Organic Malaysian kibun (orchard) mainly Durian, Chepedak and Rambitan
Malaysia
Hello Woofers my name is Paul and my wife name is Rosinah I am a Scot married to a Malaysian. We have both travelled extensively, back packing and working in many countries. My daughter's Amy and Emma where Woofers in Canada for many years, they were good with horses and enjoyed Wwoofing .
I have travelled overland from Australia, back to Glasgow Scotland. Also Canada and USA. And as Engineer I have worked in 15 + Countries,now living in SEA. I get on well with travellers.
Rosinah is a University Professor who likewise has travelled and annually looks after about thousands of students.
We have been look after our 3 acre, Malaysian Kebun (orchard) consisting of over 198+ trees mainly Durian, Chempedak and other Malaysian fruit/nut trees since 2012. The trees are large 50+ year olds, plus we have added new and replacement plants.
Harvesting varies as this is the tropics and different trees flower at different time of the year.
The importance to us is to keep the trees healthy and plant new replacements plus improve the land produce and our life style.
Our farm location is in southern Johor in the district of Pontian, in Kampong Maju Jaya area to the west side of Gunung Pulai (Mountain) National Nature Reserve between the two Main Entrances.
The Nature Reserve has many streams, waterfalls and walks up and around the mountain and foothills, it contains a lake and reservoir which supplies water to Johor Bahru and Singapore. It is the most southern large Natural Tropical Forest Reserve.
As the crow flies the reserve is approximately 800m from our Kibun (orchard farm)
We have fenced, and gated the land plus through time built 3 buildings to-date.
Initially our first house by the main gate was to enable us to stay and eventually live on site. This was crucial to allow us to build the other structures. This is a small fully equipped house, It will be our Homestay Malaysian (B&B). We are doing it up as a holiday let to provide extra income, Also if no bookings are happening we may allow additional Wwoffers to stay. See Picture of our Gatehouse, Workshop and main house in the photo section.
House No.2 The next building is our Workshop and Tool Store,
We previously accommodated builders, so the back part has been turned into a mini house.
This has a low ceiling loft, a 2 bed, bedroom above the store room which sleeps two comfortably. There is a small kitchen with kitchen sink, fridge and gas cooker and cabinets. The back access goes through the shower room, with sink and Toilet. We have provide a living room with a large shutter roller door to the environment.
This is where the Woofers will stay. We can accommodate 2 Wwoofers in the two single beds, sharing and cook breakfast or other meals for themselves if they want too.
In addition, there is a washing machine at the back of the Gate house that can wash personal items of clothing and hanging facilities there.
Our Kebun has internet which we can share with our guests.
We will provide Food, soap Cleaning powders, tools to maintain neat and tidy stay.
Food wise you will have you're own working kitchen and fridge. Which we will stock for them after taking them to the local supermarket on a weekly basis, some 16 min drive away.
Plus we will feed our visitors mainly the two daily main meal from our two large kitchens in the hexagon house or externally in the local Kampong restaurants.
The Village Kampong has couple of grocer shops which sell the basic general provisions and there are 3 Kampong restaurants mainly in the evenings 2 within walking distance that serve the locals.
We frequently dine there. WWoofers can taste the full range of local Malaysian Foods.
We are a two man team so we really do appreciate Wwoofers help.
No.3 Our Home is a self-design, hexagonal house where we live with our 8 cats.
The cats are free to roam the Kebun and keep the houses and grounds free of Chitchat. Local small house lizard that eats the invading insects.
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We are in the tropics thus the biodiversity index is large. The Amazon is around 68, the Malaysia forests 43, UK forests around 14. So we have numerous small creatures.
We have WiFi that’s available although like all electrics they are subjected to Tropical storms.
Our Buildings all function by using septic tank systems so we need to take care in what is disposed in the septic systems.
We also, do not have a public refuse removal this is an area we need to improve.
We do not smoke as such we do not like to be near smoker. If they do they do not smoke in the houses near us or drop butts anywhere in our kibun. They can dispose of them in the burn pit area.
We have 3 fish ponds in the kibun with Tilapia and Cat fish plus some Coy in the internal Hexagon house fish ponds.
There is a stream very small in dry season but a torrent in Tropical Storms/rains.
The stream crosses the Kibun land at the rear, one 1/3 of the land is over the stream. We aim to build a road bridge across the stream.
We have a built a foot bridge see photo to access our fruit trees. All need to be fertilized annually. Organic mainly with chicken shit. Our trees are old and tall. some over 30m.(100ft) so branches fall in high winds and there is always collecting of such to keep the place tidy.
Luckily they are mainly durian and the fruit when ripe falls to the ground. It is dangerous to walk under when the fruit is falling. We are a two person team and always welcome help when harvesting which regularly becomes a Durian or Chempedak feast and tasting session.
Being so close to the nature reserve we are hampered by the troupes of Monyet (Monkey) and resident Tupai (Squirrels) who also pick our fruit; damage our trees and plants when they are hungry. The roaming single males Monkeys do feed and shit and steal or move mainly anything small and loose.
We get regular farm woodland birds, we need to fit bells on the cats, also, various sized lizards. Very rarely the odd snake (three in 12 years).
We had wild boar but since fencing we have not seen them.
We do not harm the Monkeys or other wild animals. we do frighten them off using fireworks particularly when large troupes do visit.
We have had troupes as large as 70 monkeys passed through and stop for a couple of nights.
They are feeding on our fruit and new plants and our neighbours fruit as there are 2 abandoned small fruit plantation’s at the rear and our neighbours back sides.
The areas over the stream with large trees that the Monkey use for sleep overs.
Our resident Toupia (Squires) we live with as they mainly damage the durian by eating a hole in the fruit while up on the tree. If it falls it is a good indication the fruit is getting ripe.
Guests are instructed to not feed the Monyet. Recently we have had poor harvests.
Our Kibun is also a small personal nature reserve a with a variety of frogs, lizards, birds and various insects because of the large tree coverage. Next door has Oil Palm and on the other side it was a Fruit farm but again our neighbours mixing it with Oil Palm.
Health wise there are no cases of Dengue, Malaria, Covid etc. in the area. Malaysia is blessed by the Mysejahtera App that is daily updated with the number of cases of dangerous illnesses within a km from your map location. Created during Covid.
Note, overseas visitors should come prepared for heat and a larger variety of biodiversity creatures and insects.
Our houses are treated for termites which also keeps down ants and house bugs.
We regularly keep our kibun grass short as this keeps snakes and larger lizards away. It also provides a lovely grass garden which is lovely to look at and good for games and activities.
Note the local public Health Clinic is 16 mins away by car as is most 24-7 Private Health Clinics at Pekan Nanas. Nearest town named after (Pineapples). We have a bus service to Pekan Nanas 2 km from our farm.
Malaysia Health service is very good and is remarkably cheap.
We keep doctors numbers and would help any WWoofers needing medical assistance or help.
Our Aim is to preserve our beautiful large trees and planting replacements and adding other fruit varieties. Bananas, Mangos, Pineapples and Rambutans etc.
in addition, we aim to build facilities and areas for future farm animals we intend to purchase, We need to build hutches homes for chickens, ducks and goats. Plus fenced materials for vegetable garden and small fruit areas that we still have to create.
Aim to get stingless bees to help pollination. Also, to give bees and similar creatures alive to stop extinction. Also they will help in Belimbing (star fruit) tree pollination. We have three large trees that are needing pollination.
We aim to extend our road and build a bridge over the 5m wide stream with vehicle crossing allowing us to further develop the other part of our land which has many of the large trees.
Future projects as the trees are so large and not bearing fruit we aim to bui a number of tree houses. In addition, in future a possible a Zip line and Canopy Tree walks.
The WWoofers help would be directed to Agriculture Projects. No high risk construction are expected.
We need to create a herb and vegetable garden, animal shelters, which need to be fenced off from the monkeys and future farm animals. Lots of ground level fruit picking and tree maintenance.
Our Gate house which can house a family could double for Woofers if we do not have bookings. But they would have to keep it tidy and clean. Also, we need to see how we manage before any future expansion.
We also aiming to develop further amenities.
A swimming pool and more hotel like accommodation to attract tourists to our farm, garden B&B facilities to make us more self-sufficient as we retire.
Attached a few photos of Our farm and gardens our harvests and houses.
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Learning opportunities
Fruit or nut farming
Raising of other farm animals
Forestry
Beekeeping
Flower farming
Seed saving or production
Renewable energy production
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Aquaponics
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
Former WWOOFer
1.2
Hectares
|
3
Acres
Paul
Member since 2025
Languages spoken:
English, Malay
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Malaysia
Kulai bus stn/Pekan Nanas bus stop. Johor Bahru Airport 30 mins away
Reviews
Mavie
Germany
•
January 2026
We‘ve had the best time at this farm! Paul and Roshina are such wonderful people and did everything for us to feel welcome and comfortable.
The work was pretty fair and good to manage.
We are very gratefull for this experience and the commection.
Reply from Paul
Thanks Marviie and Brian and Tonin for coming and helping Rosinah and I. So pleased you enjoyed your stay. you where all good workers and I have achieved a lot of my Goals. When the bridge is complete I send you guys pictures on What's app. And pictures of any of the flowers that grow. kind Regards Rosinah and Paul PS have a great exciting future Holiday and life.
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Ryuta
Japan
•
August 2025
He is a very sensitive person, so you have to be careful not to upset him. I told him in advance that I had little experience in farming, and he also set up a trial period. However, he did not understand that I was having trouble with the heat and the mosquitoes, and he kept telling me to leave if I didn't like it. WWOOF is a volunteer program and a learning opportunity. Forcing people to work goes against the original purpose of the program. He made remarks that seemed to force people to work without understanding this.He is also a helpful person. He helps me when I need help, so I think that's a good thing.
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Reply from Paul
Dear Ryuta,
Your the sensitive one who who comes to a Tropical country expecting it to be air-conditioned and bug free. You did not do your homework of what was daily temperatures or how magnificent the biodiversity of Tropical farms. You that demanded the internet at 10 pm and stayed up 4 hours chatting out side with the mosquitoes. Then could not get up to the first day meet at 8am. Woofing principles is a learning and helping process. We where trimming a hedge. Within 30 mins of starting you claimed it was to hot to work and retreated to my air-conditioned Homestay. After lunch and after we got you dressed for bugs within 39 mins you claimed you cannot work cause you saw some mosquitos. When asked what type of help you could provide . You said you where thinking and went back into the air-conditioning, I am still waiting for a reply. You showed no interest in participating in any farming repeated it was too hot unsafe after we pointed out via Malaysian Mysijatera health app the area was designated Dengue. You then stated you where going home as it was too hot. But you took two more days to book your flight and had no cash to pay for your 300km bus fair from JB to Kuala Lumpur. I had to pay. Note your opening correspondence you claimed you where experienced and had 6 previous Wwoofing farms yet when asked at the bus station what you did you finally admitted they were 2 day experdnces
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