Learn about organic farming in Caqueza, Colombia

Details

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  Description

  We are a farming family that lives en a rural neighborhood of Caqueza, Cundinamarca, 60 km south of Bogota. The farm is located on a mountain a 40 minute walk from the main road. For a decade, our family has received people on the farm for exchanges and to teach what we know about taking care of the evironment and cultivating. Presently there are six people living on and working the farm organically and artisanally. We eat everything and we are used to put some meat in vegetable preparation. We can receive vegetarian that are flexible because we will not prepare vegetarian food beside only for them.
  
  Somos una familia campesina que vive en una vereda de Caqueza Cundinamarca, 60 km al sur de Bogotá. La finca está ubicada en una montaña, 40 minutos de camino desde la carretera principal. Por una década, nuestra familia ha recibido personas en la finca para compartir y enseñar lo que sabemos de cuidar el medio ambiente y cultivar. En este momentos somos seis personas quienes vivimos y trabajamos la finca de manera orgánica y artesanal y siempre hay muchas personas en la finca (familia y amigos). Comemos de todo y solemos poner un pedazo de carne a la comida para darle sabor. Podemos recibir vegetarianos que puedan comer así porque no podemos cocinar algo vegetariano a parte.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Hospitality/Tourism

  General Maintenance
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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

  Here on the farm a volunteer can have a good experience of a typical Colombian peasant life in harmony with nature and far from the frenetic rhythms of a city. The farm is a space to learn the value of a seed and confront oneself as the countryside supports the consumerism of the city. We are always willing to learn about cooking from other parts of the world, sharing music, or theater.
  
  Aca en la finca un voluntario puede tener una buena experiencia de una vida típica campesina colombiana en harmonia con la naturaleza y lejos de los ritmos freneticos de una ciudad. La finca es un espacio para aprender el valor de una semilla y confrontar a uno mismo como el campo soporte el consumismo de la ciudad. Siempre estamos despuestos a aprender de la cocina de otras partes del mundo, compartir musica, o teatro.

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  Projects involving children

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

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  Help

  We are starting with a rafting activity. We are looking for help with the issue of communication. We need to take photos, videos, create content on social networks, etc. We will also want to create a website for the farm and for this activity.
  People who have knowledge in these areas are received in priority 📷🎥📹💻
  
  The help will be a mix of work of this type with work on the farm.
  
  Currently the farm's projects are Mexican peppers and tomatoes for sale, an apiary with 15 established hives, chickens, cows (milk, cheese), sows, the kitchen and the rest of the crops for the farm's own consumption (cane, ahuyamas, vegetables, aromatics, beans, potatoes, coffee, corn, chia, quinoa, banana, avocado, guava, and other fruit trees). The tasks of crop maintenance, depending on the season, are weeding, fertilizing, watering, sowing, and harvesting. The idea is to have a very diverse edible forest.
  
  We would also like to organize our biofactory better. Currently we have vermiculture crops and prepare mineral-based fertilizers. On the farm we have 10 pigs that are used for the production of fertilizers.
  
  We are looking for people who can collaborate with us on projects to create a farm that works even more in harmony with Mother Earth (i.e. biofilter for gray water, dry toilets, bioconstructions (bamboo, local wood, mud, recycled materials). In the future we want to use renewable energies with wind, water and sun.
  
  We ask for help with all of these projects, but depending on the season, we focus more on one project or another. For example, regarding construction, we try to plan for December-March.
  
  We ask voluntarios to help us with housework as part of the community. It can be help us
  to cook and prepare the meals during the week and during the weekend, do the dishes etc.
  
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  Estamos empezando con una actividad de rafting. Buscamos ayuda con el tema de l comunicación. Necesitamos hacer fotos, vídeos, crear contenido en redes sociales etc. También querremos crear una página web para la finca y para esta actividad.
  Se recibe en prioridad personas que tengan el conocimiento en estas áreas 📷🎥📹💻
  
  La ayuda será una mezcla de trabajo de este tipo con trabajos en la finca.
  
  Actualmente los proyectos de la finca son ajies y tomates mexicanos para venta, un apiario con 15 colmenas establecidas, gallinas, vacas (leche, queso), marranas, la cocina y un resto de cultivos para el autoconsumo de la finca (caña, ahuyamas, hortalizas, aromaticas, frijoles, papas, cafe, maiz, chia, quinoa, platano, aguacate, guayaba, y otros frutales). Los oficios del mantenimiento de los cultivos depende de la temporada son dehierbar, abonar, regar agua, sembrar, cosechar. La idea es tener un bosque comestible muy diverso.
  
  Tambien quisieramos organizar mejor nuestra biofabrica. Actualmente tenemos lombricultivos y preparamos abonos a base de minerales. En la finca contamos con 10 cerdos que sirven para la producción de abonos.
  
  Estamos en busqueda de personas quienes nos pueden colaborar en proyectos para realizar una finca cual trabaja aún mas en armonia con la Madre Tierra (i.e. biofiltro para las aguas grises, baños secos, bioconstrucciones (bambu, madera local, barro, materiales reciclados). En el futuro queremos utilizar energias renovables con el viento, agua y sol.
  
  Pedimos ayuda con todos estos proyectos, pero dependiendo la temporada, enfocamos mas en un proyecto o otro. Por ejemplo, lo que es construcción, tratamos de planear para diciembre-marzo.
  
  La idea es que los voluntarios participen en la vida de la casa, en la preparación de las comidas (desayuno, almuerzo y cena) , en la lavada de la loza etc.

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  Languages spoken

  Spanish: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  Volunteers have a separate room in a shared house. The room is shared amongst volunteers when there is more than one and with family and friends. There is also space for tents.
  
  Los voluntarios tienen un cuarto separado que será compartido en caso de mas de un voluntario en la casa o familia o amigos que lleguen. Tambien hay espacio para carpas.

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  What else ...

  After finishing work and on weekends, volunteers can go out alone or accompanied to visit natural sites (lakes, rivers, waterfalls, hot springs, and paramos) or towns around the farm. Our farm has been the focus of two archaeological studies and one seed study. We often do workshops with student groups and the general public. We like to integrate the volunteers completely into the family with all the activities, including visiting neighbors and family from the rest of the mountain. When we are not working we like to play tejo (Colombia's national game), play music, ride horses, play cards and board games, do yoga, meditate, bake bread, and dance at parties. Generally we ask that volunteers stay for at least a week and if they want to stay longer, we rehearse for two weeks and if coexistence works, we extend it for longer. It is advisable to bring gloves, boots and a hat. Volunteers have to bring their personal toiletries, soap to wash clothes by hand as well and toilet paper.
  
  Despues de terminar los labores y a los fines de semana los voluntari@s pueden salir sol@s o acompañad@s a conocer sitios de natruraleza (lagos, rios, cascadas, aguas termales, y paramos) o pueblos alrededor de la finca. Nuestra finca a sido el enfoque de dos estudios arquelogicos y uno de semillas. A menudo hacemos talleres con grupos estudantiles y con el publico general.
  
  Nos gusta integrar l@s voluntari@s completamente en la familia con todos los actividades, incluyendo visitando los vecinos y familia del resto de la montaña. Cuando no estamos trabajando nos gusta jugar tejo (juego nacional de colombia), tocar musica, montar caballo, jugar cartas y juegos de mesa, hacer yoga, meditar, hornear pan, y bailar en fiestas. Generalmente pidimos que voluntari@s quedan al menos una semana y si quieren quedar mas, ensayamos durante dos semanas y si funciona la convivencia, prolongamos por mas tiempo.
  
  Es aconsejable traer guantes, botas y sombrero.
  Los voluntarios tienen que traer sus cosas de aseo personales, su jabón para lavar la ropa a mano y su papel higiénico propio.

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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

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  4-5 horas al dia, 5 dias a semana

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