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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.
Interesses
Animais
Praia
Livros
Eventos e social
História
Mascotes
Cuidar de plantas
Fazenda
Escrever
Tecnologia
Sustentabilidade
Autodesenvolvimento
Velejar/navegar
Atividades ao ar livre
Naturaleza
Idiomas
Montanhas
Esportes de aventura
LGBTQ
Caminhada
Jardinagem
Fitness
Faça você mesmo
Culinária e comida
Carpintaria
Camping
Idiomas
Inglês: Fluente
Espanhol: Iniciante
Habilidades e conhecimento para compartilhar ou aprender
Temos interesse em:
Trabalho beneficente
Idiomas
Conhecimento de:
Jardinagem
Criar/cozinhar refeições caseiras
Vida na fazenda
Ajuda a cuidar da casa
Cuidar de animais
Hotelaria/turismo
Projetos artísticos
Podemos ensinar:
Projetos de construção/faça você mesmo
Manutenção geral
Projetos ambientais
Ajuda com computadores/internet
Quais são suas habilidades?
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.
Idade
36 & 35
Algo mais...
We drink alcohol socially.
Mais algumas informações
Fumante
Carteira de motorista
Alergias
Dietas especiais
