Posted on 2011-12-20

This project consists of several tropical farms (called fincas in Spanish) and is situated in and around Puerto Quito, a village some 140 kilometres Northwest of Quito. The area is a biodiversity hot spot and approximately 300 bird species can be found in the valley of Puerto Quito. The farms are situated in an area of tropical forest close to the Caoní River.

You will have the opportunity to learn a lot about the local trees, flowers, plants, birds and fruits during your time working on the farms. You will also have time to relax and explore the local attractions including waterfalls, tasting different sorts of tropical fruits (arashá, zapote, papaya, piña, cacao, orange, pineapple and more) or even trying your hand at making your own chocolate from cacao.

You will learn all about the hard work needed to work on a tropical farm, living in a rural setting as well as learning all about the local people who work off the land and the hardships and joys that face small Ecuadorian farmers. You will also learn practical skills such as planting trees, grafting on fruit trees, how to swing the machete and harvest bamboo, bananas and pineapples amongst others.

The project is a partnership between small Ecuadorian farming families who often have too much land that they are unable to harvest properly or do all the work that is necessary as they do not have the money to pay for manual laborers. Volunteers help by allowing small farmers to be more productive whilst also forming a type of cultural interchange. A volunteer not only works but also learns a way of life, a type of culture and above all an affinity to nature.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

Volunteers can choose whether to spend all of their time at one farm or rotate every week to a different farm.

Finca “Luz de America”

Number of family members: 5
Number of hectares: 35
Location: 4½ km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation for 2 volunteers in a room within the family’s house. Activities:

Pick different fruits, especially passion fruit
Harvest and clean the cacao plantation
Take care of the pigs, cows and other animals
Milk the cows
Clean out the area for the animals
Going to the market once a week to buy food for the animal

Finca “Tierra Santa”

Number of family members: 7
Number of hectares: 44
Location: 3km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation in one cabin with two rooms, for a total of 4 people. Activities:

Make an inventory of the existing plants and species present at the finca
Collect seeds
Set up a nursery for trees and fruit plants
Cultivate greens, vegetables, medicinal plants, fruit and ornamental plants
Maintain and clean new cultivations
Feed the pigs and chickens
Look after the cows
Build cages for the animals
Improve and maintain infrastructure and paths

Finca “Jardin de Chocolate”

Number of family members: 4
Number of hectares: 3
Location: 4km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation in a separate cabin for a total of 5 people.
Activities:

Make an inventory of the existing plants and species present at the finca
Collect seeds
Work in the plant nursery
Cultivate greens, vegetables, medicinal plants, fruit and ornamental plants
Maintain and clean new cultivations
Improve and maintain infrastructure and paths
Educational program:here it is possible to be a teacher at the school of '24 de Mayo' where you can teach things like English, environmental education or some other creative things such as theatre (plays), drawing / painting classes, handicrafts, etc.
Harvest cacao, make artisan chocolate

Finca “Yasuni”

Number of family members: 2
Number of hectares: 3
Location: 4km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation for a total of 4 people.
Activities:

Harvest cacao and yuca
Work in the plant nursery
Cultivate greens, vegetables, medicinal plants, fruit and ornamental plants
Maintain and clean new cultivations -
Feed the pigs and chickens
Educational program: here it is possible to be a teacher at the school of '24 de Mayo' where you can teach things like English, environmental education or some other creative things such as theatre (plays), drawing / painting classes, handicrafts, etc.

Finca “Getzemani”

Number of family members: 5
Number of hectares: 5
Location: 4km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation in a cabin separate from the family house for a total of 3 people.
Activities:

Harvest African palm and cacao
Work in the plant nursery with tropical fruits -
Maintain, clean and improve the trails
Cultivate greens, vegetables, medicinal plants, fruit and ornamental plants
Maintain and clean new cultivations
Feed the chickens and fish

Finca “San Sebastian”

Number of family members: 5
Number of hectares: 3
Location: 4½ km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation for one volunteer in a room within the family home.
Activities:

Harvest cacao, banana and other tropical fruits
Work in the plant nursery with tropical plants
Maintain, clean and improve the trails
Cultivate greens, vegetables, medicinal plants, fruit and ornamental plants
Maintain and clean new cultivations
Feed the chickens

Finca “Montaña”

Number of family members: 4
Number of hectares: 15
Location: 8km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation in a separate cabin for up to 5 volunteers.
Activities:

Help in the small factory producing cheese, yogurt, marmalades, fruit pulps
Harvest and clean the cacao and coffee plantations
Maintain, clean and improve the trails
Cultivate greens, vegetables, medicinal plants, fruit and ornamental plants
Help in the compost area

Finca “Copocmu”

Number of family members: 3 (1 German woman, 1 Ecuadorian man and their child)
Number of hectares: 3
Location: 4km from Puerto Quito
Accommodation: This farm offers accommodation in a separate cabin for up to 2 volunteers or within the family house.
Activities:

Help with construction around the farm, using local bamboo
Help with the trails
Harvest and clean cacao plantations
Help in the plant nursery
Plant and fertilize the soil

Tropical Farm Work