Profile information
Description
We're Deborah and Chris; we like meeting new friends, working hard, and enjoying each moment life brings along. We left office jobs and city life two years ago and haven't looked back. One of our favorite vacation cabin hosts introduced us to the idea of work-trading for travel, and we've been doing work-trade on their ranch in the Missouri Ozarks since September 2020. It's been an incredible opportunity to learn skills in construction, equipment operation and maintenance, forestry and land maintenance, and homestead/off-grid living skills. One of our most recent projects was a tiny, off-grid cabin for future Workaway stays on the property (the red cabin in our pictures). We discovered a love of building small, efficient spaces and designing off-grid living systems; so much so that we started our own small construction company, Dirty Hippie Construction. We hope to one day focus completely on tiny, off-grid construction full-time.
Deborah:
I spent my childhood in a small mountain village on the Philippine Island of Luzon. We (sometimes) had electricity and one road (almost) reached us during the driest months of the year, but all of our groceries, mail and other supplies came in by small plane to an airstrip we'd hike to over the next mountain. Since moving to the US in grade school, I've traveled both around the country and taken extended trips to the Philippines, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Ecuador.
I had fun living the city life for several years in my downtown apartment, but part of my heart always longed for tropical mountains and a life that I create every day with my own two hands. I am resourceful, low maintenance, and not afraid of hard work. I spent nine years as property manager for several large residential communities, which included everything from budget and financials to advertising and social media management. Since leaving the corporate world, I've loved applying my problem solving skills to construction projects, off-grid plumbing systems, and sustainable design. I love learning and love the feeling of a job well done. I can't wait to meet you and hear about your life and journey!
Chris:
I have never lived outside of the Midwestern US, but the few years my family lived in the backwoods of the Ozark mountains instilled a love of the outdoors that I have never outgrown. If I had my way, the only time I'd spend inside a building would be to sleep (and maybe not even then).
I’ve worked 50-60 hours a week for all of my adult life in food service, business sales and management, general contract project management, and done all kinds of manual labor in the oil field. I had no ambitions to climb the corporate ladder though, I just love the feeling of accomplishment after a hard day of honest work. I’m friendly and great with people, but my favorite jobs have always been ones where I spend the day sweaty and dirty, preferably moving lots of heavy things in the process.
I have basic mechanical skills and enjoy repairing small engines. I've followed in my father's electrician footsteps, both wiring for grid power and designing/installing solar-powered systems. My happy place is anywhere with a chainsaw and splitting axe. Please tell me you have trees that need cut into firewood.
Here's a (non-comprehensive, in no particular order) list of projects we've completed over the past couple years:
-- Off-grid workaway cabin with propane hot water/cooking and solar everything-else, designed and built by us from the ground up
-- Four-stall outdoor camp showers with propane hot water and trough sink
-- Shed/cabin conversion for airbnb rental, with outdoor shower and kitchen
-- Outdoor shade pavilion for a back patio
-- Mower garage/garden shed (12'x16'), framed and metal-sheathed
-- Various metal siding and roofing installs, Hardie-board siding install
-- Round-pole fire pit teepees with winch and cooking grate
In addition to our construction and design skills, we come with an extensive construction and mechanical tool collection! We probably have what you need for your next project.
Interests
Animals
Beach
Books
Events & social
History
Pets
Plant care
Farming
Writing
Technology
Sustainability
Self development
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Languages
Mountain
Adventure sports
LGBTQ
Hiking
Gardening
Fitness
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Camping
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Skills and knowledge we'd like to share or learn
We're interested in:
Charity Work
Languages
Some knowledge of:
Gardening
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Life at a Farmstay
Helping around the house
Animal Care
Hospitality/Tourism
Art Projects
Able to teach about:
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Eco Projects
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
Construction skills, including:
-- Setting concrete foundation piers & anchors
-- Layout and framing, both standard stud framing and pole barn style
-- Basic electrical layout and wiring, both AC and DC systems
-- Basic plumbing, both PVC and pex, on- and off-grid systems
-- General finish & trim work
-- Interior feature design & construction (custom shelving, lofts, ladders, counters)
-- Use of power and hand tools (we have a bunch of our own tools that travel with us)
-- Installing & finishing windows and doors
-- Exterior finishes; Metal siding & roofing, Hardie plank siding, asphalt shingles
Property maintenance skills, including:
-- Tree felling/chainsaw work
-- Operating mowers, weedeaters, tractors, etc.
-- Basic maintenance of mowers, weedeaters, tractors, etc.
-- Interior & Exterior home maintenance and repairs
-- Trail clearing & Maintenance
Deborah loves problem-solving with an artistic and creative bent. Chris can't get enough of manual labor, and won't quit until the job is done. We both learn quickly and work hard, and love taking on new tasks and projects.
Age
36 & 34
What else ...
We drink alcohol socially.
Some more information
Smoker
Driver's licence
Allergies
Special dietary requirements
