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Volunteer at a beautiful organic cacao farm and learn about local traditions in Mangalore, India

  • Last activity : 16 Mar 2026

Availability

  2026 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Greetings from our lush 22-acre farm in Dakshina Kannada! We’d love to welcome passionate travelers to join us in discovering the joys of organic cacao cultivation and chocolate making.

    After a rewarding corporate career in Bangalore, I chose to follow my passion for the land and sustainable living. Today, we craft bean-to-bar chocolate, practice regenerative farming, and welcome volunteers who wish to learn, share, and contribute.

    We share our farm with six friendly dogs (Munchi, Robin, Puli, Malli, Sambi, and Shunthi), a gentle cow (Babu) and her calf Chinku, a strong bull (Raja), and our cat Pilli and her playful kitten Bella. 🐶🐂🐱.

    🌿 Cocoa Season is March to July! 🌿
    When it’s cocoa season, most of our work is focused on harvesting, fermenting, drying, and processing cacao. That is a wonderful time to join us, experience the process firsthand, and watch cacao transform into high-quality chocolate!

    We work at our farm, there are neighbouring farms where we bring cocoa from so sometimes, we visit those farms. But the work is on our farm.

    🔹 Fermentation & Drying

    Fermentation takes about 7–10 days, depending on moisture levels. As a volunteer, you’ll check if the beans are ready by cutting a few open and examining their color.

    Once fermentation is complete, the beans are washed and then moved to the drying room.

    Drying usually takes about 7 days, or longer during the monsoon. The beans need to be turned daily to ensure they dry evenly.

    🔹 Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Making 🍫

    Once dried, cacao beans are usually sent to chocolatiers — but we always keep some for making chocolate in-house!

    As a volunteer, you’ll get hands-on experience in roasting, winnowing, grinding, and tempering the beans into smooth chocolate.

    We make 100%, 80%, and 55% varieties, often sweetened with sugar

    🔹 Planting New Cocoa Trees

    Most of our cacao trees are currently at our friend’s farm and getting wet beans from other local farmers as well, but we’ve also begun planting our very own cacao orchard.

    Since cacao trees take about 5 years to mature and another 3 years to yield high-quality beans, we’re investing in the future of our farm’s production.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Interests

    Interests

    Adventure sports
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    💡 What You’ll Gain
    🔹 Hands-on cacao farming and bean processing, plus a chance to see how our chocolate is made.
    🔹 Exposure to sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
    🔹 Skill development in fermentation, tree planting, and permaculture.
    🔹 A deep cultural experience with local traditions and people.

  • Help

    Help

    💪 Join Our Farm Projects!
    We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about cacao farming, sustainable agriculture, and hands-on projects.

    🌱 Farm & Cacao Activities

    🌱 Cacao-Related Work

    * Break cacao pods to collect wet beans

    * Load and unload cacao pods and beans (in trays and sacks)

    * Mix the fermenting beans

    * Dry and sort cacao beans

    * Observe and learn about our bean-to-bar chocolate process

    🌿 Farm Work

    * Plant, water, and care for vegetables and fruits trees

    * Assist with composting, weeding, and general garden maintenance

    * Unload construction materials when they arrive

    🐾 Animal Care

    * Care for animals, including bathing them and feeding the dogs, cats, and cows

    🌿 A Few Things to Keep in Mind
    * The work is physical & repetitive at times and may not be suitable for those with limited physical stamina.
    * It can be hot and humid during summer (until the end of May).
    * You’ll often get your hands dirty, especially during bean mixing and farm tasks.
    * During fermentation, there is a strong natural smell from the cacao beans.
    * We can host more than 10 volunteers at a time, so it may occasionally feel lively or a bit crowded.
    * You’ll be surrounded by animals, as our dogs and cats share the common lobby with volunteers.
    * As this is a farm close to nature, you may occasionally encounter small wildlife.
    * Farm life can be unstructured and messy at times and may not be ideal for those who prefer highly orderly environments.


    🔧Special Skills Needed
    If you have experience in any of the following areas, your help would be especially valuable:
    * Welding
    * Carpentry
    * Website development
    * Product design
    * Cooking
    * Social media management
    * Mural artist

    We are constantly improving our farm’s infrastructure, branding, and digital presence, so your expertise will make a real impact.

    ⏳ Work Schedule & Expectations

    We usually work 25 hours a week, with two days off.

    Working hours may vary depending on the tasks for the day and are usually scheduled in the early morning (starting as early as 6:30 AM) and/or evening, as it’s too hot to work in the afternoon. Occasionally, cacao pod breaking may take place in the afternoon, so we ask volunteers to be flexible.

    During the fermentation process in the cacao season, some tasks need to be done on Saturdays and Sundays. If weekend work is required, it will be compensated with a weekday off.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Hindi: Fluent
    Kannada: Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    beginner Spanish and German

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    🏡 Accommodation & Food

    🏡 Accommodation:
    Volunteers stay in a shared dormitory with beds and foldable foam mattresses — comfortable but not luxurious — along with a separate section for solo female volunteers and a co-living space for everyone. We also have tents available. We provide a safe and welcoming environment where you can relax after a fulfilling day on the farm.

    🍽️ Meals & Kitchen Access
    We provide nutritious vegetarian meals and can accommodate dietary preferences upon request.

    A shared kitchen is available for volunteers. We provide Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Meals are prepared by our staff, but volunteers are welcome to make tea, coffee, eggs, and toast on their own

    Our goal is to create a community-driven space where volunteers can enjoy farm life while learning, sharing experiences, and connecting with others.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    🌊 Beyond the Farm – Adventure & Culture
    We make sure volunteers enjoy a well-rounded experience, including:

    🏞 Trekking adventures through the beautiful Western Ghats.

    🏄‍♂️ Weekend surfing at nearby beaches.

    🎭 Cultural experiences – Witness traditional folk dances and local festivals.

    🚗 Sightseeing trips – Explore the region’s scenic beauty and heritage.

    🌊 Relax in our hammocks and unwind in the peaceful surroundings.

    🍫 Saturday is chocolate day! Taste our in-house chocolates in all sorts of yummy flavors.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We welcome digital nomads, there is good high speed broadband at the farm.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Its a farm, there is enough space to park car, campervan or motor house.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    We are pet friendly farm, we have our own pets too. We have a bull, a couple of dogs and cats, all rescue's. So would be more than happy to have a few more at the farm.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • My animals / pets

    My animals / pets

    Raja

    Babu

    Puli

    Robin

    Munchi

    Pili (2 years)

Host ref number: 415647897292

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Photos

A modern two-story house with large windows, brown walls, and a sloped roof, surrounded by greenery and trees; open lower space with visible furnishings.
The image depicts a serene landscape with lush greenery, featuring trees and bushes, set against a cloudy sky with the sun peeking through, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
The image depicts a collection of wooden boxes, some containing what appears to be coffee beans, arranged in rows on a concrete floor in a shaded outdoor area.
The image shows a group of seven people standing in front of a sign, posing for a photo, with a cloudy sky and power lines in the background.
The image depicts a vibrant mural featuring a tree with sprawling branches, set against a backdrop of lush greenery, evoking a sense of growth and vitality. The mural\'s colors are bright and lively.
The image depicts a group of people seated at a long table in a restaurant, with a television visible in the background, suggesting a social gathering.
Two people are working in a garden, bent over, tending to plants, with a house and trees visible in the background on an overcast day.
The image shows a large metal bowl containing melted chocolate, with a white plastic object in the center and a black countertop underneath.
The image depicts a hand holding a collection of small, shiny objects, possibly gemstones or rocks, with a person\'s arm and background visible in the distance.
The image depicts a man standing in a lush forest, holding a long pole, surrounded by trees with vibrant green leaves and a scattering of brown leaves on the ground.
The image depicts two women sitting on a bench, surrounded by large piles of cocoa pods, with buckets and stools nearby, in a red-painted room.
The image depicts a tree with three green pods, surrounded by lush green leaves and a pipe in the foreground, set against a natural outdoor backdrop.

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