Your work will include constructing, feeding animals, planting seeds, conserving soil, maintaining medicinal plants, using and producing organic fertilizer, maintaining the spring-water wells, and harvesting crops. Each morning you will find a whiteboard with the day's tasks, which will be assigned by the project leader.

The several projects that you will be working on include:

• Soil remediation: As the pasture area on the farm is heavily degraded, the soil has to be prepared for grass plugs through digging, and then the plugs will be planted by hand.

• Medicinal herb plot: There is currently a medicinal herb plot with approximately 75 plants, for the production of natural shampoos, insect repellents, and herbal remedies. This will be a labor-intensive job requiring grass removal from the plot, soil preparation, and transplanting the herbs. You will also help process plants for the production of tea leaves, using a wood mill constructed on the farm.

• Solar dryer: You will help to construct a solar dryer, a structure covered with a special type of plastic to gauge the ideal temperature for drying medicinal plants.

• Terrace construction and maintenance: In order to slow erosion and prevent soil loss, there is a need to build terraces as well as renovate the existing ones.

• Vegetable plot: Volunteers will learn how to plant and cultivate a variety of vegetables organically, including tomatoes, beans, lettuce, radishes, chilies, and herbs.

• Biogas production: In order to substitute current fuels like propane and wood, the farm produces and uses biogas as an alternative energy source.

• Termite-proofing: Trees need to be protected from attacking insects, especially termites. Once a year it is necessary to apply a protective wood treatment.

• Maintain and safeguard the frog pond stocked with native plants and frog species, which has recently been constructed on the farm.

• Construction of wooden cabins for volunteers and visitors close to the neighboring forest.

• Other tasks like cutting and chopping wood for the kitchen stove or assisting in making natural shampoo and/or insect repellent from herbs.

The farm also has a very interesting Morph Butterfly enclosure. They invite students and visitors to the butterfly garden where they can learn about the reproduction of the fluorescent blue butterflies, how they change form from a caterpillar to a beautiful flying insect, their feeding habits and much more! You will also help with daily food preparation as there are a large number of guests on the farm. This will give you the chance to practice your Spanish while learning about typical Costa Rican cuisine.

You need to be reasonably fit for some of the work. The working schedule, though intense, is intended to be exhilarating, not exhausting. Given the nature of conservation development work, there are often numerous circumstances requiring your positive attitude, cooperation and flexibility.

The farm is well-equipped, with hot showers and electric power sources in the bedrooms. The volunteers are expected to keep their rooms clean, including the bathroom and kitchen. Cleaning materials will be provided. Alcohol is not allowed on the farm whereas smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor areas. Due to restricted amounts of water, there are limitations for each person when showering and using the washing machine (i.e. one shower per day, one load of laundry washed per week).

The meals will consist of simple Costa Rican food and will include a lot of cooked rice and beans. Vegetarian meals can be arranged upon request.

It is intended to provide an example for other farms of how the following practices can be employed successfully:

• Organic farming
• Soil regeneration and conservation
• Natural herbicides
• Natural pesticides
• Enhancement of the natural environment
• Worm composting
• Medicinal herb cultivation
• Reforestation methods and seed saving

The goals of the project include:

• Soil conservation (construction of terraces, planting of soil-binding grasses)
• Pasture rehabilitation and fence construction
• Vegetable cultivation in raised beds
• Treatment of structural wood in the farm buildings to protect from termites
• Construction and maintenance of greenhouses
• Planting of fruit-bearing trees
• Reforestation of trees native to the area
• Sharing ideas with other local farmers
• Sharing ideas with local children and foreign students on ecological school tours
• Managing free-range poultry
• Cultivation of Californian Red Worms for the enrichment of organic fertilizers
• Showing visitors the multiple uses that certain plants have, as treatment for both human health and plant welfare
• Fabrication of composts using materials grown on the farm
• Involving the volunteers in activities that allow for a greater appreciation of Costa Rican culture

The farm has twelve acres in extent, and accommodates horses, chickens, ducks, medicinal plants, fruit trees, grass for forage, several crop species, spring-water wells, an area of rainforest, red worm composting for soil regeneration, and a pond.

Source: Google Maps

• Accommodation
• 3 meals / day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Orientation kit
• Local support
• 24h-Emergency Number
• Volunteer Work Placement
• Certificate of participation

• Flight
• Airport pick-up
• Medical Insurance
• Visa (if necesary)
• Local Travels