Experience of a lifetime on our organic coffee plantation in San Jose de Rivas, Costa Rica

Details

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  Description

  Its almost November. Thats Coffee Harvest time.
  
  Hello , my name is Michael. I have lived and worked in Costa Rica for 20 years after traveling to this beautiful country since the early 80’s kayaking and exploring. This Work Away project is on a 15 acre mountain farm near the base of Mount Chirripo, the tallest peak in Costa Rica. The stay is a preferred one full month with an initial trial period of 2 weeks. The farm is located at 4500 ft which provides for sunny warm days ( mid 70’s to 80 F / 24- 26 C daytime degrees ) and cooler nights at 65 degrees F / 16 C. I should mention the farm is 1.5 miles / 2.5 km from the nearest village and although there is an active spiritual and social community here, you would need your own transportation to attend many of those worthwhile events.otherwise life on the farm would occupy most of your adventures and its a quieter rural life here.
  
  We have a small high altitude coffee plantation which is converted to all organic. We have also made the conversion to a Wellness Center offering trail hikes in the rainforest and through the agricultural areas. Yoga and movement areas and other types of healing modalities for the public. Our volunteer partners assist with the organic approach to farming which includes creating composted fertilizers, applying homemade organic potions to support the soil structures and weeding out competing plants. Also as part of the organic approach to cultivating food , we have planted many varieties of banana, plátano, citrus of all types, avocados as well as unique non commercial fruiting trees and have more to plant.
  There is a daily routine of clearing and sweeping trails and walkways, cleaning areas of regular use such as the cabins and yoga area and light to medium maintenance work as well.
  We generally have much more food than our staff and volunteers can consume although we are always looking to our volunteers to bring new proven ideas for increasing quality and production of the gardens.
  The other ongoing project here is the Wellness Center which incorporates concepts of transformation and regeneration into the activities that occur on the property. Volunteers assist with painting, cleaning rooms and making beds to create beautiful experiences for our guests.The air here is pure and various natural springs, creeks and waterfalls on the property maintain a strong negative ion atmosphere which contributes to the magic and sense of Well Being found here.
  
  We currently have 60 mt2 of greenhouse to provide food for the farm and have just added more open air outdoor garden space..If you already have experience in these above mentioned practices, you are for us! Another interesting aspect of the farm is the network of mountain trails we have created throughout the 15 acres. These trails are a joy to walk taking you into shaded rain forest jungle to waterfalls, cascades and various stream crossings along hillside vistas and to unique points of interests.
  We are looking for someone or a couple for a minimum of 3 to 4 weeks. If you are qualified and speak some Spanish, we can provide modern accommodations , all the fruits and vegetables we grow and transformative experiences by being close to Nature and interacting with cultural outings and local excursions. The physical duties include general maintenance, cleaning, light construction work and farm improvements. It’s a physically rewarding lifestyle to farm and live in the mountains of Costa Rica so be prepared to work hard and sleep well..
  It’s a creative program we work with here and so self motivated and responsible volunteers are required. It’s also very rewarding to participate.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art 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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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  There is much one can receive from this opportunity. We provide along with safe accommodations an equipped kitchen area, clean rooms and bathing facilities. We also provide the Costa Rican staples of beans and rice for your stay along with all of the fruits and vegetables we grow here on the property. If you have other dietary preferences, the local villages sell other products in the stores and at the colourful farmers markets.
  Culturally we are in a rural like area where nearly all our neighbors are Costa Ricans who grew up here. You will not find friendlier nor more generous people anywhere and as your Spanish improves, your enjoyment of these people and their stories and their lives can be life changing. The area here provides great Trail hiking to amazing places, big river experiences and swimming options galore. We have a local organic market every Wednesday which is a social gathering with hand made products to buy and enjoy. We are relatively close to the beaches of the Southern Zone and our “big town” of San Isidro is about 20 kms away and offers all the color and culture of a larger Costa Rican town. One can walk 15 minutes down to the closest village to a small grocery store that offers foods and items we don't have on the farm. About 30 minutes to walk back.

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  Help

  The assistance we are looking for generally requires being physical and managing day to day projects and maintenance.. There will be clearing the trails of leaves and fallen branches and hands on construction projects. Gardening and building up the organic potential of the land is a big part of our mission here. Pruning trees, working in the greenhouse and keeping the weeds down is a rewarding part of nearly every day. During the coffee harvest ( mid November to mid January ), we pick coffee, bag it up and deliver it to the Fair Trade Coop or process the beans locally. There is a place here for those who are willing to share what they already know. Physical tasks such as cleaning and maintaining shared areas of bathrooms, shower, and living spaces would be required to keep your personal spaces and shared spaces clean during your stay.
  These are the areas we are looking assistance with:
  
  Construction & building experience, farm experiences and strong gardening, developing on site fertilisers & greenhouse growing systems are a plus. Many of the daily experiences will require to be working with the plants, painting and general cleaning and upkeep.. Some heavy lifting is common on the farm. Spreading organic fertilizers made locally, pruning fruit trees, weeding , raking and carrying materials about the farm. Having skills and interest in creating artistic effects on the property from natural materials or other mediums to support the natural beauty would be a valued gift we would welcome. We are currently building an extensive trail system through the rain forest and into the farm areas. This requires lifting bags up to 20 kilos and shovel work.
  The more experience you can bring to the farm the more enjoyable it can be. We appreciate learning from you as much as what you will learn here.

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  Languages spoken

  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  We have one new cabin available WITH 1 -2 PRIVATE ROOMS for Workaway couples or singles. These are modern constructions with amazing views.. Each bedroom allows for up to 2 people or a couple. Bathrooms are shared and in excellent condition with amenities. A community / and or private kitchen is also provided to prepare and share meals. We share at least one group meal per week to share recipes, enjoy good food and company and to learn more about one another and Life. Laundry washing area is provided on site for use.

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  What else ...

  Since we generally start each day early, most work days will begin at 6:00 am and end by 12:00 pm. You will have plenty of time to take hikes on the farm trails and do some birdwatching and exploring. It’s a quiet area and if you have been waiting to catch up on any reading, playing guitar or studying you will have the time. There are also opportunities to volunteer for our local village of San Jose de Rivas.
  If you have a vehicle or enjoy long walks it is easy to access a number of nice restaurants . There are local tours of other farms, cheese makers, and forest adventures. Often there will be events such as dance classes, meditation classes, energy work options and personal growth workshops. There is a warm springs nearby as well as some more rugged mountain trail systems for folks who want to have that big mountain climbing experience. I find I will often just walk the 15 acres of the farm and pick a little fruit along the way as I encounter new plants, birds and new sights. The best beaches are only about 30 miles from here but can take over an hour to drive as the roads are slow with curves. If you have your own car, its pretty easy to spend a day on the Pacific Ocean and still get home before dark. If you do not have a vehicle, we may offer opportunities to get places as schedules allow. There is a lot here to discover.

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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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  Space for parking camper vans

  WE HAVE SPACE FOR A CAMPERVAN FOR SURE.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

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