About us
Dean and Maureen are Manakau locals accidentally known for their rammed earth house and self-sufficient way of life.
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Faced with the dilemma of living in an unhealthy situation, we had a dream of building a healthy home for us and our four kids.
With help from friends and family, we built a rammed earth house.
After 25 years we have realised the journey will never be over, still developing, learning, adapting and winging it.
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We're pretty low-key people and we've never really considered that how we live is especially different or remarkable but whenever we have people over, they are so enthusiastic and fascinated with our earthhouse and how we live.
We thought, hey, we might have something to share here...
Dean
Jack of all trades, my kids used to get so annoyed at me and just be like "Dad can't you just buy something for once?!" as I figured out how to McGyver whatever I needed at the time (often meaning waiting a lot longer as I winged a new skill). I've spent a lifetime making do with what's at hand. That's how our earthhouse came to life as well. That's how I got a life-size Moa in my swamp too.
I do buy the odd thing these days, though.
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It's hard to list the things I'm into because it's a real mixed bag but music, making/building and fishing are pretty up there - pretty much any creative pursuit and that could even be crafty plumbing.
Maureen
I say we have an uncomplicated life and I reckon that sums it up. I'm in charge of the garden at our place, planning out what needs to go in to supply what I've got in mind for dinner in a few months.
Over the years people would ask me where I got my top or my skirt from so I've started sewing for our webshop here and for friends, I love my snug sewing den.
I've spent lots of my life cheffing and caring for people, and I'm still doing that from my kitchen and home. Looking forward to hosting people in our homestay The Next Level and cooking up yummy dinners for them too!