first week in New Zealand.

Hello to all my Bonner Leaders back home in snowy Lewiston.

I know it may be hard to imagine, but i am currently sweating just sitting indoors and this morning picked an orange off of a tree to eat for breakfast.

I am in Hawkes Bay New Zealand, on the coast about halfway down the North Island, which is strangely enough warmer and more tropical then the south island. The community/farm where i am working is situated on the bay at a point where a river meats the clear light green water of the ocean and is more beautiful then i can describe in words. I am living right on the water in a little one room cabin that was built for workers/volunteers.

This community/farm is called Hohepa Homes, a residential community for disabled adults as well as a dairy and a huge biodynamic/organic garden. The residents (disabled adults that are living mainly with down syndrome and autism among other differences) help out with every task that is carried out in the community. In addition to the gardens and dairy, there is a cheesery, a Weavery, a woodworking shop and a candle shop. The goods that are produced here are really quite extraordinarily beautiful and are sold for profit to support the community. The fruits, vegetables and dairy products mainly go to the residential homes to be eaten by all the community members.

I have now completed one week of work, and have calloused feet, dirty nails and several layers of sunburn to prove it. Coming into Hohepa was a bit like stepping into a well-oiled machine, and i found it quite easy to get into the rhythm of the day. This kind of work is somewhat familiar to me as i spent the first four years of my life in a similar community. However, there is nothing quite as interesting as meeting each resident personally and slowly (and sometimes very quickly) learning the best way to interact with them. The best part of this kind of work is how much time is spent with the residents in a casual work environment. Though many cannot engage with every tasks that the volunteers, employed farmers do, each has special capacities and have certain tasks that they carry out over the course of the day. For example, one resident from each house will come to the dairy each morning to pick up the supply of milk for the day. Each has a personal responsibility and place within the organism of the community.

A normal day looks like this. Wake up at eight, go to the farm shed where the residents and gardeners begin to arrive. We work (commonly harvesting) in the morning until 10:30, and then break for tea and then continue until lunchtime. We have been harvesting alot recently, as everything seems to be perfectly in season. After lunch, which is eaten together with the residents in the shed, we return to the fields for weeding, or cultivating and then break at four, eager to get out of the strong sun. I may have worked with a particular resident all day, and will then say good bye, with a hug and an assurance that i will be there tomorrow. I get to know more about each individual every day. Some of the other volunteers and i have wondered whether these temporary stays (one month, 3 weeks, 4 months) may upset the stability of the residents lives. However, they seem so eager and joyful to meet new people and after talking it over with some of the long standing community members, have learned that it is an exciting way for the world to come to them as they dont leave the community as often as they would be able to without their differences.


All and all, i love it here so far. Im starting to build a bit of a network, slowly but surely and will keep you posted on where my experiences take me. Connecting with people over working the earth, weeding, harvesting, etc, is comfortable territory. Even if i am halfway around the world, meeting people of very different backgrounds and capabilities, i am working the earth in the same way that i did at home, and with the NASAP farmers in Lewiston. Whatever capabilites we have, we can share a common space in the field. I doubt i would have been able to have the kind of casual intimacy with the residents had i met them under different conditions. I have so much more to write about Hohepa but you are all on a bit of a schedule (i know) and i will write again next week with more developments.

Fell free to ask questions or comment! anything is welcome.

Cheers!
Dani