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

  • Last activity : 30 Apr 2025

Availability

  2025 

 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 invite passionate individuals to join us in exploring the world of organic cacao cultivation and chocolate making.

    After a fulfilling corporate career in Bangalore, I followed my passion to reconnect with the land and create something truly sustainable. Today, we produce bean-to-bar chocolate while practicing regenerative farming and hosting volunteers who want to learn and contribute.

    We also share our farm with five friendly dogs (Munchi, Robin, Puli, and Kura), a cow (Babu), a bull (Raja), and a cat (Pilli and her kittens) 🐶🐂🐱.

    🌿 What’s Happening Right Now? Cocoa Season! 🌿
    It's cocoa season, which means most of the work will be focused on cacao harvesting, fermentation, drying, and processing. This is an exciting time to join us and learn firsthand how cacao transforms into high-quality chocolate!

    🛠️ What You’ll Do (Farm Activities)
    At our farm, you’ll experience the magic of sustainable agriculture and chocolate production. Your tasks may include:
    ✅ Fermenting, drying, and sorting beans to prepare them for chocolate making.
    ✅ Processing cacao into bean-to-bar chocolate and learning the craft.
    ✅ Helping with general farm work like growing vegetables and maintaining the land.


    🌊 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.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Teaching
    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 & chocolate-making experience.
    🔹 Exposure to sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
    🔹 Skill development in fermentation, tree planting, and permaculture.
    🔹 A deep cultural experience with local traditions and people.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

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

    🔧 Special Skills Needed!
    If you have experience in welding, carpentry, website development, product design, or packaging, we’d love your help! We are constantly working on improving the farm’s infrastructure, branding, and digital presence. Your expertise in these areas will be greatly appreciated.

    🌱 Regular Farm Activities
    🔹 Cacao Harvesting & Processing

    The cacao plantation is about 15-20 minutes away by car, at a friend’s farm. There, you’ll help harvest the cacao pods, extract the beans, and transport them to our farm for fermentation and drying.

    🔹 Fermentation & Drying

    Fermentation takes 7-10 days depending on moisture levels. Volunteers will check if the beans are ready by cutting a few open to examine the color.

    Once fermented, beans need to be washed and moved to the drying room.

    Drying takes about 7 days (longer during the monsoon). Beans must be turned daily to ensure even drying.

    🔹 Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Making 🍫

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

    You’ll get hands-on experience in roasting, winnowing, grinding, and tempering the beans into chocolate.

    We make 100%, 80%, and 55% chocolate, often using palm sugar as a sweetener.

    🔹 Planting New Cocoa Trees

    Right now, most of our cacao trees are on our friend's farm, but we’ve started planting our own cacao orchard.

    Since cacao trees take 5 years to mature and another 3 years to produce high-quality beans, we are investing in our future farm production.

    You’ll help with digging holes, planting trees, and caring for the young saplings. This is physical work, so be prepared to get your hands dirty!

    🔹 Growing Our Own Food

    Besides cacao, we also grow our own vegetables and fruits.

    Volunteers help with planting, watering, composting, and general garden maintenance.

    ⏳ Work Schedule & Expectations
    We work 5 days a week, with 3 shifts 5 hours in total. With 2 days off.
    Since fermentation is an ongoing process, some tasks may need to be done on Saturdays and Sundays. If weekend work is required, it will be compensated with holiday on a weekday.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Hindi: Fluent
    Kannada: Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    beginner Spanish and German

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    🏡 Accommodation & Food
    Volunteers stay in our shared dorm room, which is divided into separate sections for females and a co-living space for all. We provide a simple, 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.

    There is a simple shared kitchen that all volunteers have access to if you’d like to cook your own meals or prepare snacks.

    We aim to create a community-driven space where volunteers can enjoy farm life while learning and sharing experiences with others.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Indulge a little in the local culture, depending on the time of the year you might be lucky to check out local folk dance and drama. We can organise local sightseeing during weekends and beach is close by.

  • 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

Host ref number: 415647897292

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Photos

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 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.
A man is standing in front of a house, holding a fishing rod and wearing a hat, with a body of water behind him. The scene appears to be a peaceful and serene environment.
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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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