Help with some DIY tasks at a smallholding in Underberg, South Africa

Disponibilité

  2024 

 Séjour min. souhaité : Au moins une semaine

Jan
Fév
Mar
Avr
Mai
Jui
Jui
A
Sep
Oct
Nov
Déc

Infos

  • Description

    Description

    We were used to constant travel and suddenly own a smallholding (impulse buy) with donkeys (spontaneous rescue mission) daft dogs (currently including a thug of a puppy), ducks and chickens. Now we’re in, we're in. There's lots to do, and we still need to go away sometimes for work.

    We spend a lot of time in the mountains and travel for work and races, so our ideal Workaway situation is a couple - or someone VERY content to be on their own and capable of looking after the homestead when we need to be away for a night, a week or sometimes a month (ie have dogs take over your cottage, if not your bed)

    We’re not brave enough to be real farmers but are trying to rehabilitate the 14ha valley we find ourselves custodians of, and by sticking to personal and permaculture-ish principles, manage to grow some food and keep the land healthy. There is a cottage for holiday rent and a long ToDo list of ideas to implement, but with other work that often keeps us computer-bound all day - as we work from home - it is, frustratingly, forever growing longer.

    Work wise there are endless jobs to do and projects to tackle depending on the season, your abilities, creativity and willingness to leave your mark. Growing food, general land maintenance, building animal shelters, clearing invasives, planting indigenous trees and an orchard, beekeeping. Handyman skills are always welcome! We need you to be able to operate independently most times and stay mindful as though it were your own place.

    We live in the incredibly beautiful Southern Drakensberg region, just outside Underberg town in KwaZuluNatal where all four seasons are evident, often colliding in one day. To fully appreciate the natural beauty of the area you can take advantage of the trail running, hiking, cycling, horse riding and (in Summer) river paddling opportunities in the immediate area and we are happy to advise best options and encourage a lot of playtime to balance out work.
    (It’s also a top destination for flyfishing but we’re clueless on that.)
    The birdlife is prolific and wildflowers are spectacular. As Underberg is not known for its pumping party scene, your nightlife is restricted to limitless skies filled with owl and jackal calls. It's not the place to be if you need constant entertainment and social life.

    Accom in your own comfortable self-catering cottage so you can be as independent as we like to be. We may share a few meals together but overall do not provide food as part of the deal.

  • Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Jardinage
    Bricolage et construction
    S’occuper des animaux
    Aide dans une ferme
    Entretien général
  • Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    We are South Africans who, between us, have traveled extensively - one for sport and one for general being, choosing to live and work all over the world and now based here since 2020.
    We understand the need to be still for a bit while traveling, to have a base from which to properly explore an area and that accommodation is often a crippling expense.
    We have immersed ourselves here and can share a lot of knowledge and experience about the outdoor world but we are also private people and expect you to entertain yourselves with all the opportunities available in the area.

  • Aide

    Aide

    The work options are mostly all outdoors and physical on the 14 hectare land getting dirty and in touch with the earth, and flexible depending on your current frame of mind - do you need to nurture young seedlings or whack out undesirables, build a useful structure or break down an ugly one? There is no set routine. If you have specific skills that you want put to use then we will try find a project for them. You must be content to work on your own at most times.
    (If you have any experience burro racing and want to help train up our reprobate donkeys, you're in!)
    Cottage renovation - any architectural/ structural/ brilliant idea/ building experience
    But most importantly, when we are away, we entrust the wellbeing of our pet animals to you.

  • Langues parlées

    Anglais: Courant
    Portugais: Intermédiaire

  • Hébergement

    Hébergement

    Your own private cottage for one person or a couple. It is open plan with kitchen and lounge area, couch and table. Bathroom with shower. Electric lights and plug points, Gas stove and geyser. There is some cell reception but no wifi.
    We will share some (vegetarian) meals but you will largely be independent. In Summer there is plenty of fresh food from the garden and we always get fresh farm milk from the neighbouring farm.
    The small town is 10km away, easy shopping at a well stocked Superspar.
    A few coffeeshops in the area have wifi.

  • Autres infos...

    Autres infos...

    This is a great place for athletes - runners, paddlers, cyclists - wanting a place to train and still keep busy otherwise. We sit at an altitude of 1500m with access to the runnable trails of the little Berg and up passes to the Lesotho escarpment with many peaks over 3000m. And also great if you need time and space to write your novel or paint your pictures. It’s a quiet haven and a place to be yourself.
    One or two persons (traveling together) only. So you really should be content without a lot of people around.
    Traveling dogs that can refrain from eating free ranging chickens and wildlife are welcome, but note there is no fencing that will prevent a dog from getting out if they are inclined to runaway.

  • Informations complémentaires

    Informations complémentaires

    • Accès Internet

    • Accès Internet limité

      Accès Internet limité

    • Nous avons des animaux

    • Nous sommes fumeurs

    • Familles bienvenues

  • Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

    Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

    Cet hôte a dit qu’il acceptait les personnes voyageant avec un animal.

  • Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Deux

  • ...

    Nombre d'heures attendues

    15hrs/week

N° de référence hôte : 934361429996

Feedback (8)



Feedback

Ce sont des évaluations supplémentaires en option lorsque les membres laissent un feedback. La note moyenne pour chaque option est affichée.

Exactitude du profil:
(5.0)

Échange culturel:
(5.0)

Communication:
(5.0)










Besoin d'un coup de main dans notre ferme dans le Drakensberg, en Afrique du Sud
Experience busy farm life, and join our team in nature in the Western Cape, South Africa