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Description
We are a young married couple living on a smallholding in the Cape Farms area, about 30 minutes from Cape Town. We share our space with two friendly dogs and a cat. We are passionate about permaculture, self-sufficiency, and learning practical skills that move us toward a more independent and sustainable lifestyle.
We come from different backgrounds that bring both technical and international experience to our homestead journey. My husband is originally from Stellenbosch, South Africa, and has worked in tech and nanotechnology in the United States, with a strong passion for engineering and AI. I am originally from Russia, and later studied in the United States before moving to South Africa.
After years of living in fast-paced environments, we decided together to shift toward a slower, more grounded lifestyle. Our move into farming and self-sufficiency is motivated by a desire for better balance, health, and a more sustainable way of living. This project is still in its early stages, and we are learning and building as we go.
Our long-term goal is to create a self-sufficient homestead. At the moment, we are focusing on establishing a productive vegetable garden and planting a wide variety of trees across the property, with the vision of gradually developing a diverse, botanical-style landscape that includes edible, useful, and indigenous species.
We are looking for enthusiastic, hands-on people who enjoy practical work, problem-solving, and learning by doing. Interests such as gardening, permaculture, DIY projects, woodworking, building, and sustainable living fit in very well here. We value curiosity and a willingness to get involved more than formal experience.
Guests stay in a private studio-style wooden cottage with an open-plan layout, including a sleeping area, kitchenette, and private bathroom. The space is simple, comfortable, and surrounded by nature.
We provide groceries and ingredients, including fresh produce from the garden when available. We enjoy sharing meals and exchanging ideas, but guests also have independence and privacy in their own space.
Our location offers the best of both worlds. We are surrounded by open farmland and a peaceful rural atmosphere, while still being close to Cape Town. The Atlantic coastline is nearby, the historic village of Philadelphia is a short drive away, and the Atlantis Dunes area offers striking white sand dunes, nature walks, and sandboarding. Cape Town’s mountains, beaches, markets, restaurants, and cultural attractions are all within easy reach for day trips and weekend exploring.
We enjoy meeting people from around the world who are interested in sustainability, creativity, and hands-on learning, and we look forward to welcoming volunteers who want to contribute, learn, and be part of our journey.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We enjoy a friendly and social atmosphere and love to spend evenings sharing meals, chatting, and relaxing. A traditional South African “braai” (barbecue) is something we regularly do, and it’s a great way to connect, cook together, and unwind. There is also a local bar nearby where we sometimes go, and we have a good relationship with neighbors and people in the surrounding area, so there are opportunities for informal social interaction beyond the property as well.
We are happy to share both practical and technical knowledge. My husband brings an engineering background with experience in systems design, problem-solving, and technical thinking developed through work in tech and nanotechnology. While not all of this is directly related to the homestead, these skills often shape how we approach building, planning, and solving practical challenges. We are also happy to share general DIY thinking and hands-on approaches to problem-solving. Gardening, planting, and day-to-day homestead skills are shared in a very practical, learn-by-doing way.
At the same time, we are very excited to learn from our Workawayers. As an international couple, we deeply value cultural exchange and have already been shaped by living and studying in different countries. We are especially interested in learning about other cultures, cuisines, gardening methods, and practical techniques that people bring from their own experiences. We see this project as something that grows through shared knowledge.
We are open to all kinds of personalities, but comfort around animals is important, as our dogs are part of daily life here and interact closely with guests.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Workawayers will mainly be involved in hands-on outdoor and homestead projects. At the moment, our focus is on establishing and expanding our vegetable garden, planting trees across the property, and developing the land into a more diverse and productive space. Tasks may include gardening, soil preparation, planting, watering systems, mulching, weeding, root propagation, harvesting, and general land improvement work.
We are especially interested in people who enjoy working with plants and are curious about permaculture-style systems. Depending on the season and ongoing projects, there may also be opportunities to help with nursery work, seed starting, and experimenting with different growing methods.
We like to work together with Workawayers rather than simply giving tasks, so there is often a shared learning experience. We are still building this homestead ourselves, so many of the projects are experimental and evolving. This creates space for discussion, problem-solving, and learning practical skills together as we go.
The atmosphere is informal and collaborative. Some days we work side by side in the garden, and other times volunteers may work more independently once tasks are clear. We value initiative, curiosity, and a willingness to get involved in physical outdoor work.
Languages
Languages spoken
Afrikaans: Fluent
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
Guests stay in a private studio-style wooden cottage on our property. The space has an open-plan layout, with a sleeping area, kitchenette, and private bathroom. It is simple but comfortable, clean, and private, offering a peaceful place to rest after a day of outdoor work. Bedding is provided, and the cottage is fully set up for an independent stay.
The kitchenette is part of the main living space (open-plan style), and includes basic facilities for preparing simple meals. The cottage is secure and suitable for both short and longer stays, with a calm rural environment surrounded by nature.
We provide food and groceries, including basic supplies and ingredients. Whenever available, we also include fresh produce from our garden. Meals are flexible—sometimes we share meals together, especially during braais (South African barbecues), and other times volunteers are welcome to cook independently in their own space.
We aim to make sure guests are well taken care of while still maintaining independence and comfort during their stay.
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.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Photos
