Costa Rica
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We are a family that's been turning the dream of living sustainably off-grid in the jungle into a reality. For over 10 years now. And it is time to share what we've learned with travelers while seeking help to grow our farm into a more productive self-sustaining operation and to grow into a diverse learning space to promote sustainability in all its facets in all the ways that we can.
We currently have a lot of the main local agricultural crops - cacao and banana. We always need help maintaining those. Our cacao covers about 3ha and most of it is real mixed forest, an organic cacao jungle. Bananas cover about 1/2ha of land mixed in with the only cacao we have outside of the forest. These both need ongoing stewardship.
We have a mix of lots of different herbs and medicinal plants in various spots throughout the property. We have local root crops, but need help getting other vegetables growing... The jungle can be a very challenging place to grow some things.
For our family, days here are very busy and full of work, and there is always something to do. We like to build a LOT, and there are always a few construction projects on the go. We use primarily earth, building a lot of structures out of clay, but also work with wood from our own farm and steel.
We are looking for helpers in a relaxed fashion. We know there's always a lot going on here, and we invite volunteers to jump in and help us where they can and want. We don't expect volunteers to follow our same routine, and so volunteers must be very independent here - to a point...
We ask for volunteers to help out on the farm for 5 days a week, and only for about 5 hours of actual work on those days. About half the days will center around a group project where we will all work together on something for the property; this may be a building project, a new trail project, gardens development, slope erosion work, farm stewardship, harvesting, and so on. The other half of the days will center around a volunteer's own project; something that you are responsible for and will work on either on your own or with other helpers that day. On all or both types of days, volunteers will also be asked to partake in daily farm or property maintenance activities (raking, weeding, pruning, ...) and other stewardship activities that they will choose themselves from lists. Daily farm/property maintenance tasks need to be done by a certain time in the morning, and on those days when we do group projects we'll let you know the day before what time to be ready, but otherwise volunteers are on their own for timing and how you want to schedule your day.
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Learn what it is like to live completely sustainably in the jungle. We are completely off-grid, completely "unplugged", but connected to the natural cycles around us. There is occasional charging from the sun, but no regular lighting or other electric. Water all comes from the rain (filtered for drinking), and bathing takes place in our creek. We work as one with the nature around us, and strive to live not only carbon-neutral but in an ecologically-positive way.
Learn what it has taken us to get to this point, our approaches, and the many different aspects to true sustainable living.
Forest tree planting.
Fruit tree planting.
Slope erosion control.
Interpretive trail making.
Earth construction.
Alternative sustainable construction.
New vegetable garden creation.
Nurseries management.
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Volunteers stay in a shared community home, one bunk-bed per person in a room with 1 to 3 other people.
Volunteers get a kitchen/cooking space to prepare their meals as they like. You are free to harvest all that you like from the farm. Your schedule is your own, so the choice of when and how to nourish yourself is also yours, but we invite you to take full advantage of the fruits, root veggies, nursery veggies, greens,,, enjoy all the land has to offer!
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
This host can provide space for campervans.
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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Accuracy of profile:
(4.5)
Cultural exchange:
(3.5)
Communication:
(5.0)
