Create a permaculture food forest and be part of our family life in Ōhau, New Zealand

Infos

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  Description

  We are a warm, creative, slightly chaotic family who loves nature, good food, being outdoors, and meeting people from around the world. We host Workawayers because we enjoy sharing our home, ideas, skills, and garden — and because we love the cultural exchange that naturally grows from living and working together.
  
  In December 2025, we moved into our new home in Ōhau which is in Horowhenua, just north of the Kāpiti Coast: a nearly 1-hectare lifestyle block with paddock, trees, and huge potential. Our dream is to turn it into a permaculture-inspired food forest for our family and friends (not a business!). It’s a big, exciting project and we’d love you to be part of it.
  
  Alongside the garden work, you’ll also be part of our relaxed, near screen-free family rhythm and help spend afternoons with our 6-year-old daughter, who loves games, art, stories, and outdoor play.
  
  You’ll join us for family dinners every evening, take part in outings if you’d like, and enjoy plenty of time to relax in our two lounges or explore the area. This isn’t a hostel or a commercial farm where you live separate from the family — it’s a social, friendly home where you’ll be welcomed as part of our little community.
  Nau mai, haere mai!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Bénévolat

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Aide dans une ferme

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Langues

  

  Ferme

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Technologie

  

  Politique/justice sociale

  

  Événements/vie sociale

  

  Culture

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Histoire

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Livres

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Jardinage

  

  Dessin et peinture

  

  Nature

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Randonnée

  

  Montagne

  

  Plage
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  With us, you’ll experience:
  
  --> daily life in a Kiwi-Taiwanese–German family
  
  -->time and space to arrive and be, let your experiences settle and recharge before you continue on
  
  --> a warm, social home with shared meals and conversation
  
  --> exposure to German, English, Te Reo, and sometimes Mandarin
  
  --> the beginnings of a real food forest
  
  --> homeschooling activities, nature play, and creative learning
  
  --> local outings (beach days, forest walks, geocaching, museum trips)
  
  -->the chance to meet other Workawayers from around the world
  
  You’re free to join us in our activities — or to head out and do your own thing. Both are completely fine.

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  Aide « au pair »

  Cet hôte recherche des jeunes filles Au pair.

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  What We’re Really Looking For:
  
  Our Workaway is primarily about helping in the garden. If you love being outdoors, working with plants, soil, and food systems, you’ll feel right at home here.
  
  Roughly speaking, the help usually looks like this:
  ~70% garden & outdoor work
  ~20% household & kitchen tasks
  ~10% time spent with our daughter
  
  Spending time with our daughter is part of daily life here and can be lovely and fun, but this is not a babysitting or childcare placement. One parent is always at home, and you’re never left solely responsible for her.
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  1. Garden & Household Help (Main Focus )
  
  Most of the help here is outdoors and garden-focused. Our property is already active and evolving, not a place for “busy work”. Everything we ask for has a purpose and fits into a bigger plan.
  
  Our lifestyle block is a mix of paddock, established ornamental plantings, hedges, roses, and young food-forest areas. We’re gradually shaping it into a resilient, permaculture-inspired system.
  
  Typical tasks include:
  
  planting, weeding, mulching, and watering young trees
  
  pruning hedges, roses, and established trees
  
  cutting, stacking, and processing firewood
  
  preparing and improving garden beds
  
  identifying existing plants and learning how they fit into the system
  
  seasonal jobs such as preserving food or processing garden materials
  
  helping with cooking or sharing favourite recipes
  
  household tasks like cleaning windows, cupboards, and general tidying
  
  We don’t do meaningless busywork. If something is being done, it’s because it improves the land, the house, or the system as a whole.
  
  We’re always happy to explain why we do things the way we do, whether it’s pruning timing, mulch choices, or how one task supports another. If you enjoy understanding the bigger picture and learning as you work, you’ll fit in well here.
  
  Gardening or permaculture experience is welcome, but not required. Curiosity, care, and a willingness to get your hands dirty matter far more.
  
  2. Time with Our Daughter (Small but Meaningful Part 🌈)
  
  A smaller portion of the help involves spending time with our daughter, usually in the afternoons:
  
  playing, crafting, building, reading
  bouncing on the trampoline or playing badminton or ball games
  outdoor adventures and imaginative play
  boardgames and jigsaws
  chatting with her in English, German, Mandarin, or Te Reo Māori (any is fine)
  
  She is curious, energetic, and loves connecting with people. This time is about being present and playful, not supervising or taking responsibility. A parent is always nearby or at home.
  
  Hours & Schedule
  
  We ask for 25 hours per week, with plenty of flexibility.
  
  we usually alternate between work days and days off, rather than doing a little bit every day
  
  this means full, focused garden days followed by real downtime
  
  no early mornings — sleep-ins are welcome
  
  most work happens from late morning through the afternoon
  
  days often finish with doing the dishes together
  
  This rhythm leaves lots of space for:
  
  hiking and exploring nearby tracks
  
  swimming in the ocean or rivers
  
  resting, reading, or social time
  
  We plan the week around the weather, our daughter’s routine, and everyone’s energy levels. If you have preferences (for example, mostly garden days, or needing certain days free), just let us know. Clear communication keeps things smooth for everyone.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Allemand: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Chinois (mandarin): Courant
  Maori: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Our family language is English, but there is a good mix of the other languages to find in our every day life, too!
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  Hébergement

  You will have your own private room — unless you arrive with a friend, partner, or family member and choose to share. This is our family home after all, not a hostel, so your personal space matters to us.
  
  We have two guest bedrooms:
  1. The bigger room with a queen sized bed, comfortably sleeping 2 adults
  2. The bunk room has a bunk bed with king single mattresses each, sleeping very comfortably two adults (arguably more sleeping space each)
  
  We also have a sofa bed that sleeps 1 adult or 2 kids and a spare mattress for on the floor, both could easily be placed in either of the rooms, making sleeping arrangements flexible for families, couples and friends alike.
  
  You will also have access to:
  
  --> two lounges (one upstairs, one downstairs)
  
  --> plenty of books, jigsaws and board games (please note we do not own a TV)
  
  --> several quiet spaces indoors and outdoors
  
  --> a large garden and wide open paddock (which slowly transforms into a food forest)
  
  There is lots of room to spread out, relax, and enjoy privacy whenever you want.

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  Autres infos...

  We have no pets and are non-smokers, and we only will accept non-smoking Workawayers.
  
  Sometimes we host up to four Workawayers (if they arrive in pairs or groups or as a family).
  Sometimes you will be the only one. Both create beautiful experiences.
  
  If a family with children is staying, we won’t host additional Workawayers at the same time, to keep things comfortable for everyone.
  
  We prioritise kindness, communication, shared meals, and a relaxed atmosphere.
  
  We’d love to welcome you into our home — whether you’re a gardener, a creative spirit, a nature-lover, or someone who simply enjoys being part of a warm, lively family and willing to lend a hand.
  
  Life is chaotic but we make a point of sharing at a minimum dinner as a family, and we cover the cost of all meals for our Workawayers (bring your own snacks).
  
  We are on a restricted water supply and have our own septic system so need to be mindful of water usage and what goes down the drain.
  
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  Our location strikes the perfect balance of nature and accessibility:
  
  About an hour’s drive from both Wellington and Palmerston North.
  
  InterCity buses stop in Levin — another convenient arrival option.
  
  We are surrounded by stunning landscapes:
  
  ༄.°Beautiful beaches just 10 minutes away
  
  ༄.°Tararua Ranges offering incredible tramping and hiking opportunities
  
  ༄.°Kāpiti and Mana Islands, must-visit wildlife reserves showcasing some of New Zealand’s most spectacular ecosystems
  
  We warmly welcome families (including single parents) and individuals from all backgrounds. As LGBTQIA+ allies, we strive to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for everyone.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  We have plenty areas to sit (or stand) while working at a PC and have a 4G connection.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Our driveway has space to park up your vehicle safely.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  We do not have pets but would potentially consider hosting someone with a pet, this needs to be discussed in advance though.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Mes animaux

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