Come and help at a plant nursery near Kruger National Park in White River, South Africa

South Africa

updated

Favourited 313 times

Host rating
Feedback
50
Last activity
25/10/2020
Nº of Facebook friends
1344
Reply rate
100.0 %
Average reply time:
within 9 days
Badges

Map

Availability

2020

Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

What's this?

Details

Description
latest update on the covid 19 lockdown rules ,our borders are open from the 1st October 2020 for international visitors except from high risk area's countries on the list that is not allowed to travel to SA for Leisure purposes is as follow; ( take note this list will be updated every two weeks) Please check the list of countries on South Africa travel advisory website.

We are wholesale growers for the plant nursery industry located in the pictures Lowveld area situated next to the Kruger National Park. I live and work on a small family farm close to White River Mpumalanga , I'm single but have 5 big Dobermans and a cat that lives in the house with me so you will have to be comfortable with close contact with them but not to worry you won't have to share a room with them ,We are constantly upgrading and expanding our nursery and various other jobs are available. If you love plants and getting your hands dirty and a bronze tan then this is the workaway position for you. Please note that most of the chores are outdoors and in the sun ,if you have a sensitive skin please come with waterproof sunscreen ,we only have mild winters and you will still get sunburned this time of the year!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Farmstay help
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
Animal Care
Language practice
Art Projects
Help with Computers/ Internet
Teaching
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will learn a great deal about propagation ,cultivation of plants while being outdoors in a very beutiful area in south africa. If I can give potential workawayers some advice is to start with a host close to home to get some experience with the whole concept of workaway and then building on some good references
Help
No skills are needed ,we do however require men currently with some basic handyman skills and restoration of the house ,we also need to do some invasive plant clearing next to the river on the property.
Description of help- volunteers will assist planting cuttings and seeds , the planting of various types of plants from seedling size into bags and pots , they will assist in fertilising of plants , maintenance on irrigation systems ,general maintenance and construction of nursery. There is 16 active beehives that needs constant maintenance so if you have experience and knowledge in this field we would appreciate your assistance. We also trying hard to recycle everything left over from 6 families on the farm ,a good cause that i think should be nr 1 priority on this PLANET for every individual .If you are under the age of 26 years and or have no references on your profile send link to your Facebook page with your request to volunteer in your message.
Languages spoken
Afrikaans: Fluent
English: Fluent
Xhosa: Intermediate
Zulu: Intermediate
Dutch: Beginner
Accommodation
Accommodation is on the farm where the nursery is located next to a river . You will have a shared room with bathroom hot water and electricity with wifi , we have a maid taking care of the cleaning , washing of clothes and tiding up. You will need to help with preparing the food that I will provide. There's is no maid on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays and cleaning will be required by yourselves. If you like peace and quiet except for the frogs and bird noise then you will enjoy your stay on this farm maybe even spot the Hippo in the river.
What else ...
Take travel insurance when traveling to Africa its not called a 3rd world country for no reason. The Lowveld area is well known for its beutiful landscapes and the world famous Kruger national park being close by ,there's some really nice hiking trails and waterfalls, botanical garden , historical towns and fishing on the propery. There is various ways of local transport to most of the places in the lowveld area , collecting and dropping you of for your stay will be arranged in the Nelspruit and White River area. I highly recommend Lowveld Link Travel for means of transport direct from O.R. Thambo International airport to Whiteriver
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Photos

Thomas and Lorenz erecting the new shade house

Having a barbecue or as we call it a Braai on the rocks in a river with workawayers Ben ,Gaia ,Nadja and Tina

Baking time with Emma

Tina , rain or sun she was always ready to work

Erik and Christian having a swim in dam and a wel deserved beer after a hard days work

Georg helping out with moving plants to the newly constructed area that he helped me with

Show all photos

The Dobermans

Daniil learning about drying meat into Biltong

James grinding up chickens for dogs

David catching some big fish on farm

Carmen preparing cuttings

Tony / hard worker

Feedback left by and about host (50)

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:
(4.8)

Communication:
(4.9)

28/09/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Mandy)

Mandy and Kyle volunteered on my farm for just over a month. Mandy is one of those volunteers that you could just give the keys and let her run the show and not have to worry about anything. I'm ever so more fascinated by this whole concept of Workaway and the people that you meet ,it's definitely making a positive impact on my live and especially… read more

(Excellent )

15/09/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Lorenz)

1. Lorenz volunteered on my farm for what would have been only 1 month but because of the coronavirus lockdown ended up staying 5 months and he was an absolute pleasure having here. lorenz is a hard working person and could master any tasks given to him, he would put extra effort into completing the work correctly and timely ,he worked very well… read more

(Excellent )

30/08/2020

Left by Workawayer (Lorenz) for host

How am I supposed to sum up 5 months full of sweat, laughter and crazyness in only a few paragraphs?

I can't, the only thing I can do is to tell you, pieter, how grateful I am for you to host me and letting me be a part of your farm for so long. Granted, i am only 21 and I still have a lot ahead of me, but these months seriously impacted me in… read more the best way possible. I became more open, found out my love for physical work and (this might sound chliché- i know) but found my love for living a simpler life and finding joy in the little things.

What was supposed to be only for only one month turned out to be 5 months in total due to the Covid19 lockdown and i couldn't have been happier with where and with whom i ended up in Lockdown. This farm and it's people are just amazing! Pieter is an extremely fun and nice guy to hang around with, he's kind, very open and you surely won't get bored with him! His five dobermans are the most loveable dogs I have ever met - each one has got his own personality and you'll have a blast seeing them play all day long.

About the work: be sure that work will be very hard at times but is therefore even more rewarding. Pieter does a great job balancing hard and easy work all while keeping in mind what kind of work you personally enjoy. The first weeks Pieter alternated between work in the sun and work in the shade to let my light European skin get used to the South African sun which was really ideal. To see how the farm changes with the hard work you put in is extremely rewarding. I've never physically worked that hard and on so many various things in my life before. I learned so much and found a new passion while doing so. If hard work and learning by doing under South African sun sounds as fun to you as it did to me, this is the right place!

For this physical work you put in, you surely get out a lot as well! Due to the Covid19 curfew we weren't able to go out every weekend and often stayed by the farm which was still extremely fun cause theres a lot to explore! When we were able to go out on weekends we went on multiples hikes together or spent a day in the Kruger national park. What I appreciated the most was that Pieter took us out on trips and did a lot of things together outside working hours. I really enjoyed this since hosts ususally keep to themselves on weekends.

About the scenery- it can hardly get better than this - it's just stunning! The farm itself is amazing, there's a dam just a 5 minute jogg away to refuel after a hard day of work and a big dam right next to it. Speaking of jogging, if you're a jogger yourself you better come here and discover all the great tracks here! The location of the farm is also perfect for trips on the weekend: Kruger National Park, Blyde river canyon - the Mpumalanga area has got some amazing things to offer!

Theres a thousand things I could list why this place is amazing but best is for you experience it by yourself!

Thank you so much pieter for hosting me these past 5 months - it was an amazing time and made a big impact! I am very grateful and will surely come back to check out the farm and all that comes with it! Thank you for spiking my interest in physical work and living a more simple life!

Baie dankie piete and until next time,
Lorenz :)

(Excellent )

30/08/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Stefanie)

stefanie volunteered just over 2 weeks on the farm ,she helped out with various work like planting cuttings and seeds. she worked well in a group and also by herself and did not need much guidance in executing her tasks. she is really into nature and has good knowledge in this regard ,we made some marula beer and i wish we made more cause it was… read more

(Excellent )

26/07/2020

Left by Workawayer (Stefanie) for host

I stayed 2.5 weeks at Pieter's plant nursery and really enjoyed my time there. I spent the morning with planting, weeding, fertilizing and so on – sometimes working together together with other volunteers, sometimes with Pieter’s staff. I loved to spend the afternoon exploring the region on a walk or hanging around with the dogs. A few times… read more

(Excellent )

12/07/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Thomas)

Thomas volunteered on my farm for what would have been only about 3 weeks but because of the coronavirus lockdown ended up staying almost 5 months and he was an absolute pleasure having here. Thomas is a kind hearted friendly person that is always available to assist anytime of day or night without asking for his help. he is very diligent with his… read more

(Excellent )

11/07/2020

Left by Workawayer (Thomas) for host

It was my first workaway. At the origin, I planned to stay 3 weeks at Pieter's nursery but because of the covid I stayed 4 months and a half. It was simply one of the best experiences of my life ! During this period I could work on a lot of his projects : make his own garden, extend his nursery, begin his fruit forest, work for his customers ... I… read more

(Excellent )

09/03/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Fernando )

Fernando was a last minute workawayer and he did not disappoint us ,he tackled some really hard work with great eagerness to get the job done. Thanks for your help and see you again in the future.

(Excellent )

06/03/2020

Left by Workawayer (Fernando ) for host

I spend 3 weeks in Pieters place, I did hard work on the nursery, but it worth the experience. On my days off, Pieters took me to the botanic garden, waterfalls, and we went to a pub to drink some beers. At night we played rummy, which it is a lot of fun. His staff members were always impeccable, and the meals provided we're enough and delicious.

(Excellent )

14/02/2020

Left by Workawayer (Dajana) for host

I stayed two weeks with Pieter at his plant nursery. I enjoyed my time so much as I enjoyed the work, loved the workers around as well as the time with Pieter and the other volenteers.
I love cooking and baking and was happy that I was able to do my part in preparing and cooking food for lunch and dinner when I wished to.
I felt at home and the… read more

(Excellent )

13/02/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Dajana)

Dajana volunteered on the farm for only 2 weeks and she was an absolute pleasure having on the farm. She is a great cook and a very thorough worker ,besides being a great worker she is also very tidy ,punctual ,well mannered ,friendly and a good conversationalist. She will definitely be missed and is always welcome to return at any time. If you… read more

(Excellent )

05/02/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Georg)

Georg volunteered for about 2 weeks and i was very excited to see he has extensive knowledge about bees because my hives needed some serious maintenance, in the time he was here he serviced 17 hives and collected almost 50 kg of honey. Besides being a great help with the bees he also did some maintenance on the house and the grow tunnel that's… read more

(Excellent )

05/02/2020

Left by Workawayer (Georg) for host

Staying on Pieter's plant nursery was a great experience for me. Pieter has reasonable rules for living and working in his house. The typ of work was dependent on what is needed e.g. preparing dog food, painting, preparing seed beds and seeding different plants. In my case the work with the bees was the main topic, checking bee hives, harvesting… read more

(Excellent )

31/01/2020

Left by Workawayer (Roberto) for host

My experience at Pieters farm was a wonderful experience, because we came through another hospitality platform and I got a real cultural and knowledge exchange. I had the opportunity to know his family, his work, the city with the local biodiversity including the big 5 animals at Kruger and my dream, plant hundred seeds of Baobabs that I would… read more

(Excellent )

28/01/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Roberto)

What a nice guy. Roberto stayed at my place as a couch surfer but then turned into a workawayer helping out on maintenance of house and helping other workawayer planting seeds. I can definitely see the value in hosting him for he has a vast knowledge on variuos things that would come in handy on my farm and was very eager to help out . If you get… read more

(Excellent )

14/01/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Ben)

Ben was a last minute workawayer that volunteered for just over a month helping in doing various work in the nursery planting seeds ,removing big tree stumps ans prepared some nice dinners that i and the other workawayers really enjoyed. Ben is very matured person that was very easy to work with and was always very eager to complete the project… read more

(Excellent )

14/01/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Gaia)

Gaia volunteered for just over a month ,i normally don't accept volunteers this young but after we had a few chats on WhatsApp i dicided i would give her a chance and she did not disappoint. She was very focused on the tasks she was given and always friendly and smiling and laughing. She was definitely the energy source for all tha laughs we had… read more

(Excellent )

14/01/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Nadja)

Nadja volunteered for 3 weeks helping in doing various work in the nursery ,prepared some nice dinners and a really neat and organised person to have had in the house. She is very well mannered and was always available to lend an extra hand without me asking. She took initiative in streamlining any work or task i gave her. Everyone got along very… read more

(Excellent )

13/01/2020

Left by Workawayer (Nadja) for host

Staying and helping at Pieter's plant nursery was my first workaway and I can only recommend it! I have been there for three weeks and I have had a great time at that beautiful place in the middle of the nature - together with Pieter, other workawayers, the farm workers and of course the five fantastic dobermans + the cat. I felt welcome right… read more

(Excellent )

16/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Rob & Isabelle)

Rob and Isabelle volunteered for 3 weeks and was given a mixed bag full of work ,Isabelle did a really good job at some very boring work cleaning and selecting seed to be planted for various plant tipes ,she helped plant cuttings in the most extreme tempratures and sun with a smile and helped very eagerly in the kitchen preparing delicious meals… read more

(Excellent )

14/11/2019

Left by Workawayer (Rob & Isabelle) for host

We stayed for 3 weeks at Pieter's nursery helping to move plants, plant seedlings etc. etc. In the weekends we went on a trip to ride the panorama route, we went together with Pieter to the Kruger park and we had a nice party at kaapsehoop together!
There is also the chance to visit the botanical gardens in Nelspruit on a free afternoon and… read more

(Excellent )

05/10/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Sophie)

It was an absolute pleasure having Sophie volunteer on our farm ,she fitted in very easy with the work and the rest of the team and handled the sun and heat pretty well. She was very helpfull in the house and always eager to give an extra hand without me asking. You will always be welcome back should you wish so. Hope to see you again in the near… read more

(Excellent )

23/07/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Morgan & Kayla)

Morgan and Kayla worked with us for a month and it was an absolute pleasure having them here ,they worked well as a team alone and with my workers and eagerly worked extra hours helping out on various jobs on the farm. We spent many evenings chatting and preparing meals together. I would highly recommend them to any hosts looking for a hard… read more

(Excellent )

22/07/2019

Left by Workawayer (Miriam) for host

Staying at Pieter's nursery was my first workaway. In the beginning he promised a cultural experience and when I left after a month I can say that this was definitely accurate, not only during working hours alongside his staff but also after hours when Pieter introduced me to various friends and other local people. White River is a nice area and… read more

(Excellent )

19/07/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Miriam)

Miriam stayed for a month and she is a gem in workaway terms ,she worked good with the team and also on her own tackling any task given and completing perfectly. She was fun having in the house with plenty of nights chatting and playing board games. I would highly recommend her to any host and will always have my doors open for another visit.

(Excellent )

16/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Tina) for host

So this was my first Workaway experience but definitely not my last. I have had a great time in Pieter’s place in White River. Out of my 3 month travel around in Africa, Pieters Farm is among one of the best thing I have done.

Pieter is a good host :thumbsup:
The food is good and healthy and it is easy to feel at home in the beautiful house with… read more

(Excellent )

01/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Tina)

Tina helped with us for a month. She tackled all kinds of work from the very easy planting cuttings under the shadenet to doing hard landscaping jobs in full sun and blistering heat ,she struggled only the 1 day and came back the next day full of energy ready for more work. She was an absolute pleasure having on the team and blended in… read more

(Excellent )

24/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Emma)

Emma worked for me for a month ,she was really very helpfull in everything i asked her to do ,from planting cuttings ,recycling thousands of plantbags to baking banana breads and helping with the birth of 10 Doberman puppies. She even offered to help me out at night looking over the newly born puppies for a few nights ,i really appreciated her… read more

(Excellent )

16/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Georg)

Georg worked with us for 2 weeks. His main reason for comming was to see the Kruger national park, i told him that a minimum stay of a month would justify me making the effort of taking him there ,he understood and he suggested to put in extra time to make up for only being here for 2 weeks. I admire him for that and could see that he is willing… read more

(Excellent )

16/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Georg) for host

I had a really great time at Pieter's place! I only stayed two weeks at his farm, but during this time, there was a lot to see and learn.

He is living at an absolutely peaceful, relaxed area. We had some great swims at the dam next to his house and great evenings with a lot of talking and drinking. His dogs are the cutest dogs ever and always… read more

(Excellent )

04/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Whil) for host

Pieter is a very generous host. He provided the necessary gear, gloves, eye protection even mosquito repellent to make your time and work safer and easier.
His mother's hearty food is not to be missed.
The work is hard, mainly because of the heat ( so be warned ), but fair.
Pieter's property is set in one of the most beautiful parts of South… read more

(Excellent )

04/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Whil)

Whil worked with us for 1 month helping with various maintenance work on the farm. He worked very wel with others and took the lead when working with other workawayers that needed guidance in getting the jobs at hand done. He has a vast knowledge for work in his past that got the work done fast and proper , he worked good with the team or on his… read more

(Excellent )

26/12/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Cristian)

Cristian worked with us for 2 weeks helping me erecting shadenet. He is a fast learner that used his own initiative doing the work fast and proper , he worked good with the team or on his own. He was always very willing to help when it was not expected of him. Real big thanks for helping clearing a tree from the electric fence after a big storm on… read more

(Excellent )

04/12/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Richard & paulina)

Richard was an absolute pleasure having working on the farm ,he blended in seeminglisly with the work and adapted very well to the harch African climate hallelujah for aftersun lotion:) no task was to big or small and executed it very well and proper. I would highly recomend him for any task cause I think he is endless in his capability to do what… read more

(Excellent )

25/11/2018

Left by Workawayer (Richard & paulina) for host

This was my first workaway experience and i absolutely loved it, Pieter was an amazing host. He is very funny, kind, generous and open minded. We had many great nights talking, laughing, drinking, exchanging cultural differences and playing yatzee ( check the dice because i'm sure he has tampered with them.) The location is wonderful, its very… read more

(Excellent )

17/10/2018

Left by Workawayer (Scott) for host

I had such a great time in White River at Pieter’s place. It was my first workaway experience and I couldn’t have asked for a better one. The work was pretty varied which is nice. I helped to take down some trees to make way for shade nets for the plants, planted seedlings and cuttings, digging, etc. Pieter was also great about showing me the… read more

(Excellent )

17/10/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Scott)

Scott worked with us for 4 weeks doing various hard labor work and did it with a smile in extreme weather conditions. He is a very pleasant person to have had on the team and the team thoroughly enjoyed his company. I would rank him as one of the top workawayers to have volunteered here and would highly recommend him to any host. Hope to see you… read more

(Excellent )

23/09/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Daniel)

Daniil worked on farm for a couple of weeks helping with various tasks on the farm , he is reliable fit and able to tackle any job big or small by himself , he was a great person to have on the farm and I enjoyed his company forrowly and would highly recommend him for positions with hosts and you are always welcome back should you ever wish to… read more

(Excellent )

15/09/2018

Left by Workawayer (Daniel) for host

I've stayed with Pieter for only two weeks, but I've had a really great time there, it's defenetely an experience to remember!
I've helped Pieter with various tasks and it was always exciting to learn and experience something new. Since this is a plant nurcery, there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about plants, gardening and landscaping… read more

(Excellent )

13/09/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Christian)

Chris worked with us for a week but got into the hard work with no problem and endured the sun with a smile , I would recommend Chris highly for his eagerness to get into the hard work and for his good company. Thank you Chris

(Excellent )

08/09/2018

Left by Workawayer (Christian) for host

I had a great time at the farm working with a lovely team. The work was simple and the hours flew by very quickly. Thanks Pieter, for all the effort u did in accommodating me and Daniil and entertaining us by driving us around. Also a great opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling. Highly recommended!

(Excellent )

29/05/2018

Left by Workawayer (James) for host

Pieter is a very generous, genuine individual. He is also very knowledgeable and passionate about plants and horticulture. I stayed with Pieter on his farm for about two weeks and learned a great deal about herbs, flowers and the rudiments of agriculture as practised in South Africa. Pieter is open, friendly, approachable and helpful and is happy… read more

(Excellent )

20/05/2018

Left by Workawayer (Fergus) for host

This was a great workaway experience. Pieter has an apparently limitless knowledge of the lowveld plants & growing methods (as well as some rare international varieties), and is synced with permaculture principles, sustainability & non-traditional cultivation. He looks after his workaways amazingly well, and can teach you a lot about horticultural… read more

(Excellent )

19/05/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Fergus)

Thanks Gus , you give the workaway concept great justice , I have lately learned a great deal about sticky situation with previous workawayers but i can say with all onasty you are the best by far and would gladly have you back here to help with the hundreds of projects I have lined up for the future. I would highly recommend Gus to Hosts. Hope to… read more

(Excellent )

16/05/2018

Left by Workawayer (Carmen) for host

The work I did here was wonderful, I learnt so much and there was a great structure and routine for everyone involved! Pieter has so many ideas for future projects, offers the greatest accomodation and is really open minded - I stayed for only a short time but it was perfect!

(Excellent )

01/05/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Carmen)

Carmen was such a pleasure having on the team, always laughing and smiling while getting in a good days work either working with the team or by herself. She was always eager giving a hand with extra work not expected of her and a delightful soft hearted person to have in the house and learn more about eating and preparing vegetarian dishes. I… read more

(Excellent )

18/03/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Tony)

Tony was a pleasure meeting and having on the farm , we had some great conversations and is a real easy going guy. From the start he worked very hard doing various jobs with the farm team and assisting me with the more complicated work , he was always eager helping with preparing nice food for us when I asked him. I would definitely recommend him… read more

(Excellent )

18/03/2018

Left by Workawayer (Tony) for host

I've been one month at Pieters place and this time can simply be described as amazing!
The plant nursery is a beautiful and comfortable spot in a great landscape.
I've had my own room and bathroom with electricity, warm water and there was even Internet.
The work I did included leveling a construction area, setting up shade nets, cutting down… read more

(Excellent )

11/09/2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Colleen)

Colleen is a hard worker that endured the sun and heat with a positive attitude. She lifted the spirit with the woman on the farm with her knowledge and experience. She was always willing to lend a hand with extra work after hours and also worked more hours than was required. I highly recommend her for any position with any kind of work as she was… read more

(Good )

22/08/2017

Left by Workawayer (Colleen) for host

Thank you Pieter for hosting me at the nursery for the past two weeks. I had lots of fun working with the ladies in the plant nursery! I was involved with re-potting, making cuttings as well as planting the cuttings.
I got three meals a day - if Pieter wasn't cooking then I had access to the food and could could for myself. I had a room of my own… read more

(Good )

To leave feedback make sure you login & your account is online.

Host ref number: 829831834675

Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in South Africa Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Africa Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Mpumalanga Farmstay South Africa

To contact a host, please login with your username and password or register with workaway.info.

My host list0

Give the gift of Workaway