Help out on a small property and experience New Zealand life.

New Zealand

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Favourited 84 times

Host rating
Feedback
20
Last activity
15/10/2019
Reply rate
100.0 %
Average reply time:
within 2 days
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2019

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What's this?

Details

Description
We are on a small property midway between Invercargill and Riverton, Southland. We are beginning our second season developing a garden based on the principles outlined in JM Fortier's 'Market Gardener' book blending in methods used by Richard Perkins. We are interested in restoring healthy soil using only local, organic inputs where possible with a holistic approach. We have learnt a lot in the last year and are happy to share that knowledge with others.

We are a family of 7 with five homeschooled children aged from 1-12 years of age. We run a small home based business as well as running a few sheep and chickens on our homestead. My Parents have 3 horses next door that we look after regularly also.

Our property adjoins Big Lagoon, a QEII covenanted wetland with a diverse ecology and approx. 40 minute return walk.
Type of help
Gardening
Babysitting / child care
Farmstay
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We aim to provide a natural NZ family experience. Living adjacent a restored wetland gives a unique experience around pest control, native planting and see some native birdlife. We currently have a trial market garden plot where we are experimenting with the tools and techniques outlined in the book 'The Market Gardener' by JM Fortier. We aim to have our guests experience and try first hand as many of these techniques as possible.
Help
We have a range of options depending on the time of year. We have general garden maintenance, poultry care, some horse feeding and a market garden size vegetable plot with varying crops throughout the year.
We also cut and split our own firewood and there could be some native planting/maintenance around the lagoon at times.
Languages spoken
English
Accommodation
We have a separate sleepout with double bunk bed for up to 3 guests. Bathroom is inside the house but there are breakfast and tea and coffee facilities in the sleepout. Lunch and evening meals would be shared in the house.
What else ...
We are near to Riverton, Invercargill and Stewart Island. Oreti beach is an approx 5km drive. We can transport to town (Invercargill) most days.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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Feedback left by and about host (20)

10/07/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (RONJAT & QUANQUIN-LAFFONT)

We had the pleasure of hosting Camille and Manon for the last week. We really enjoyed having them stay. They were fantastic with the kids. Happy to just go with what each day brought, from feeding horses to trimming the strawberry plants, sowing seed and planting out seedlings.
We would welcome them back anytime and wish them well in their travels.

(Excellent )

07/05/2019

Left by Workawayer (Theresa) for host

I had the most wonderful time with Kylie, Nathan, James, Addie, Patrick, Jonathan, and Peter!! The two weeks went by way too fast and left me wishing that I could have spent longer with this lovely family.

Most of the work I did was indoors- helping with chores around the house, helping the kids with various tasks, cooking, etc. With no… read more

(Excellent )

09/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Theresa)

We feel really fortunate to have had Tess stay with us for around two weeks. Our house can be busy and noisy and fairly chaotic and Tess got to experience it all! She was super helpful with the children while we were busier than normal with work and they really benefited from the time she spent with them. From board games to music to cooking and… read more

(Excellent )

14/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Clara)

Clara and Nora stayed with us for almost a week. They were great with the kids, clean, tidy and respectful. It was a wet week, so not so much outside work but they were happy to adapt and help with the kids and other inside tasks.
We really enjoyed having them stay. They were bright and bubbly and fitted in well here.
They are welcome back anytime.

(Excellent )

02/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (sandra)

We had the pleasure of hosting Amèlie and Sandra. One week was not long enough! They are very cheerful and fun. Amazing in the kitchen, great with the kids and happy to give everything a go.
They helped us inside with some cleaning and produced a professional result. Amelie and Sandra also helped out in our garden thinning carrots, weeding and… read more

(Excellent )

02/04/2019

Left by Workawayer (Amelie) for host

We had a really nice week at Kylie and Nathan home. All the family made us feel at home. It was great to spend time with them, playing with the kids, helping Kylie in the kitchen, learning about the garden, having a pic nic in Riverton ...
Sometimes the kids can be a bit noisy but they are good kids, fun,always happy to help !
If you are not… read more

(Excellent )

01/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Amelie)

(Excellent )

17/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Chelsea)

We really enjoyed having Chelsea stay. She got on well with the kids. Very clean and tidy. A great independent worker. Chelsea helped de-tangle our strawberry plants from their many runners which was a big job, clear thistle, and daily watered our tunnel house and gardens and checked on the hens. A highlight was the Swedish pancakes Chelsea made… read more

(Excellent )

10/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Elisa & Miquel)

Miki and Elisa were amazing! They were so great with all our children. Great workers, nothing was a problem for them. They helped us in the garden, with the kids, staked and tied a lot of trees, stacked firewood, cleared weeds and helped build a compost bin.
Miki cooked some delicious food, it was like eating at a restaurant in our own home! We… read more

(Excellent )

09/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Elisa & Miquel) for host

We had an amazing time at Kylie and Nathan’s place ! Their house and garden are wonderful and they have 5 beautiful kids! We directly felt part of the family ! They are all very involved in their house life. Kylie is an amazing cook and the kids knows a lot thanks to her ! They have achieved an amazing work with their garden and we were eating… read more

(Excellent )

07/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Elli) for host

I stayed with Nathan, Kylie, and the kids for a week and it was definitely not long enough! They all make you feel like a part of their family right away. I learned so much about organic gardening and got to see some new gardening methods I've never seen before. You can tell just how passionate Kylie and Nathan both are about their garden and it… read more

(Excellent )

06/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Elli)

We really enjoyed having Elli stay with us and miss having her here already! She is very polite and has a great way with children plus is a fantastic worker. Elli helped out with a lot of different projects around our place and took everything in her stride.
It was our pleasure having her stay and we wish Elli all the best in her travels through… read more

(Excellent )

19/02/2019

Left by Workawayer (atena) for host

Such a lovely family! They always make you fell welcom and part of the family. The Kids are very funny and Smart, you Will enjoy playing with them. The food was always pleintfull and healthy and The dessert was always a nice surprise! Thank you for the nice days I spent with you. Enjoy Your healthy country life! Ciao ciao

(Excellent )

17/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (atena)

We really enjoyed having Atena stay with us for around a week. Atena is lovely and polite and great with the children. She cooked some amazing food from her region during her stay. While here she helped in the gardens and around the house and nothing was a problem for her. We'd really recommend you have Atena stay if the opportunity arises and we… read more

(Excellent )

17/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Lily)

Lily is such a lovely, vibrant person who was such a lot of fun to have around. Whether it was epic Trivial Pursuit battles with the kids or introducing us to new cultural and literary experiences, we learnt a lot from Lily in her short time here.
Always happy to help with anything that was needed, from watering plants to mowing through piles of… read more

(Excellent )

17/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Marie)

It was a real pleasure to have Marie stay with us for around a week of her travels. She helped out with everything from looking after the baby to helping with the horses and gardens. Marie is such a friendly person and instantly became a part of the family, adding to the kids French language and cooking some amazing food!
Always up for a game of… read more

(Excellent )

04/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Anais)

We've just had Anaïs stay for the past 2 weeks and it was a pleasure to have her. We highly recommend her and would happily have her back anytime. Anaïs was a great help here around the garden with watering and weeding, harvesting veges and collecting eggs from the henhouses. She also assisted feeding the horses every day. Inside she cooked some… read more

(Excellent )

04/02/2019

Left by Workawayer (Anais) for host

I have spent a good time with Nathan and Kylie. They live in a beautiful area surrounded by nature. They have been really welcoming with me. I had my own room, clean and cosy. Each morning I had to feed the horses, to water the garden, to pick some fresh vegies, to weed a bit, to thank the chikens for the eggs. I also helped Kylie in the house… read more

(Excellent )

17/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Sophie) for host

My stay at Kylie and Nathan's place was a great experience, and they are nice people!

The tasks were quite diverse, and were well explained to me. They are just starting their small scale farming buisnes, and it's nice to see the beginning of such a project! They have an embroidering and vinyl printing buisnes as well, and I gave them a hand with… read more

(Excellent )

12/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Sophie)

We're just about to say goodbye to Sophie who has been here for nearly two weeks. It has been a pleasure having her stay and help out and hopefully she has managed to learn a few things while here. She has been super helpful both in the house and around the property.
Sophie is great with children - patient and co-operative and the highlight for… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 858544978392

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