Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
5 Jun 2022
Feedback
5
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Badges (3)
Details
Description
If you like to be in a peaceful place with spectacular nature, and don't mind taking care of some great pets, you should check us out. Our place is an organic farm on the Western slopes of the Andes. We grow coffee but also a host of other crops. I am a Cuban-American conservationist and photographer who has lived in Ecuador for 48 years, the farm is run by myself and our neighbor Roberto. Though I love working with the soil, because of the threat of a large-scale mining project 20km away, I spend most of my time as an environmental activist. The forest is only 5 minutes away, and a waterfall 10 minutes. The Indigenous town of Otavalo is about 1.5 hours from the main road... We have several trails to get to know the cloud forest up close . Our accommodations are rustic (composting toilets, solar showers, no electricity in the cabins) but comfortable. We maintain several trails, three cabins, and an orchidarium for our guests. The farm is diverse, and most everything is produced for our and our guests consumption. Besides growing shade- coffee, we also have all kins of citrus, avocadoes, bananas, pineapples, vegetables, etcetera,... And, yes ,dogs, cats, chickens, and a horse. We are located 1 hour and 30 minutes from Otavalo by bus followed by a 45 minute walk. We are about one hour away from the delicious Nangulvi hot springs.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
House & pet sitting
Interests
Pets
Farming
Writing
Photography
Nature
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Help
[Please only contact us if you are certain of your travel plans and will be volunteering within the next two months]
We need light help with gardening, plus keeping an eye on our aninals, as well as some .cooking and cleaning . You should be able to lift at least 45 lb. We have particular need for help during the coffee harvest (July-August). . We expect you to cook at least 1 meal per day. Work is 2 to 4 hours per day and you are of course free to travel or explore the region during some of your stay, as long as you let us know ahead of time
One possible alternative to this routine would be involvement with conservation work with local communities - depending on skillset/language ability.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Accommodation
You will stay in rustic cabins with composting toilets and solar heated showers. The cabins do not have electricity- but there is electricity and Wifi one minute away at the main house. You will have the cabin to yourself- You will have full access to the kitchen at the main house, a gazebo with hammocks and a big yard. We have two friendly dogs, one huggable cat, five chickens and a horse.
What else ...
I am a something of a generalist naturalist with a particular interest in moths, birds, orchids, and reptiles...; biologists and the like are welcome. Our community is small but there are often small gatherings in the local community center (Santa Rosa).
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Digital nomads / the internet is pretty reliable, I'd say 95% of the time. Speeds are acceptable for where we live,, between 10 and 20 mbps. The main cabin does not have full access, nor electricity, but both are available 60 seconds away.
Can possibly accept pets
We have two golden retrievers and one cat. Preferably up to 2 dogs
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
NOnames (2 months)
Red Leghorn layers (fresh eggs daily)
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (3)
I was welcomed by Carlos in a town called Apuela, where he picked me up to get to the farm. Already, the scenery was magnificent. We had to walk approx 15minutes to get to the Cloud Forest Reserve, which looks exactly like the pictures.
The… read more
A lot of our work was done with Roberto, who is patient, talented, and ingenious with bamboo. We worked with him on… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
I was welcomed by Carlos in a town called Apuela, where he picked me up to get to the farm. Already, the scenery was magnificent. We had to walk approx 15minutes to get to the Cloud Forest Reserve, which looks exactly like the pictures.
The… read more
A lot of our work was done with Roberto, who is patient, talented, and ingenious with bamboo. We worked with him on… read more
