Help with creating a permaculture pure plant whole food animal shelter community living project in the beautiful Para Wetlands, South Island NZ

About the workproject

We need 4 volunteers

At the moment we offer 4 volunteers for short to mid-term stay the opportunity to help creating a blissful permaculture place of peace, health, joy, love and laughter started in June 2016 in the midst of the stunning Para Wetlands in Marlborough close to Picton, Blenheim and the Pacific coastal beaches. Here an 8 acre land from a former lifestyle farmer is going to be converted into extensive Forest gardens under permaculture organic and biodynamic principles to increase biodiversity and to provide for organic matter and nutrition to the earth and the beings living with her whilst growing organic plant based whole food for cooking and catering and meals for the animals that found shelter here. We are embracing the yogi’s principles = non harming / violating in the way we think, speak and treat people, plants, animals, water and the land.

If you love dogs, cats, ducks, donkeys and yoga, embrace the circle of life with trees, shrubs and vegetables and if you are eating plant based whole food only we would love to meet with you in this most beautiful place and share for a time all gifts that you, we and the land can contribute to create a little paradise on earth and live the change we want to see in this world.

The house is overlooking the wildlife and premisses facing sunny north/west towards the rolling hills of Marlborough Sounds. The Workawayers have their own space in a heated sleep-out in one of the 4 comfortable beds overlooking the paddocks and wetlands. The pantry is loaded with grains, legumes, seeds and nuts and the garden is providing the fresh fruits and vegetables for cooking the meals on the working days. The crystal clear water is coming from a well on the land, is natural and delicious to drink and to cook with.

Our intent is to live a mindful and conscious life with modern amenities like mains power from renewable sources only (mainly water), non-limit internet wifi, power tools and machines while being close to the shops and cafes in Picton and Blenheim by car. The property has the best of both worlds, situated next to the main road providing easy access to all mayor cities of the Island but also overlooking only unspoiled wildlife and our farmland - a truly unique setting.

At the moment we are clearing the garden to create space to put in the fruit and vegetable plants, pathways and animal shelter, a certified kitchen for catering pure plant whole food to the area and having a builder to put up an extension to the house to create more rooms for the community living and B&B.

We usually have our Volunteers coming to us on Sunday evening after dinner and leaving on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning before breakfast. We expect you to help 5 hours a day for 5 days a week on all projects that are involved due to a roster that we’ll make weekly, mainly gardening, cooking, caring for animals, and maintenance. Hours are in general from 9am-12pm and 2-4pm Monday-Friday, but due to demand or weather we all have to be flexible on this. However, if you want to stay for longer we are very happy to talk about it

Preparing your own meals, cleaning the dishes, general kitchen tidiness and keeping the house area you live in clean is considered to be outside workawayers hours and to be shared by all people living here. Apart from that there is plenty to do in the free time: chilling out at the pond in the dingy or on the jetty, snoozing in the hammocks in the midday sun, talking to/petting animals, or taking the car going to cafes, hiking biking kayaking, scuba diving, surfing, swimming or one of the other zillion things to do in one of the most thought after holiday areas on earth Or enjoying your yoga practice on the deck or in the house and a cuppa herbal tea in front of the fireplace in the lounge on cosy winter evenings. We also have a Yoga Yurt in the midst of native bushland 5 mins away and you are welcome to join the yoga classes free of charge in your spare time.

If that sounds like you and you have a hands-on-everything-is-possible-and-a-joy attitude with the appropriate visas please apply with dates of arrival and departure (if any). If you with to stay for longer than a week talk to us about it, we are happy to have a Skype interview before you start your travels to the Sounds.

Only consider this offer if you really enjoy living in the country side, love and have experience with dogs, embrace the yogi ways of peace and harmony, know how to communicate in a non harming way and find it exiting to dig with your hands in organic matter and soil. There is strictly NO meat, diary, alcohol, smoking or drugs allowed on the entire property - and no tollerance what so ever for "attitudes".

We, that is :

- Maia Pono, a german originated Yoga teacher, spiritual healer, Family Constellation Facilitator and pure plant whole foodie amongst lots of other things, is very happy to teach all about healthy food, lifestyle choices, yoga, meditation and holistic healing. Maia had the vision to create Te Paranui as a shared space with/for likeminded people from all over the world. She’s living in Marlborough with her 13Y old son Leander since 2011.
- Kate, who has arrived in NZ from the UK 10 years ago and been busily involved in alternative health, marine mammal environmental education and in various projects all over the planet now runs Petal Holistic Health focusing on holistic healing modalities, plant medicine and permaculture design to promote a self sufficient whole and happy lifestyle. She is very excited about working and designing the Forest Gardens at Te Paranui and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge with the workawayers.
- Caro, from Anglo-Italian heritage is a mother, illustrator, artist and educator living in Picton. Her motto “Create – Decorate – Activate” covers art and craft, which she is happy to share and learn from others in our art space.
- the dogs Buffy (Aussie) Bella (Greyhound ex racer) Shiva (Mini foxie) and Teddy (fluffy sweet little girl Powderpap) and the twin cats Ginger and Chilly,
- the rehomed donkeys Dru and Duncan,
- the ducks and chooks and all the animals to come
- the trees, plants, the earth and waters

are looking forward to meeting with you soon.

Namaste!