Rachel
Martins Farmhouse
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About us
We are establishing high-value, continuous cover forestry on a 28 ha former hill country farm near Whanganui. We're a couple, no children. Hamish is a sawmiller and log buyer and Rachel is a freelance writer and editor. We're both involved with a specialist timber merchant, MacBlack Timber.
My place
Whanganui is a small city (about 50,000 people) on the west coast of NZ's north island, about 2.5 hours drive from both New Plymouth and Wellington. Outstanding temperate climate. On our land we have planted a range of alternative species woodlots, protect regenerating natives and are restoring an ephemeral wetland that runs through the middle of the farm. We don't have livestock at time of writing.
Projects
We are building a small three-bedroom house that faces north, with beautiful expansive views across and west up the valley. It is targeting Passive House Plus certification, a measurable and extremely energy-efficient building standard. External walls are strawbale with earth plaster (interior and exterior) and internal walls are timber framed with light-earth fill, also plastered. Notably, the plaster will form the air-tight layer, instead of the building membrane more typically used in Passive House (Passivhaus) projects. We like timber, so there will be lots of it ... solid timber floors (over an insulated slab), ceilings and some panelling on walls. Framing timbers are NZ-grown cypress, not chemically treated.
Accommodation
Accommodation is unfortunately extremely basic. We are living in a small caravan while we wait for the house to be built. We can offer tent space or room to park a small campervan. We have power and internet. We are not looking for people to stay a long time, rather to gather at times of peak work, such as raising the bales or working on the light earth walls.
Food
We eat well, even if our kitchen facilities are limited :-) We eat a varied diet that includes local home-killed or hunted meat and raw dairy. We are inbetween vegetable gardens but purchase local, season produce, organic as much as possible. If you have specific dietary requirements, please communicate this clearly at the very outset; we may or may not be able to accommodate this. We would provide three meals a day. In terms of other substances ... this is a smoke- and drug-free environment. We don't drink but are OK with a very modest amount of alcohol being consumed here.