Meet the cutest and friendliest sheep in the world and enjoy our place in Rotorua, New Zealand

Infos

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  Description

  Welcome to my little slice of the countryside. My husband and I moved here from the city to begin our next adventure on just over 5 acres of bare land. We built a garage with a small workshop to live in while we finished the cottage. Sadly, he passed away in 2023, but I’ve continued working toward our dream of being as self-sufficient as possible.
  
  The property is peaceful, with beautiful sunrise and sunset views from the small hills.
  
  It is very important that guests follow instructions carefully. Some tasks directly affect animal health, and I have sadly lost animals when instructions were not followed, so attention to detail is essential.
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  Food
  
  I grow a good portion of my own food, preserve what I can, and cook most things from scratch. We run on solar power and collected rainwater, so I kindly ask guests to be mindful of electricity and water use. If you love fresh air, quiet surroundings, and friendly animals, this is a wonderful place to relax, learn, and settle into rural life.
  I am not a business and don’t sell anything. Everything grown or preserved here is for myself and my guests. Most of our meat (beef and lamb) and many vegetables are homegrown or gifted by neighbours.
  
  I normally say Grace before meals. Most dinners include meat, but I am happy to cook vegetarian meals, sorry I cannot guarantee vegan meals. Meals are healthy, home-cooked, and generous. You’re welcome to bring snacks if you like to eat between meals.
  
  I also have food intolerances (such as coffee and kidney beans),
  
  
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  Water, Power & House Guidelines
  
  All water on the property is collected rainwater that is filtered and stored. Please help conserve it by keeping showers short and using a plug in the sink when washing vegetables or dishes. Hot water is gas-heated, so shorter showers support our sustainability efforts.
  
  I have solar-powered, so please turn off lights and appliances when they’re not in use.
  
  Animals
  
  You’ll be greeted by my three very friendly Border Collies—Aunty Lily, Basil, and Charlie Brown. They live inside, love cuddles, and can be quite excited when you first arrive or if they haven’t seen you for a while.
  
  Each has their own personality:
  
  Charlie is the goofy one, always tripping over something, but very affectionate and keen to “help” with the animals.
  
  Basil is gentle and calm, especially with the sheep. He keeps Charlie in check but cannot play fetch anymore due to an old injury.
  
  Lily is small but very talkative—she loves to “tell you off” in the mornings if you were gone (even if you were just sleeping). She’s energetic during the day and cuddly in the evenings.
  
  
  Because the dogs get excited at night, I do ask guests not to enter the dining/sitting room once everyone has gone to bed.
  
  I also have Buddy, a stray cat who comes and goes as he pleases, as well as free-range chickens and ducks who are fed and locked up safely each day.
  
  My cows, Caerphilly, Caernarfon and Kilkenny enjoy silage two or three times a day from autumn to late spring.
  
  My biggest joy, however, is my flock of Valais Blacknose sheep—often called the cutest sheep in the world. Many are named after Scottish castles, such as Cardoness, Dumfries, and Eilean Donan. Hattie, a purebred ewe who had a rough start in life, is a favourite and especially enjoys thin slices of apple. The sheep are friendly, love attention, and move easily with a bucket of multinut.
  
  Lambing takes place between August October, which can be busy if we’re bottle-feeding orphans. Throughout the year we also do drenching, foot care, and general animal maintenance.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Animaux de compagnie

  

  Ferme

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Histoire

  

  Jardinage

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Animaux

  

  Nature
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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

  I’m happy to share what I’ve learned about growing and preserving food, as well as baking and cooking with homegrown ingredients. Most of the food here is homemade and sourced directly from the property.
  
  You’ll also have the chance to help with animal care, especially with my beautiful Valais Blacknose sheep.
  
  If you enjoy nature, there are lovely sunrise and sunset views from the small hills on the property—perfect for a peaceful moment at the start or end of the day.
  
  I’m also able to teach basic dog training, self-defence, and karate for those who are interested.

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  Aide

  The work here can be physically demanding, so I’m looking for helpers who are hardworking, reliable, and have a positive, “can-do” attitude. You should be comfortable working independently as well as with others, and able to follow instructions carefully. This is extremely important—there are specific reasons tasks must be done a certain way, and in the past I have unfortunately lost animals when instructions weren’t followed. If you’re ever unsure why something is done a certain way, please ask—I’m always happy to explain.
  
  From time to time, chicken feed will need to be carried up the hill to the chicken house. Bags can weigh up to 20 kg, so you will need to be able to handle that. Silage for the cows and sheep can weigh up to 50 kg, so being able to push or pull a bale is also essential.
  
  Although this is a small farm, it is a very busy one. You will likely get muddy, dirty, and occasionally covered in “other things” 💩—that’s just farm life! Gumboots and gloves are necessary. I have a few spare pairs, but not all sizes. Wet-weather gear, a sunhat, and sunscreen are also important, as work happens outside in all types of weather.
  
  Current Work
  
  At the moment, I have two bigger projects underway:
  
  Pasture maintenance (weeding paddocks)
  
  Sorting and organising the shed
  There is also ongoing work in the vegetable gardens, greenhouse, and around the paddocks.
  
  
  You may also be helping with feeding out—two or three times a day—by giving silage to the sheep and cows for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  
  Other Jobs Throughout the Year
  
  Tasks can vary widely depending on the season, weather, and farm needs. Examples include:
  
  Feeding animals
  
  Bottling-feeding lambs
  
  Moving animals (they’re very friendly and easy to move)
  
  Removing weeds from pastures
  
  Collecting eggs and ( washing duck eggs)
  
  Gardening and watering
  
  Organising workshops and sheds
  
  Tidying around the property
  
  Helping with preserving food: canning, dehydrating, fermenting, and pickling
  
  Baking and cooking
  
  House cleaning
  
  Painting
  
  
  If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, take pride in your work, and can follow instructions, I’d love to hear from you. A good attitude and willingness to try new things are more important than experience. Sometimes you may be working on your own, and sometimes with others.
  
  
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  A Typical Day (as much as a farm has one 🤣)
  
  7:30 AM – Let the chickens and ducks out, feed them, collect and wash the duck eggs. Feed the sheep and cows, and bottle-feed lambs if needed.
  
  8:00 AM – Breakfast, then helping with dishes and tidying up.
  
  Morning Work – A variety of tasks depending on weather, season, and priority.
  
  On dry days we usually work outside, unless it’s too hot.
  
  On wet days we try to work indoors. This often means cleaning.
  
  However, urgent jobs sometimes need doing in the rain—sorry!
  If you prefer outdoor tasks regardless of weather, just let me know.
  
  
  12:00 PM – Lunch, followed by dishes and kitchen clean-up.
  
  Afternoon – Free time.
  5pm feed out and put the chickens and ducks away.
  
  6:00–6:30 PM – Dinner, followed by tidying up and dishes.
  
  
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  Weekends
  
  Saturday is a day of rest.
  Feeding out can be done at 8 AM if you’d like a sleep-in, followed by breakfast and cleaning your bedroom, change sheets and tidy bathroom before you leave.
  
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  If you’re motivated, dependable, and enjoy the rhythm of farm life, I’d be very happy to welcome you.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant

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  Hébergement

  There is a comfortable queen-size bed in the east wing of the house, with a bathroom and shower located right next to the room for your convenience.
  
  Before you leave, I kindly ask that you remove the used sheets, put fresh sheets on the bed for the next guest, and give both the bedroom and bathroom a quick clean. Please place all used bedding and towels in the laundry so they can be washed.

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  Autres infos...

  For everyone’s safety, please ensure you are in good health and free from colds or flu before arriving. Illness can have serious consequences for me and may result in hospitalization, so this is very important.
  
  I currently do not have Wi-Fi available. The only mobile providers that work reliably here are Spark and Skinny (Skinny is usually the cheaper option). Other networks do not get service on the property.
  
  The closest town is Mamaku, which has a small dairy. If you wish to sightsee, it is strongly recommended that you have your own transport, as there is no bus service into Rotorua.
  
  The InterCity bus stops at the corner of State Highway 5 and the top of Maraurara Road in Mamaku. I’m happy to pick you up from this stop.
  Please do not book the Rotorua bus stop, as there is no connecting bus to my place.
  
  Having your own car is a real advantage for exploring during your free time. Rotorua is about 30 minutes away and offers plenty to see and do—Skyline, hot pools, cultural venues, the beautiful Redwood Forest, and Blue Lake are just a few highlights.
  
  There are also several smaller towns and cities within 30–90 minutes, each with their own great activities and places to explore.
  
  If you like to snack between meals, please feel free to bring your own snacks. All meals and food should be eaten at the dining table.

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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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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Mes animaux

  

  Cows

  Chickens are Ducks

  Hattie- Sheep

  Buddy

  Black cat

  Basil, Lily and Charlie

  Basil and Lily are brother and sister.
  Charlie is Basil's son
  They are all border collies

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