Help out on a small property and experience New Zealand life.

Details

Description

We are on a small property midway between Invercargill and Riverton, Southland. We are beginning our second season developing a garden based on the principles outlined in JM Fortier's 'Market Gardener' book blending in methods used by Richard Perkins. We are interested in restoring healthy soil using only local, organic inputs where possible with a holistic approach. We have learnt a lot in the last year and are happy to share that knowledge with others.

We are a family of 7 with five homeschooled children aged from 1-12 years of age. We run a small home based business as well as running a few sheep and chickens on our homestead. My Parents have 3 horses next door that we look after regularly also.

Our property adjoins Big Lagoon, a QEII covenanted wetland with a diverse ecology and approx. 40 minute return walk.
Type of help

Gardening
Babysitting / child care
Farmstay
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

We aim to provide a natural NZ family experience. Living adjacent a restored wetland gives a unique experience around pest control, native planting and see some native birdlife. We currently have a trial market garden plot where we are experimenting with the tools and techniques outlined in the book 'The Market Gardener' by JM Fortier. We aim to have our guests experience and try first hand as many of these techniques as possible.
Help

We have a range of options depending on the time of year. We have general garden maintenance, poultry care, some horse feeding and a market garden size vegetable plot with varying crops throughout the year.
We also cut and split our own firewood and there could be some native planting/maintenance around the lagoon at times.
Languages spoken

English
Accommodation

We have a separate sleepout with double bunk bed for up to 3 guests. Bathroom is inside the house but there are breakfast and tea and coffee facilities in the sleepout. Lunch and evening meals would be shared in the house.
What else …

We are near to Riverton, Invercargill and Stewart Island. Oreti beach is an approx 5km drive. We can transport to town (Invercargill) most days.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?

Two
Hours expected

Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Photos

Show all photos

Feedback left by and about host (23)

25/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Claire)

We enjoyed having Claire stay.
She was a big help out in the garden clearing weeds, harvesting, planting seeds.
Claire is a very quiet young woman, very clean and tidy, she got on well with our children.

(Excellent )

02/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Katie & Johannes)

It was a pleasure having Katie and Johannes staying with us. They were willing to give everything a go. Fantastic in the the kitchen! Patient with our children. The kids learnt about Wales and Finland.
They were keen to be out in the garden even when the weather wasn't at its best! We really enjoyed having them here.
They are welcome back anytime.

(Excellent )

02/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Chen)

We really enjoyed having Flora stay with us. She got on well with our children.
Flora was very clean and tidy and willing to help with whatever we needed. It was mostly indoor things this time, helping with general cleaning around the home and playing games with the kids.

(Excellent )

10/07/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (RONJAT & QUANQUIN-LAFFONT)

We had the pleasure of hosting Camille and Manon for the last week. We really enjoyed having them stay. They were fantastic with the kids. Happy to just go with what each day brought, from feeding horses to trimming the strawberry plants, sowing seed and planting out seedlings.
We would welcome them back anytime and wish them well in their travels.

(Excellent )

07/05/2019

Left by Workawayer (Theresa) for host

I had the most wonderful time with Kylie, Nathan, James, Addie, Patrick, Jonathan, and Peter!! The two weeks went by way too fast and left me wishing that I could have spent longer with this lovely family.

Most of the work I did was indoors- helping with chores around the house, helping the kids with various tasks, cooking, etc. With no… read more structured daily schedule, each day was different and I was never bored. Unfortunately, between the often rainy weather and the temperature getting colder, I didn’t get to see much of the gardening/farming, but my stay was amazing nonetheless.

Kylie and Nathan are excellent hosts who went out of their way to make sure that I was comfortable and happy. They were very attentive and constantly checked in with me to make sure I was alright. The kids all have unique, vibrant personalities and are tons of fun to spend time with. Kylie is an amazing cook and the food is plentiful- you will never be hungry!

Note that with five kids, the position requires a lot of energy. Kylie and Nathan are very understanding of your need for personal space/to take a break, but this position is undeniably unsuited to someone who needs a quiet atmosphere. I highly recommend this family to any potential Workawayer who wants to experience life in a big family. 🙂

You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.

(Excellent )

09/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Theresa)

We feel really fortunate to have had Tess stay with us for around two weeks. Our house can be busy and noisy and fairly chaotic and Tess got to experience it all! She was super helpful with the children while we were busier than normal with work and they really benefited from the time she spent with them. From board games to music to cooking and… read more everything in between there was never a dull moment throughout her stay!
We had some average weather while Tess was here which made it difficult to spend much time in the garden and around the property. So unfortunately we didn't get to do as much of what we like to show our guests about our plans and small-farm setup.
However Tess went above and beyond in helping us get through a very busy time and we were sad to say goodbye at the end of her stay. Two weeks went really fast (for us!) and it would have been nice to have Tess stay even longer. If you have the pleasure of hosting her, you will find Tess very helpful, polite and neat and tidy. We can't recommend her highly enough and wish her well in all her travels.

(Excellent )

14/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Clara)

Clara and Nora stayed with us for almost a week. They were great with the kids, clean, tidy and respectful. It was a wet week, so not so much outside work but they were happy to adapt and help with the kids and other inside tasks.
We really enjoyed having them stay. They were bright and bubbly and fitted in well here.
They are welcome back anytime.

(Excellent )

02/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (sandra)

We had the pleasure of hosting Amèlie and Sandra. One week was not long enough! They are very cheerful and fun. Amazing in the kitchen, great with the kids and happy to give everything a go.
They helped us inside with some cleaning and produced a professional result. Amelie and Sandra also helped out in our garden thinning carrots, weeding and… read more putting up row covers. They went above and beyond what was expected. We would welcome them back anytime.

(Excellent )

02/04/2019

Left by Workawayer (Amelie) for host

We had a really nice week at Kylie and Nathan home. All the family made us feel at home. It was great to spend time with them, playing with the kids, helping Kylie in the kitchen, learning about the garden, having a pic nic in Riverton …
Sometimes the kids can be a bit noisy but they are good kids, fun,always happy to help !
If you are not… read more afraid of a busy and lively home go you will enjoy it!
Thanks a lot for everything guys!

(Excellent )

01/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Amelie)

(Excellent )

17/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Chelsea)

We really enjoyed having Chelsea stay. She got on well with the kids. Very clean and tidy. A great independent worker. Chelsea helped de-tangle our strawberry plants from their many runners which was a big job, clear thistle, and daily watered our tunnel house and gardens and checked on the hens. A highlight was the Swedish pancakes Chelsea made… read more for us one morning. Always really helpful around the house and it was a pleasure to have her stay.
We wish you all the best on your travels and the kids are really looking forward to visiting Alaska sometime in the future!

(Excellent )

10/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Elisa & Miquel)

Miki and Elisa were amazing! They were so great with all our children. Great workers, nothing was a problem for them. They helped us in the garden, with the kids, staked and tied a lot of trees, stacked firewood, cleared weeds and helped build a compost bin.
Miki cooked some delicious food, it was like eating at a restaurant in our own home! We… read more will miss you both and wish you well on your travels. If you have the chance to host Miki and Elisa, we highly recommend you take the opportunity.

(Excellent )

09/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Elisa & Miquel) for host

We had an amazing time at Kylie and Nathan’s place ! Their house and garden are wonderful and they have 5 beautiful kids! We directly felt part of the family ! They are all very involved in their house life. Kylie is an amazing cook and the kids knows a lot thanks to her ! They have achieved an amazing work with their garden and we were eating… read more everyday from it ! We also went fishing and eat delicious flounders! The grandparents lives in front of the house and they are so kind. The work was never to hard and made us learn a lot of things about organic gardening for example. The kids are always motivated for activities ! We enjoyed a lot doing yoga or playing board games ( risk!!) Thanks for everything. All the best !! Take care. Miki and Elisa

You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.

(Excellent )

07/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Elli) for host

I stayed with Nathan, Kylie, and the kids for a week and it was definitely not long enough! They all make you feel like a part of their family right away. I learned so much about organic gardening and got to see some new gardening methods I've never seen before. You can tell just how passionate Kylie and Nathan both are about their garden and it… read more makes work seem so much easier because you know what you're doing is appreciated. The kids are a little rambunctious at times but they're so much fun and will always keep you company. Kylie is an AMAZING cook. I had some of the best food I've eaten since being in New Zealand and lots of ingredients were right from their garden which made it even better! I had some of the most amazing experiences while staying here and have memories I'll never forget. I miss them all so much already! Thank you all so much for the incredible experience.

You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.

(Excellent )

06/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Elli)

We really enjoyed having Elli stay with us and miss having her here already! She is very polite and has a great way with children plus is a fantastic worker. Elli helped out with a lot of different projects around our place and took everything in her stride.
It was our pleasure having her stay and we wish Elli all the best in her travels through… read more New Zealand and beyond!

(Excellent )

19/02/2019

Left by Workawayer (atena) for host

Such a lovely family! They always make you fell welcom and part of the family. The Kids are very funny and Smart, you Will enjoy playing with them. The food was always pleintfull and healthy and The dessert was always a nice surprise! Thank you for the nice days I spent with you. Enjoy Your healthy country life! Ciao ciao

(Excellent )

17/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (atena)

We really enjoyed having Atena stay with us for around a week. Atena is lovely and polite and great with the children. She cooked some amazing food from her region during her stay. While here she helped in the gardens and around the house and nothing was a problem for her. We'd really recommend you have Atena stay if the opportunity arises and we… read more wish her well in all her travels through NZ and the world.

(Excellent )

17/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Lily)

Lily is such a lovely, vibrant person who was such a lot of fun to have around. Whether it was epic Trivial Pursuit battles with the kids or introducing us to new cultural and literary experiences, we learnt a lot from Lily in her short time here.
Always happy to help with anything that was needed, from watering plants to mowing through piles of… read more dishes, Lily just slotted in seamlessly.
Due to Lily's influence, we are now hooked on watching 'The Good Place' and I really hope Eleanor gets to stay and work things out… anyway…. as always it's sad saying goodbye to those who come through and enrich our lives and we wish Lily all the best on her continued travels through Asia. We definitely recommend her as a Workaway guest if you get the opportunity to meet her on her adventure.

(Excellent )

17/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Marie)

It was a real pleasure to have Marie stay with us for around a week of her travels. She helped out with everything from looking after the baby to helping with the horses and gardens. Marie is such a friendly person and instantly became a part of the family, adding to the kids French language and cooking some amazing food!
Always up for a game of… read more soccer with the kids. Marie went above and beyond with helping out and we already miss having her around. We hope Marie has a great trip exploring the world and we hope you get the opportunity to meet her if she comes through your area.

(Excellent )

04/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Anais)

We've just had Anaïs stay for the past 2 weeks and it was a pleasure to have her. We highly recommend her and would happily have her back anytime. Anaïs was a great help here around the garden with watering and weeding, harvesting veges and collecting eggs from the henhouses. She also assisted feeding the horses every day. Inside she cooked some… read more amazing meals and helped with general work around the house. She kept the sleepout neat and tidy the entire time. The kids absolutely adored her and managed to learn some French along the way! Anaïs is great with children and we were all sad to say goodbye as she continues her New Zealand adventure. She has an easygoing and relaxed nature and was able to adapt to our busy household with ease. We wish Anaïs well in all her future travels.

(Excellent )

04/02/2019

Left by Workawayer (Anais) for host

I have spent a good time with Nathan and Kylie. They live in a beautiful area surrounded by nature. They have been really welcoming with me. I had my own room, clean and cosy. Each morning I had to feed the horses, to water the garden, to pick some fresh vegies, to weed a bit, to thank the chikens for the eggs. I also helped Kylie in the house… read more with different jobs: cooking, cleaning, teach french to the children. The brought me to the beach, we went to visit a food forest and we also fishing. They are a lovely and friendly persons. Kids can be noisy because they are young and full of energy, you will have to be patient and relax but Peter is the cuttest baby I have met in my life. Thank you for this experience 🙂

(Excellent )

17/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Sophie) for host

My stay at Kylie and Nathan's place was a great experience, and they are nice people!

The tasks were quite diverse, and were well explained to me. They are just starting their small scale farming buisnes, and it's nice to see the beginning of such a project! They have an embroidering and vinyl printing buisnes as well, and I gave them a hand with… read more this as well. I also learned a lot about kids, doing some baking, room tidying, or games with them.

They were very flexible regarding my arrival and departure dates. The room was really nice, clean, and offered privacy. Kylie is an amazing cook, and I enjoyed sharing meals with the family!

To keep it short (well, not too long at least): I advise you to go there!

You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.

(Excellent )

12/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Sophie)

We're just about to say goodbye to Sophie who has been here for nearly two weeks. It has been a pleasure having her stay and help out and hopefully she has managed to learn a few things while here. She has been super helpful both in the house and around the property.
Sophie is great with children – patient and co-operative and the highlight for… read more them has definitely been the animal bread baking day!
She has been helping us with feeding the animals and collecting eggs. Also watering the tunnelhouse and gardens, clearing an overgrown garden and pathway and harvesting vegetables. She planted a bed of carrots and started some seedling trays.
Kylie really appreciated Sophie's help in the kitchen and she has been very neat and tidy.
We have really enjoyed having Sophie here and wish her well as she continues her travels through New Zealand an further afield.

(Excellent )

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Help out on a small property and experience New Zealand life.

Description

Type of help

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Help

Languages spoken

Accommodation

What else …

A little more information

How many Workawayers can stay?

Hours expected