Help on a small family farm in Bali, Indonesia

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  Description

  *** About Us ***
  
  We run our farms to live self-sustainably and as naturally as possible.
  
  Myumi (‘Mom’) moved to Bali with her two sons, Yuu (18) and Mimi (13) in 2011 because of the Fukushima accident in Japan. She has over 5 years’ experience of hosting WWOOFers from all over the world and is a homoeopath. Komang is a Balinese but spent 9 years working in Japan. He returned home in 2011 to build his own organic farm in Mas (near Ubud), and is developing the mountain farm in his home village in Singaraja.
  
  We have two farms, one in south Bali (Mas, Ubud) and one in the north mountains (Singaraja).
  We need volunteer help at both, depending on what kind of environment you like and what kinds of activities you want to do outside of your working hours. Ideally we need volunteers who are flexible about working in both places, depending on the farm work and how busy we are. Let us know if you have a preference or are flexible!

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  Type of help

  Gardening
  Building
  Cooking / shopping
  General Maintenance
  Farming
  Help with Eco project
  Help in the house
  Language practice
  Art project
  Other
  Help with Computers / internet
  Teaching

• 

  Help

  ** Schedule **
  
  As a minimum we ask you to work 5 hours a day from the following shifts:
  
  6:00 - 9:00 (followed by tea break)
  10:00- 12:00 (followed by lunch break)
  16:00 - 19:00
  
  For this we offer you accommodation as well as vegetables from our farm and some cooking staples (rice, coconut oil, salt). After the morning shift, we come together for tea and a snack to enjoy and quickly check in with each other. All kinds of volunteers get a day off on Sundays. However we also need some volunteers to help our small organic products shop on Sunday market in Ubud. We're sure you can enjoy vegan & organic buffet and communicating with many customers from all over the world.
  
  We currently only accept volunteers who can stay for a month or more. Sorry, but please do not send any inquiry if you can't stay more than 1 month.
  
  We are very interested in hosting families, but there are some different terms as this is a very different volunteer arrangement and really depends on the size of the family and the ages of the children. We can discuss with individual families about this.
  
  You will need waterproof (rubber, 100%!) boots for working on the farm - it’s very muddy and wet. Please come with these or be prepared to pay Rp.100k for your own set.
  
  To help us plan for your arrival, we’d like to know what kinds of experience you’re looking for
  and why you want to stay with us on our farms.
  What kind of schedule and job type suits you best / are you looking for?
  What kinds of things do you want to do outside of your volunteering hours?
  What do you imagine yourself doing here? What excites you?
  
  SINGARAJA
  We also have a tropical fruits farm (2 hectares) in the mountain area in Singaraja, north west Bali, near Komang’s hometown.
  
  Komang will work and stay at this farm sometimes throughout the month. You may go with him to enjoy the wild mountain life - or we may ask you to join him if there’s not enough work / too many volunteers at our farm in Mas village.
  
  This place is suitable for deep nature-lovers. Accommodation is a very simple hut, with a newly built bathroom (bucket shower and squat toilet), indoor kitchen space and an outdoor wood-fire kitchen. We especially need volunteers with construction skills here, as Komang is looking to extend a building structure with earth walls.
  
  This farm is best for those ready for heavier physical work, and who enjoy quiet, remote and natural places.

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  Languages spoken

  English, Japanese, Indonesian

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  Accommodation

  *** Meals & Accommodation ***
  
  THE DORM
  Volunteers stay in a shared house in a (different! not Kaman's family) Balinese family’s property, which has 2 dormitory rooms. We have space for 6 volunteers maximum. There are a set of keys per room (and a back up set at the farm). You’ll need to coordinate with your roommates who has the keys. The dorm is under 10 minutes walk from the farm.
  
  These are simple, clean rooms. We provide thin mattresses, sheets and pillows. You will need to bring your own blanket/sleeping bag and mosquito net (if you want to use one). Each volunteer should wash a sheets and pillow case before leaving for the next person.
  
  There is a squat-style toilet and an outdoor bucket-shower. The tub can be refilled by turning the white-handle vertical at the pipe, near the well. Sometimes there is not much water and it needs to be shared with the other family - apologies for this inconvenience.
  
  MEALS
  We provide tea & a snack after the morning shift (9-10am) as well as some essential foods like rice, vegetables and salt for your other meals, in exchange for 5 hours work at the farm. All our meals are vegetarian and we mostly eat vegan, but sometimes we enjoy some butter and cheese.
  
  You may cook your dinner in turn at the kitchen in the dorm. There are a few supermarkets to buy other vegetables, fruits, spices (etc) you might need. Otherwise there are lots of local places to get cheap food nearby - see our map for details.
  
  ALSO ...
  - There are dogs on the way to the dorm, but their bark is bigger than their bite!
  - you don’t need an alarm because there is a cockerel just outside the dorm that will let you know when it is 4am.
  - We accept NON SMOKERS only.
  
  There is a cheap laundry service nearby (MAS Laundry) charging Rp. 5k per 1kg of clothes.
  
  We kindly ask that you take joint responsibility for keeping the dorm clean and nice for all to use. We hope you’ll treat it as your own home, and be our ‘eyes and ears’ if there is anything out of place, or that needs repair. We can’t always get down there, so rely on you to let us know, and to care for it.
  
  We separate all organic waste, plastic, paper, card and glass (etc) for an eco-conscious waste disposal centre nearby.

• 

  What else ...

  We have a request for all volunteers coming from the airport to the farm:
  
  We evacuated Japan 4 years ago because of the Fukushima accident and the radioactive danger in that country. We have relocated to Bali and have made great changes in our lives because of this belief, and avoid all products made in Japan.
  There are many Japanese tourists visiting Bali every day, and we believe that they carry a lot of radioactive dust into the airport here. We often become sick when volunteers visit us directly from the airport, which is why we ask you to kindly -
  - spend at least 24 hours in alternative accommodation before visiting our farm
  - wash yourself from head to toe with a thorough shower/bath
  - carefully clean your bag and belongings with a wet cloth, to remove the dust
  
  We believe this makes a significant difference to the radioactive exposure. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this. It is of great importance to us.
  
  We'll send you a map around here and a handbook which includes information about available transport and recommended places to stay near us. Just let us know your email address.
  
  Registration
  It is very important that you come with a photocopy of your passport ready as we need to register you within 24 hours of your arrival here with the community police … or we get fined! There is a small cost of Rp. 35k per month for your registration that we ask you to cover (approx 2.3 euro)

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  - On Sunday morning one of our friend organises group yoga lesson (7:30-9:30am, Rp. 50k) near the farm.

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  Volunteering hours expected

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

Photos

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Our Farm in Mas

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We prepare fresh vegetable baskets for our family, a small pool of local customers and some organic businesses in Ubud

We are building a Tipi in our farm. You may stay or take a nap inside which is so cool even in daytime.

We grow all kinds of plants at the farm - Basil is one of our favourites

Some of our adopted cats, taking a rest at the Bamboo House ...

Our adopted dog, Cappuccino!

Show all photos

The courtyard in the family compound, where you'll be living as a volunteer. This is Balinese family life ...

The bigger room at the dorm.

The smaller dorm room (one of our previous volunteers helped Komang construct these bamboo bunks)

The toilet facilities in the shared dorm for our volunteers. Live with another Balinese family and experience the real local style!

Our natural farmed rice is the best taste in Bali, we believe.

Mom, our second helper Tristan and Komang sow baby leaf salad.

(Excellent)

[14/10/2016]

We are a French family with 3 children and we'll have past just 12 day at the farm of siragaja, inside the jungle with the parents of komang.

We have build a wood Owen and, digging holes for tree, even if the work was hard we have learn a lot with the family of komang, about the culture of Bali, how to cook inside the jungle and a lot of… read more other thing.

If at the end we was a little bit sad to don't have past more time with komang (they have two farm, one other at ubud and they past the most of the time at this farm) , it was a amazing experience, sleep in the middle of the jungle was a very good experience for all the family but more than this the most important part was the family of komang.

They have done everything they can to help us, our children have past some very good moment, work with his parents it is a beautiful chance for us, they know a lot of things about farming, and even without the language we have learn at their side.

We really are very thankful to the family of komang for everything
Left by Workawayer for host

(Very good)

for Liisamaija

[14/07/2016]

We spent around 1 month with Liisa.
She's so kind person with a peaceful mind.
Now we feel should have asked her to cook her vegan recipes more during her stay.
We really hope she continue having nice opportunity to experiences on her trip!
Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

[04/05/2016]

I enjoyed volunteering at Mom's and Komang's place. I was helping in natural farming, mostly cutting grass, sometimes planting etc. I enjoyed being in the nature. Thanks a lot for everything :)
Left by Workawayer for host

(Excellent)

[13/01/2016]

We only worked on the farm for two and a half weeks, but wished we could have stayed much longer. It was really good to be able to learn about natural farming practices and Japanese culture while we were in Bali, of course as well as learning about Balinese culture.

The food you receive whilst at the farm is some of the best food we have… read more ever eaten. And a lot of it was food we probably would never have came across otherwise, which made the placement even more interesting.

Mom, Komang and Kadek are so friendly and welcoming. We also had the opportunity to help two family friends with their English practice which was very rewarding. It was hard work but a really fun, informative and worthwhile experience.
Left by Workawayer for host

(Excellent)

for Jessica

[22/12/2015]

We were happy to stay with her even though for a short time and really hope one day she'll be back here on the way her next trip to Bali.
Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

[22/12/2015]

My stay with Mom&Komang was a very special experience for me. I've learned a lot about organic farming and also about their different way of living without chemicals and negative thoughts. They are all very good-hearted people (together with the staff and friends).
For me - as a solo-traveller - was very important their caring behaviour: I knew… read more that any kind of problem occurs with visa, transport, illness etc. they will try to do everything to help me, like a real family.
I wish you all the bests with the family, friends and of course with the farm! (Meanwhile I'm trying to use the things I learnt in my everyday life.)
Thank you! :)
Left by Workawayer for host

(Excellent)

for Csilla

[21/12/2015]

Csilla is very active and helpful person who really contributed to our farm during her stay here. We're glad to hear that she's already back her home safely and to know she's so friendly to keep in touch with our staff. She kindly left so many beautiful photos of our farm and we'll keep them as a memory of her.
Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

Timur

We only allow contact to Workawayers with active subscriptions.

[21/12/2015]

We feel we need rate more than 5 smiles for Tim as he was a super-excellent volunteer. He helped us in anyway in our daily life. He worked quite a lot and also seemed to have enjoyed his days off to explore and get new experiences and kindly shared them with everyone. We really hope to keep in touch with him and want to tell him we always are… read more ready to help him back in anyway we could.
Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

pasquale & elsa

We only allow contact to Workawayers with active subscriptions.

[21/12/2015]

We hosted Pasquale and Elsa only for a month but feel as if they are good old friends of us. They are so friendly and thoughtful and cute couple we love and really want to keep in touch for as long as possible. Hope they will come back here on the way back home! ;)
Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

We only allow contact to Workawayers with active subscriptions.

[14/11/2015]

We were working in this special farm one month....and it was simply amazing,with a lot of thinghs to do and to learn about REAL organic farming.The time here is very slow,all is very easy,the vibes are so good that the vegetables grows full of love,powerful,and tasty!
This is also a small Japanise spot out of Japan,you can learn a lot about… read more Japanise people,culture,food,and Japanise Heart...
Mayumi is a very very nice woman,special and full of knowledge about alternative and organic healing.And of course an amazing cook,and with Komang they make this place a really special place.
Thank you very much for all that you give us,hope to see you again!
ARIGATO
and....the salad that you produce is MAGIC.
Love from
Amore and Elsa
Ciao!
Left by Workawayer for host

(Excellent)

for Federica & Daniele Thomas

[18/10/2015]

Hi Fede,

We are so glad to know that you enjoyed the life with us . We were so happy to have stayed with you, too, and now miss you so much!

Hope you'll come back after a short trip and stay more and more here! :-)
Left by host for Workawayer

(Excellent)

[15/10/2015]

I've worked two weeks in this farm where I met great people (both other volunteers and family's friends) and learnt a lot of new things.

Mom and Komang (and Mimi and Yu also!!) are lovely people, always kind and willing to chat. The eggplants, okra and lettuce they produce are fresh and delicious, I miss them!

We mainly had to water the… read more field, cut grass with the scissors, plant and pick vegetables but sometimes enjoyed different jobs like picking and drying leaves for tea, creating new flyers, renovating the new shared house.

If you are interested in Japanese culture this is the right place for you because they all speak Japanese, have nice Japanese friends, you can enjoy shio-koji and miso and you can learn a lot about Japan from them.

From Mas you can easily reach other interesting places like Ubud or beaches so it's perfect if you also want to explore Bali.

I hope one day I will be able to visit you again, to leave my small Japan (wihout radiation) in Bali was very very sad...
Left by Workawayer for host