work in coffee farm
Overview of the Project
The hills around San Jose have very fertile soil and farmers there have seen rich harvest for many years.
But these farmers stopped using organic seeds and depended on imported seeds and fertilizers long time back. Overtime, they came to realize the damaged these can do to the soil and dangerously increase the farmers' dependency on them. But with organic farming, they can now look forward to their soil regenerating and for their product to fetch greater price in the market. There is now a great enthusiasm to go organic among the farmers. Our volunteers in the project will work with these farmers to promote organic and sustainable farming and give them plenty of reasons to be very cheerful for the future.
Role of Volunteer
Volunteers will with local farmers to receive training and then become involve in seminars and awareness programs to spread the benefits of organic farming and its long term advantages. You will work mostly with coffee farmers and spend the majority of your time outdoors in the farms, helping the farmers with variety of work, including picking coffee.
- Program: Volunteer in Costa Rica
- Project: Organic and Sustainable Farming in Costa Rica
- Start dates: 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month
- Departure and End Point: San Jose International Airport (Juan Santamaria)
- Location: San Jose
- Language Need: Basic/intermediate Spanish fluency
- Accommodation and meals: host family and Costa Rican meals three times daily
- Activities: work with coffee farmers to promote conservation work
- Working hours: 25-35 hours per week
Skills/Qualification Needed
There are no specific qualifications needed to join the project in Costa Rica beyond a preferred basic/intermediate fluency in Spanish. If you cannot speak Spanish, we recommend enrolling in our Spanish Language Studies program. Please note that many of the projects are quite physical, therefore conservation volunteers must be in good physical shape. A volunteer should be enthusiastic and a self-starter yet able to follow directions well.
Major FAQs- Construction Project
What does the usual daily program look like for this project?
9am –bus ride to project location project work until 11:30 or later depending on the weather conditions.
Where are the volunteers going to live while volunteering for this project? What are the commuting options? What's the distance between project location and home stay?
The volunteers for the organic and sustainable coffee farming in Costa Rica will live with a host family and will take a daily bus to the project location ($1/ride)
What are the concrete activities for volunteers?
The specific activities differ depending on the weather conditions. Some of the activities you can expect are picking coffee, drying, roasting coffee and partaking in the other sustainable development projects around the project location.
What's the project called?
Volunteers for the organic and sustainable coffee farming in Costa Rica are going to be provided with all information upon completion of the application procedure.
Are volunteers going to work alone or is there any volunteer assistance?
The volunteers will work alongside farm owners and employees.
How many daily working hours are there?
This depends greatly on the season you are volunteering and on the volunteers wishes.
Can I volunteer for this project all year long?
Yes you can.
Volunteer in Costa Rica: Project Locations and Free Time Options
San Jose is located about 41 kilometers (25.5 miles) from San Jose in the central Valley and sits at an elevation of 698 meters above sea level. It is a small town of about 5 thousand people and is popular with a lot of American expats, who stay there permanently. The temperature in San Jose averages in the mid-70s year-round, but there will be few warmer nights and few evenings when it might dip below the 60s. In the rainy season, late afternoons are wet but mornings are mostly clear.
From San Jose, the views of the surrounding coffee and sugarcane plantations as well as forested valleys are very beautiful. There is a central park located at the heart of the town. The park is a perfect place to relax and enjoy ice cream or coffee. Cafes and restaurants located within the park serve some of Costa Rica's delicious cuisine including the toronjas rellenas (stuffed grapefruits), which are a popular local dessert. Nearby shops and markets are very good places to purchase souvenirs such as handcrafted jewelery or traditional Costa Rican clothing. Located just east of San Jose, volunteers can also visit La Garita. It is to home to Zoo Ave, a wildlife rescue and breeding center, and also has a plant nursery nearby that sells exotic plants. On weekends, volunteers can travel to Pacific Coast or further away to visit National Parks and Caribbean Coast. A trip to San Jose, the largest city, is also recommended.