Help around the house, garden, general maintenance, and cooking will be much appreciated. You will become part of a fun, always-changing (adult) family/team.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We have travelled extensively and done lots of stuff. We are immigrants from Europe and have lived in New Zealand for 28 years. We would love to exchange stories and of course share meals together from all over the world.
Help
There are houses and gardens and general areas that can always do with a good tidy up. There are also always DIY projects on the go. We also have 5 horses that can do with a workout sometimes (only if this is something you enjoy doing). We all work hard, so cooked meals when coming home from the farm will be very welcome to. There is no help required on the farm and we do not sell any produce from the farm.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Accommodation
You will be living in the house with us, Helen & Art, and whoever else is staying at the time. You will have your own bedroom.
What else ...
Southland is beautiful; wide open spaces, mountains, native bush, coast; there is a lot to see and do. Balfour is located about an hour from Te Anau, Queenstown and Invercargill; all great places to visit.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a reasonable wireless unlimited internet connection
Space for parking camper vans
Plenty of space to park your van and plug it into a power outlet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Host ref number: 649854459449
Feedback (13)
18 Apr 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Gijs)
We enjoyed hosting Gijs, he was with us for about 10 days. Gijs is easy going and is happy to get involved in anything thats happening. He helped in the garden, with firewood, helped out with shifting stock, did weed-eating, helped poor concrete and cleaned/ helped around the house. He also did some repair jobs and helped out with lots of general… read more
(Excellent
)
10 Mar 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Amanda)
We really enjoyed having Amanda stay and help out . She is bright, smart and full of energy. She helped out with all sorts; organising, sorting, cleaning, gardening ( heavy work), painting, moving gear and lots more. We also enjoyed her cooking and baking, and especially getting our breakfasts cooked. She was easy to have around, she is flexible… read more
(Excellent
)
6 Mar 2025
Left by Workawayer (Amanda) for host
My time with Helen, Art, and Emma was fantastic. They made me feel welcome within moments of my arrival. I loved that we shared meals together (all fantastic! Lots of fresh, delicious food) and worked as a team. Work started at 8 am and went until lunch. I did lots of different things around the property, helping get the woolshed cleaned up and… read more
26 Feb 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Nik)
Nik was a great guy to have around—hardworking, skilled, and always willing to help. He has a lot of knowledge about wood and timber, which was really valuable,. He was so enthusiastic about the chainsaw work we had, he just worked and loved doing it. He also helped out with painting and took on every task with a great attitude. We had some great… read more
(Excellent
)
Photos
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)
18 Apr 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Gijs)
We enjoyed hosting Gijs, he was with us for about 10 days. Gijs is easy going and is happy to get involved in anything thats happening. He helped in the garden, with firewood, helped out with shifting stock, did weed-eating, helped poor concrete and cleaned/ helped around the house. He also did some repair jobs and helped out with lots of general… read more
(Excellent)
10 Mar 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Amanda)
We really enjoyed having Amanda stay and help out . She is bright, smart and full of energy. She helped out with all sorts; organising, sorting, cleaning, gardening ( heavy work), painting, moving gear and lots more. We also enjoyed her cooking and baking, and especially getting our breakfasts cooked. She was easy to have around, she is flexible… read more
(Excellent)
6 Mar 2025
Left by Workawayer (Amanda) for host
My time with Helen, Art, and Emma was fantastic. They made me feel welcome within moments of my arrival. I loved that we shared meals together (all fantastic! Lots of fresh, delicious food) and worked as a team. Work started at 8 am and went until lunch. I did lots of different things around the property, helping get the woolshed cleaned up and… read more
26 Feb 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Nik)
Nik was a great guy to have around—hardworking, skilled, and always willing to help. He has a lot of knowledge about wood and timber, which was really valuable,. He was so enthusiastic about the chainsaw work we had, he just worked and loved doing it. He also helped out with painting and took on every task with a great attitude. We had some great… read more
(Excellent)
8 Feb 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Sidney)
Sidney stayed with us for about 10 days. She was very helpful, organised, and so easy to have around. Her baking skills were a real treat, and her life stories made for some great conversations. On top of that, she is hands down the best sheet folder I have ever met! We truly appreciated her positive attitude and all the effort she put in during… read more
(Excellent)
17 Jan 2025
Left by host for Workawayer (Rohan)
It was a pleasure to host Rohan. He was easy to have around— smart and positive, with a willingness to tackle any task. Rohan showed great commitment in completing all the weed-eating and cleaned out the spoutings, which was much appreciated. He also helped out with other jobs around the place and was interested in learning a bit about… read more
(Excellent)
26 Nov 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Marketa)
Marketa stayed with us for 9 days. She is positive and gentle. She helped with cleaning, organising, weeding, gardening and lots of other tasks.
We were impressed by her creativity in the kitchen—her cooking and baking were amazing, and it was wonderful to see how much she enjoyed experimenting with our homegrown ingredients. It’s always a joy to… read more
We were impressed by her creativity in the kitchen—her cooking and baking were amazing, and it was wonderful to see how much she enjoyed experimenting with our homegrown ingredients. It’s always a joy to… read more
(Excellent)
26 Nov 2024
Left by Workawayer (Marketa) for host
I have spent 9 days with Helen's and Art's family and I have really enjoyed my stay! This has been my first time staying at a dairy farm, and for the first time in my life I got to milk a few cows, which was so cool. My work was mosty weed cutting and gardening and then in the afternoon I got to cook and bake whatever I wanted, which I really… read more
26 Aug 2024
Left by Workawayer (Maeve ) for host
I loved my stay. They are all very welcoming and I instantly felt comfortable and had a lot of laughs. The food was great and it was lovely to sit down with everyone for dinners. I had great rides on the horses which was amazing for me. Would highly recommend
16 Aug 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Maeve )
We enjoyed having Maeve around. She has energy, is social and likes a good laugh. She realy enjoyed riding the horses and taking care of them. She helped out with cooking, cleaning, general tidying and gave all the tack/leather a good clean and oil, they are looking like new. Maeve also enjoys baking, so we had lovely cakes for dessert most… read more
(Excellent)
21 Jul 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Claire)
We had a lovely time with Claire. She is friendly, has great insights, is curious and did very well with her English. She helped with different tasks. She did a lot of cooking and baking for us. Made loads of tasty freezer meals. We wish Claire all the best.
(Excellent)
12 Jul 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Jules)
We had a wonderful time with Jules. He is easygoing, a great conversationalist, and very relaxed. Jules was always happy to help with any task—cleaning, tidying, sorting, water blasting, and more. I believe he will fit seamlessly into any situation or family. We wish him all the best.
(Excellent)
9 Jul 2024
Left by Workawayer (Jules) for host
For my first workaway, I had the most magical 12 days. Helen is wonderful and the family are the best. I can't recommend this bunch enough. Good company, good times and I will keep them in my hearts forever. This experience really couldn't have went any better for me, the farm is stunningly beautiful and the Bloms are the most amazing family to go… read more
3 Jun 2024
Left by Workawayer (Jan & Marlies) for host
It was wonderful to stay with Helen and Art. We were there for ten days and helped with different tasks such as ripping wallpaper, cleaning the house (inside and ouside), shed, did some gardening, we could do as well milking the cows optional. This was a really cool experience. We did cooking together. In our free time we could do horsebackriding… read more
31 May 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Jan & Marlies)
We enjoyed hosting Jan and Marlies. They are a energetic and fun loving couple who fitted in perfectly. They helped out with lots of tasks to make the place look and feel better. Marlies enjoyed cooking and she did a lot of baking; we never ate this many different cakes in our lives; so good!
Jan and Marlies are mature and flexible. They were… read more
Jan and Marlies are mature and flexible. They were… read more
(Excellent)
26 Mar 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Bekah & Kieran )
Bekah & Kieran were great workawayers. They are friendly, enjoy a good yarn, were flexible and gave everything a good go. They got a lot done for our big gardening project. Kieran has tractor and chainsaw skills that came in very handy. Bekah has beautiful animal handling skills; she looked after the horses, dog and cat while we were away, they… read more
(Excellent)
24 Mar 2024
Left by Workawayer (Bekah & Kieran ) for host
Awesome experience staying at the farm in Balfour with Art and Helen. We stayed just under two weeks and home/pet sitted while the hosts were away. Very interesting people with great stories! Very welcoming and relaxed. We did gardening and were very pleased to be part of their big project, we can't wait to see how it turns out! Thank you for… read more
26 Mar 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Jessie)
Jessie is a great young woman; friendly, smart and has energy. She helped out with all sorts of jobs and was happy to give anything a go. She has lots of different experiences and I really enjoyed the conversation we had. She fitted into the house dynamics easily and was flexible. Great experience and I hope Jessie enjoys the rest of her travels.
(Excellent)
7 Mar 2024
Left by Workawayer (Jessie) for host
My stay with the family Blom was great! I really got to experience farm life in the Southland. I mostly did gardening and cleaning jobs and helped at a Dutch farmers gathering. Bram also let me help him milk the cows and drive around on the quads to do some farm jobs. Was a fun experience! It was a busy and hectic week but I could really… read more
20 Feb 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Lucja & Noah)
Lucja and Noah were great workawayers. They are friendly, easy going and slotted right into everything. They helped with lots of different things; un-packing after we moved a whole lot of stuff, cleaning, gardening, cleaning out the spouting, washed the windows and lots of other tasks. They also looked after the cat and dog while we were away. On… read more
(Excellent)
22 Jan 2024
Left by Workawayer (Laureline) for host
I spent 2 weeks in Balfour with Helen and Art (and Flower, Edie, Red, Ruby...all the animals) and the experience was fantastic. There was a lot of help in the garden, that was hard but gratifying as we ( we were 3 workawayers at that time) really felt like we were making a difference. we cleared trees, ivy (lots of it !), did weed control...Helen… read more
4 Jan 2024
Left by host for Workawayer (Laureline)
Laureline is such a lovely and energetic person. She is positive and gives everything a go. She like to organise things and makes sure she gets things done. She is tidy and she is a very good cook! We had some great laughs an good conversations. She is an easy person to have in the home. We wish Laureline all the best and thank her for all her… read more
(Excellent)
17 Dec 2023
Left by Workawayer (Rik & Amber) for host
This was our first workaway and what a way to start! From the moment we arrived we felt very welcome. Helen and Arthur are funny, warm and enthusiastic people! The work they had in store for us suited us perfectly. After work there was always time for a coffee and a great meal. We had so much fun gardening and helping around the farm. Overall we… read more
17 Dec 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Rik & Amber)
Amber and Rik were great workawayers. They are fun, have skills, are hard working and very flexible. They fitted right into homelife. They have travlled extensively and we enjoyed hearing their stories and expereinces. While helping out they did a lot (a whole lot!) of garden work. Using sheer force and energy and lots of power-garden-tools… read more
(Excellent)
29 Nov 2023
Left by Workawayer (Jantje) for host
I can absolutely recommend it to stay on the farm with Helen and Art. I stayed for 10 days and in that time two other Workawayers Hong and Tim stayed there as well. We worked together in the garden (cutting grass and bushes) and did some housekeeping tasks. Together we cooked and ate, played card games every evening and I got the opportunity to go… read more
20 Nov 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Jantje)
Jantje is a delightful young woman. She is interested in people and her surroundings. She was happy to give anything a go and showed lots of initiative. She used our large motorised weed-eater for quite a few days and did lots of other heavy work in the garden. We cooked and ate togther and usually played a game of cards in the evenings. We had a… read more
(Excellent)
25 Nov 2023
Left by Workawayer (Timothy & Yonghong) for host
Great Hosts. We so enjoyed our time with Helen and Art. Kind, thoughtful and friendly folks. Great meals and card games in the evening with lively conversation and shared her companies Green Lipped Muss supplements. Sent me off with a packet of delicious chocolate and coconut brownies, Yummy! Trusted us to borrow their car for a day trip to the… read more
20 Nov 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Timothy & Yonghong)
Hong and Tim stayed with us for two weeks and made the biggest difference in the look of our garden and the exterior of the house. They got stuck into doing lots of heavy garden work, dragging branches on trailers and clearing 10 years of overgrowth. They also waterblasted the concrete and outside of the house, it all looks clean and shiny again.… read more
(Excellent)
23 Oct 2023
Left by host for Workawayer (Katie & Ewan)
This feedback is for Claire; she is part of this group of 3 friends, however she is not on this profile. I did want to leave some feedback about/for her though; She was a wonderful workawayer; happy and keen to get stuck into the jobs I gave her. She (and her friend who stayed) cooked a lovely meal and they were very easy to have around. She… read more
(Excellent)
18 Oct 2023
Left by Workawayer (Katie & Ewan) for host
We loved working at Helen and Arts!! such a beautiful property and people. we learnt lots about dairy farming, felt like part of the family, and got to help feed the calves! can't wait to come back!!!
12 Nov 2021
Left by host for Workawayer (Mike & Kara)
Kara and Mike are fantastic; caring, interested and interesting, diligent, fun, all-round great people. They helped us so much and made our lives so much easier during the time they were with us. They tackled a lot of tidying, cleaning, gardening and maintenance jobs. They even build a rock-wall, which was a very challenging task and it came out… read more
(Excellent)
10 Nov 2021
Left by Workawayer (Mike & Kara) for host
Our workaway in Balfour was one of growth and excitement. The entire family are so fun and easy to get along with, which really makes the experience.
Generally, we were doing maintenance around the farm houses which included gardening, water blasting and mowing lawns etc. We also had the opportunity over the 3 weeks to extend ourselves, and our… read more
Generally, we were doing maintenance around the farm houses which included gardening, water blasting and mowing lawns etc. We also had the opportunity over the 3 weeks to extend ourselves, and our… read more
