Developing an eco-sustainable farm in Caqueza, help with farming and artistic projects Colombia

Details

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  Description

  NEW and IMPORTANT: We are costantly looking for artist making murals in our town Caqueza painting nature figures such as birds and plants in order tu sensibilize people over the protection of water and our river. That would imply to work in town and not in my land at least for the time of a mural.
  
  I was born and raise in a small town in Italy called Fontaniva, in a area between Padova, Vicenza, Treviso, Bassano del Grappa. I got my degree in Biological Sciences at University of Padova in 2002. I then went in USA for a PhD in Physiology, which I finished in 2007.
  I lived in New Jersey until 2007 and than moved to Manhattan until February 2010.
  I travelled all around South America for almost an year. I was so fascinated by its different cultures. Next move was to move to Colombia and do volunteering work in Bogota ... did it for 9 months in a cultural center/library of Lisboa de Suba. Then volunteered for Sito, a wonderful project of ecological puppets with the goal of educate people (Expecially children) on ecology, sostenibility, love, true values ...
  Now living in Caqueza (Cundinamarca), where I have got an organic farm that I am developing with my neighbour friends.
  I'm a very easygoing person, simple and very honest. I am almost 100% vegan, eating meat only when the circumstances basically force me to do it. It is working pretty well, and I feel so much better, physically and mentally. I live with the dream of a better world, where sharing, happiness, morality and common interests are the basic roots.
  I move around only by bicycle or public transportation. My biggest trip where Bogota - Cancun in 2012, Bogota - Quito - Bogota in 2013 and Venice - Bogota in 7 beautiful months in 2014. This is one of the few ways I have to oppose the wars around the world. Every time you use your car you contribute to make suffer somebody somewhere else in the world.
  I don't have a cellphone ... because I am a free man!!!! (I neither have TV, radio, washing machine, refrigerator... I just have a blender to process some food).
  I live day by day, living the present, the only time that matters. Sick of western society which is destroying our planet earth. I see the modern work as the ultimate form of slavery, since it is based on the idea of making money, and not to make or support something. I believe in people, in their relationships, in the good way of relate each other, without create hate and frictions. The world is already full of them, we don't need more. Quite commercial, but definitely inspiring my day-by-day life:
  "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself".
  I'm trying to live without the use of money, the devil of our time, bargain food and work in any possible way. Trying to recycle anything in order to do not contribute with the consume of new thing. This is one of the basic idea behind my life.
  I own two farms in the middle of a mountain which I work totally organic. They have good forestation and I am seeding and planting any possible thing I can. Many fruit trees are already in place but always raising their number. I live in a house completely made of wood, eco-sustainable and in harmony with nature. The goal is to be totally independent with the years, energetically and food-wise.
  I consider myself a "guerrillero", a peaceful guerrillero, who fights every day against the capitalistic society that is destroying our planet.
  I have just one pet: a black cat called Turbo.
  I am a day person, going to sleep pretty early at night and waking up very early in the morning in order to benefit the sunlight as much as possible and synchronize my life with the sun cycle. I usually get up at 5.30 to prepare breakfast.
  I am also a seed guardian officially part of the colombian network of seed guardians in order to protect native species. Participating to and organizing when is possible seed's interchanging meetings.
  I posted some picture of my first months in the land that I started to work in January 2015.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  My place is in the middle of the mountains going from Bogota to Villavicencio, in a totally rural area. All the neighbours are very simple farmers who live a very simple life, keeping the traditions of their ancestors. There are quite a bit of collaboration with some of them and there is the possibility of learning their interesting customs.

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  Help

  I usually need people to following me in the day by day help in the farm, seeding, planting, organizing the land and any kind of thing that comes up. My wood house is basically done, but for a while there will be things to do on it ... Immunize the wood, wood moving, and more random things. And any kind of idea to make it better is very welcome. For few years I would always need people working with rocks, moving then in order to build stairs, walls and floors.
  Starting probably in November until January, every year, we are gonna work with harvesting and processing coffee beans. Organic coffee, Arabic type, the oldest southamerican coffee variety.
  I need help with the construction of variety of things working with mud, wood, rocks. Very soon I want also to set up an hydroelectric system to produce my own energy with the water I have in the farms. If you have experience on that, we can plan it. Ah, I also need help to built a ping pong table to set up in the game area with some chess table.
  In the long future I would like to catalogue the trees I have in the farm, putting up a sign in a botanic garden style.
  This is not a business so I don't really consider what I do work. My idea of volunteering is to help somebody else in the best way I can without looking at the clock depending of your ability, interests and strength, this is not an office.
  This is not a place for city people or hippy style people, even if you have good idea or intentions because the way I live and work is pretty hard. Lazy people and without the love for what I do, love for our mother nature, love for working the land would not adapt at my place. Really, it is physically demanding staying at my place, especially the first week of staying.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  Portuguese: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  You will have your private room, with a simple bed, but should be comfortable enough. The bathroom is a dry bathroom. The shower is ready, with just cold water that raise from the farm. The farm is at 1700 meters on see level, so it is never cold. The clime is really enjoyable all year long.
  The food provided is basically vegan. Based on the production of the farm with implementation of rice, orzo, pasta and oat. Usually are always available pumpkins, guatilas, bananas, beans and fresh green leaves with other fresh product of the vegetable garden.
  The cooking is made on a wood stove.
  It is really appreciate if you wash your own dishes and try to keep as clean as you found. My place it is not the cleanest place so I would like to keep it at least as it is ;)

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  What else ...

  I do not have internet access so I check my email not that often. At least once a week though. So If I do not reply right away do not worry :)
  The area around the farm is very quiet and some nice places to visit nearby.
  You can reach the farm easily from Caqueza. I would give you detailed instructions how to reach it.
  I do not smoke or drink alcohol and smoke and drink is not really welcome in the house.
  Food provided is 100% vegan and 95% coming from the land.
  I also would love that any person who comes here could bring some seeds of fruits or vegetables, seeds that they can plant on their own so I can remember of each of you when I will harvest them.
  I do not use toilet-paper because it is just a waste. Using water to clean-up myself. No commercial soaps, shampoos and any kind of detergents are allowed in my land. You use only water or you have to bring 100% biodegradable products. Also commercial food is not welcome. If you can bring organic food, it would be ok.
  Try to respect the kitchen space. Depending of different culture, the kitchen has a different meaning. For me it is a very personal and private space so please ask always before doing or touching something. I always am in charge of making the meals, if I need help I would ask you.
  No shoes allowed inside my house, only in the kitchen that has the floor made of rocks.
  Two neighbors with projects similar to mine also receive volunteers, so it is possible for you to spend some time with them too and get to know different people and use different skills.
  I also participate at an organic market in Bogota once a month with some products of my farm and products of some friends, very cute space in Bogota. The market is called Tierra Viva.
  So sometimes we need to process some products and go to the market.
  Please dont come to the finca with plastic waste, no sodas, chips and all that kind of garbage food please.
  It is very appreciated if the use of electronic devices is kept at minimum, if not used them, you make me happy. I really hate people wasting their time on virtual devices taking away the real relationships.
  And if you are looking for a place to live, there are lands for sale around here. We are already a group of 6-7 people living nearby all developing their land organically and in a ecosustenible way. We all just started by it looks very promising. Locals and foreigners ... a German guy who works amazingly with wood and metals, a professor from Bogota with a great way of thinking, another italian who just bought his land and two locals who are doing very good things.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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