Helping hands at a Daintreetoon's veggie patch, Australia

Details

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  Description

  hello workaway volunteers
  
  My name is Toon and I live on a 1 hectare rural residential property in the Daintree. I am looking for strong volunteers willing to help me with DIY projects. Couples are good here as well.
  
  I live a little different to most in this country. My life style is very frugal, earthy, clean and to the best I can be, self sufficient. I am very connected to my land and rainforest. I live for the most part without electronics and no one brings phones, pads nor pods onto my property. Upon arrival, email your family if you wish, Your phones are then turned off. Electronics are locked away at night. It is a chance to detox from these items. It is how I live, it makes a difference, to me, to others, to my land. please do not apply unless you are really happy to have an electronic break
  
  I live off my garden and surrounding forest as best I can. This garden is unique in the region. My tropical produce is clean, minerally enriched and organic. There are not so many minerals in our farmed food these days. I can teach you about tropical food growing, what I know so far. Help you towards a self sufficient path. We eat lots of tropical greens straight from the garden. My staples are taro, cassava, sweet potato, pumpkin and Yam amongst others. I make congees, ferments, comports and smoothies, all from clean forest products. I hunt and fish with snares, arrows and knife. I give thanks to the soul and then render down much of the animal, cooking them for 2 days. Like we used to a few generations ago. This stock goes into my daily broths and stews. I buy little from outside sources when alone but have to supplement a few things depending on season when I have volunteers or guests. You may eat in a different manner than what you are used to. The simple food regime here detoxes, builds and strengthens.
  My dietary existence takes effort from seed to storage. Obtaining clean healthy animal products is hard work. Hard work is asked for in return for this distinctive opportunity
  My water is pure, no foreign elements as most of the world now has to drink.
  I live without chemicals, no personal products, only a little soap bar when working on greasy cars and wot not. Many here also decide to abstain and detox more deeply.
  
  When alone I have no clock, On volunteer days I use the ticks during our ‘four’ hours. I get up early, with the growing light. I harvest and prepare food for the day, we start at 0800 latest and with a half hour nourishing break, it is all over at 1230. If you also rise early and help with the morning chores you start and finish earlier. The more effort you put into domestics the more effort I put into your stay. The afternoons are yours to pursue what ever your interests are.
  
  My days revolve around the sun and heat, making the most the of cooling light, I am an active man in the late afternoon, I yoga on the veranda through dusk to dark, a nice time to watch another day fade. It is an important time for me. Steel pins, bone grafts and breaks need soothing and stretching. I encourage you to join. We end up eating shortly after dark no matter the season. My days are generally fast paced but the evenings we quell and quiet, like we used to before our new electronica environment.
  
  Volunteers and guests stay here for a few different reasons.
  Many want to clear the mind of chatter, to leave a confusing and chaotic world and have a period of calm within. To see what happens to self without processed sugars and poor food products we have normalised. A lack of things here seem to be a big ingredient for a connection with self.
  All that stay here do a massive detox and receive a huge mineral boost that most have not experienced to date
  Some want to learn about self sufficiency and that means hanging out with me when I am tinkering in the garden.
  A few kids have engaged when I massage and have wanted to join in. Three Volunteers have further pursued careers in this area
  Boys come here for the bush experience. Those who stick around get my time, knowledge and equipment. I show you to adventures on the weekends, you will get to do things few locals and fewer tourists do or see, all in a safe tropical rainforest. If you spend a couple of months here as many boys do, then I will take you on challenging escapades no one else can offer in this region.
  
  I live a hard life, I live without many comforts. I rarely use my car. A low footprint existence, self sufficiency, frugal and earthy means going without a few yummy and plushie things you have normalised. There is lots to do living connected to land. I am an industrious worker and ask for a good pace and effort in your four hours. When needed I can be a drill sergeant to keep my simple home structure in place.
  
  Please note; those who do well here are ones who move fast. If you are a slow moving person you will not last long with me. Living close to nature, having a clean minerally enriched diet, calming at night and often choosing hunger and hardship over excess luxury has a byproduct ‘big energy’.
  
  For many young travellers their experience is largely about ‘meeting people’ if you seek fellow travellers your own age for your happiness then other hosts in this area are better suited to you.
  Kids that stay and do well here are ones that want ‘time out’.
  Time to self, time for self.
  
  I put a lot of effort into my food production, it serves me well with my many injuries and wounds. The food course has had profound results with many over the years. I do not change or accomodate, so vegans and vegetarians this is not an experience for you
  
  Please only apply if ALL aspects of the above resonate with you.
  
  looking forward to hearing from you.
  
  Toon

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Arriving at my place with a USB of 'new' music and or movies will make you special from the first step.
  A music USB means we listen to music when we work and at yoga times. Present a USB for a Sunday night picture show with photos of your life (not selfies) things like granny’s back yard, the school block, the apartments in the hood, Dads shed, your old car, the motor way to work, river where you swim etc, do that and you may be pleased at some point that you made the effort and made the experience important even before you got here.

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  Help

  
I have a number of DIY projects that I and the volunteers have been working on. I will lead you through all these activities with patience and care. You will be helping beside me and I will instruct you on anything that is new to you. At times you will be using power tools which many of the volunteers relish. You will get hands on experience and walk away with an array of new knowledge and new skills. There is always garden tasks to do and again you will generally help beside me, however some volunteers are awesome in the garden and I leave them to work alone while I carry on with other tasks. You will need to be strong and fit and be a person who moves fast. I am 61 with a 6 pack and there are not so many younger volunteers who can keep up with me.
  I have many sewing jobs from mosquito nets, shade cloths, bush equipment and repairs. I will take a volunteer who has considerable experience with sewing machines. I have an old Singer 201P and an older Singer 29K71.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  There are secure private rooms with mosquito nets, Volunteers have separate amenities.

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  What else ...

  Important - Entry to my property requires a headlight torch, 1 bandana and neck sock (buff).
  I supply gloves, gumboots, straw hats, breathing and safety equipment.
  
  There is a bus service (Trans North) it will take you from Cairns to Cowbay. I will pick you up from there
  Check the bus timetable and then 'clearly state' in writing the date you want to arrive and CLEARLY STATE the 'time period' you want to stay for.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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