Riverton Farm

 We met this family hitchhiking and they invited us over for a weekend. We stayed with them and helped them put up a chicken coop and played with their kids and animals. I loved them and their beautiful 10-acre Riverton farm so much we came back a month later after our Stewart Island trek. 

 

Honey the very sweet but fat cow

 Riding Diego the pony in the front yard with the two dogs Singer and Mochi

 Sage and Willow riding Diego the pony next to mom Kristy

 Chopping the firewood

Split!

I learned how to do it too! It's fun!

The family with their new pony is so picturesque I couldn't help but take tons of photos

 

Willow trying on my hiking boots

What a cutie!

 

Now I can milk a goat! 

I loved all the animals

 

 Sage and Honey

We helped Jesse put up his new ceiling after he stuffed it with cotton candy! I mean insulation.

Here's the after picture! Oh yeah.

Organic Farm in Clinton

We worked on an organic farm in  Clinton for a week. Known as "the three horse town", Clinton is a tiny 'town' in the center of the South Island with one small store, one gas station, one bar, and a taxidermist. (Random!) Nonetheless, we had a good time meeting all the fun people we were working with! Along with 13 other foreigners, we helped run the farm from 9 to 1 every day in exchange for food and board.

This was our housetruck! We shared it with 3 other people. We slept in the loft on top of the drivers seat.

 Valentine, French, and Luca. the Italian, making pizza with...

 the mushrooms we collected in the forest! (Don't worry, they're not the poisonous kind)

 All food waste goes to Bacon the friendly pig! Who is probably bacon by now... :(

 The whole lot of us at dinner time

 An organic feast every night!

 The common room was decorated with grafitti written by the thousands of WOOFers who have passed through here. This farm has been taking helpers for over 10 years.

I hiked up the hill to take this picture of everyone weeding, which was our most common task.

 Julian and Enora, recently engaged French couple, planting

Annalise, one of the Frenchies, weeding

Daniel, from Belgium

Torsten and Kai, two Germans fresh out of high school, on a trip around New Zealand together

Valentine

James

 Julian is a french baker! The real deal!

 In the packroom

 Sorting green beans

And finally, my favorite thing to do in Clinton (besides weeding): sit on the horse statues and wave to the passing traffic!

Dunedin

While exploring the Dunedin botanic gardens we stumbled across a bird sanctuary 

with parrots from all over the world!

The best place to stay in town, the beautiful YHA!

Night view from the roof of the Dunedin YHA

Aquarium silliness

This is what happens when we go to an aquarium.

Matt is playing snake on the giant microscope.

Fun Hostel!

This is one of the fun hostels we stayed at, they had jam sessions every night!