Permaculture and Biodynamic Teaching Farm Ecuador
Description
We are a regenerative agriculture teaching farm in Southern Ecuador. We have offered a Permaculture Design Certificate Course since 2014 in Ecuador, and in many settings and countries globally since 1990.
We love working with volunteers that have chosen organic / regenerative lifestyles and work-paths, and want to increase their hands-on learning through direct involvement.
We are very involved in several community projects here, and helped start the Vilcabamba Organic Market, and the Council for Community Collaboration.
Spanish classes are an option with an excellent local teacher at a cost of US$5 per hour during your time off.
Details
Organisation:
Finca Vida Verde
Location:
Vilcabamba, Loja
Qualifications/Skills:
Gardening experience, endurance, desire to learn, share, help, adaptability to work the priority of the day, which can shift with frequency on a farm.
Dates of program:
Year round
Duration of program:
2 weeks minimum, 1 month preferred
Age requirement:
Children, teenagers, adults and seniors of both genders
Cost:
Volunteers receive a free camping space and three meals per day. For well-experienced individuals who want to learn with us, a weekly stipend is negotiable, after a 2 week starter period. A US$5 donation towards food costs is suggested for those with less experience. Our website provides all the details.
Other information:
We will help you get here, providing information about accessing public transportation. Please have a good look at our website to familiarise yourself with our projects and to see if our focus is a match for your desired learning.
Reviews
Vilcabamba and Permaculture"Volunteering at this farm marked my introduction to the world of Permaculture. I spent a couple weeks volunteering on the farm before taking the Permaculture course and was amazed to see all the principles put into practice. Zia and Roshni have transformed a sloped piece of land that would otherwise not be very productive into a fully productive site, with so many systems in place working to support one another. Both teachers, equipped me with the initial knowledge and skills to move forward in my journey of Permaculture. Their youthful energies, kindness and wisdom have made me aspire to and create a similar life for myself. As I reflect, my experience volunteering here has lead to so many positive aspects in my life today. I would totally recommend volunteering here for those looking for amazing teachers doing amazing work!"- Gary Pereira
Heart touching experience"My time here was something I can never forget. I loved every moment of this experience. This space was always filled with laughs, smiles and very important conversations. Zia and Roshni, I thank you for sharing a part of your beautiful life with me. This place felt like family to me. I am so pleased with the variety of tasks to be done. Every day was something had something new to discover. Learning more about the Biodynamic Method of agriculture really captivated me because of the way Zia and Roshni embrace it in their whole lifestyle. I learned so much about the earth and how we connect to it along with all other beings. It amazes me to see how in touch you both are with the plants, it is inspiring. So much heart and care put into what you have done. This must be why it is so beautiful to watch you two embrace each other so well - you are truly a couple of the happiest people I've had the pleasure to meet. I loved the gardening, getting to know the plants, working alongside the Ecuadorean gardeners and the community connections. Vilcabamba has an incredible network of people that share the same values and that respect the planet. Helping at the organic market was the perfect way to engage with these likeminded individuals. I felt honored being involved in a community-wide fund-raising project. This was a spiritual awakening for me. Thank you SO much! Much love, Jackie"- Jackie-Ray Bauman
Permaculture Paradise"After deciding to give up my job in the UK to pursue an education in Permaculture full time, I came across this project on the Volunteer Latin America website. I spent 3 months with Zia and Roshni volunteering and at the end of those 3 months I completed their Permaculture design course. Having come from different climatic regions themselves their plant knowledge is vast and both remain to be two of the best teachers and story tellers I have encountered in my many years of travel. This is a wonderful place to visit to learn about plants, plant medicines, Permaculture techniques, gardening, farm to market, seed saving...the list is endless! Zia & Roshni are two of the most loving and wise people I have had the pleasure of spending time with on a journey that has lasted over a year now, they were there at the beginning and provided me with the foundations for all the work I continue to do on Permaculture projects around the world. I would recommend a visit to anyone, I know other volunteers have returned and one day I very much hope to return too!"- Fran Burton
Apply now
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If you visit and apply via the website please mention that you saw this project on volunteerlatinamerica.com.