world wide opportunities on organic farms
HOST ID: ARG384
Volver a la Fuente
City: Las Flores
Province: San Juan
PC: 5467
Teléfono: 0264-15-586-1303
Email: antonio.iacopino@gmail.com
Type of property:
We have a small family farm of 3.5 hectares. Our farm is located at the foot of the Andes mountains at approximately 1,800 meters altitude. The air is pure and we have a water source on our property. On our farm the buildings are made of adobe, thatch, superadobe, and passive solar design; you will be able to learn about bio-construction and experience it first hand.
Crops: Fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, andean greenhouse.
Who lives on the farm:
We are a couple, Lila is from United States, Antonio from Argentina and has traveled extensively. Aside from the farm and family duties Lila does transcriptions and translation services and Antonio teaches English in a local high school. We have three children from ages 12 to 18 born in the US where we lived for 15 years. We moved to San Juan in 2011. Our kids love practicing Kung Fu, playing guitar, cooking, playing soccer and acting. We have a dog, two cats, five horses, and fourteen llamas.
We speak Spanish and English at a native speaker level, and some Portuguese and Italian and we love to learn French. We like to choose the language that makes easier our communication with the volunteers to be able to exchange life experiences and have a good time.
What we do on the farm:
We breed llamas and depending on the time of year you can participate in shearing and fiber spinning. Our bread is made with local wheat made into flour in a stone mill in the neighboring town of Jachal operating since 1800 or with our blender and we bake it in clay or regular propane gas ovens. We produce jams for own consumption from all kinds of fruits that are harvested on our farm and in the area. Our house and other buildings are made with different bio-construction techniques and there are several ongoing building projects.
Volunteers can help out in the following activities:
Maintaining the andean greenhouse, taking care of the vegetable garden, helping maintain the fences, participating in bioconstruction projects, cleaning of animal pens, shearing, caring of fruit trees, harvesting guano, irrigating, harvesting and storing fodder, cooking, etc.
What you should bring:
Volunteers should bring everything they will need for personal care, proper footwear and clothing for the tasks described and sleeping bags.
The climate in Las Flores is quite privileged; it usually only rains during the months of January/February and throughout the rest of the year it's sunny with a pristine blue sky during the day, and the night skies are spectacular. On our farm we have a pool for swimming and a forest to keep us cool too. On the other hand, the Zonda wind is unpredictable and it can be annoying at times. The desert weather is dry so don't forget to bring lip balm and lotion to protect your skin from the sun and the wind and a hat as well. Even in the warm days it gets chilly at night. We also advise you to bring long sleeve T-shirts to better protect your skin and to account for the sudden changes in weather.
We have beehives on our property so if you are allergic please bring proper medication.
Recreational activities:
We are located 15 minutes from Cuesta del Viento dam where windsurfing and kitesurfing are practiced by beginners and professionals from all over the world. We are also 30 minutes away from the Jachal river where kayaking and rafting is practiced. We love hiking and horseback riding and try to go out at least twice a month on some expedition and sightseeing. If you want a longer and more adventurous tour check the link Tours in this site for descriptions, pictures, cost, and more.
The visitors can also observe and participate in cultural activities celebrated by people that maintain their traditions for generations.
Accommodation:
We provide our volunteers with a room with three beds, and a private bathroom with hot water. Camping grounds are available but we don't have detached bathrooms from our main buildings. We can accommodate up to three volunteers but we prefer no more than two at a time.
Food:
We follow a vegetarian diet and serve vegetarian food and we all eat together as a family. We don't mind people having cookouts if they wish to barbecue meat or some food to their liking. We always welcome volunteers and visitors to exchange recipes and cooking skills, allowing them to participate in the kitchen as much as they want.
When to come:
We can receive people all year round. However during the winter (June, July and August) we don't encourage many people to come since the outdoor activities either for work as well as for recreation are somewhat limited due to the weather conditions. Though we still accept applications and deal with them on a case by case basis.
How to get here:
If you arrive at San Juan airport you need to take a taxi to the bus terminal, or else if you arrive directly to the bus terminal you need to look for a company that takes you to Departamento de Iglesia, Las Flores.
We recommend you check Plataforma 10 to get your bus ticket online or else you can go to the ticket counter at the terminal. Below are the links of two of the main companies that come to Las Flores.
You need to get off at El Jarillal street in Las Flores and walk about 300 meters west (towards the mountains) or if the bus driver is not familiar you can get off the bus in the Centro Civico de El Llano or in Las Flores gas station ACA and ask anybody who works there for us. Our phone number is there for you to call. We can pick you up at the gas station if we arrange a time in advance. Ask for Antonio Iacopino or the finca next to Enrique Poblete in El Jarillal and anyone in the area will be able to tell you where we are.
What we expect from you:
Willingness to help out at the farm and the house when needed, love animals and nature, take care of the personal hygiene and surrounding, including doing your own laundry. Respect the norms of living with the family. We share the cost of booze and spirits. Good vibes are a must.
Additional comments:
We would like to know your expectations before you visit and more about you. Please send us your 'request of stay form' or call us beforehand. By choice, we do not have internet or television on the farm, but you can access internet at a closeby place.
We embrace diversity and don't discriminate on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, or sexual orientation, However, we are not fond of people trying to push their beliefs on us.
For more WWOOFing tips and detailed description about the program and great travelling suggestions in general visit Backpack to the Future website clicking on the picture below and check out their video about our place.
