La Donaira

OUR ENVIRONMENT. We are a Finca of 700 hectares in Andalucia, between Sevilla and Malaga. It’s situated in the middle of a mountain between 600m and 1100 meters above sea level. We are surrounded by a tri-centenary oak tree forest, olive trees, vines and fruit trees, one medicinal garden and one biodynamic garden. WE ARE LOOKING FOR motivated volunteers who can stay 2 months preferible; since we are a group of 5-6 volunteers we give more opportunity to long-term people. And we offer a very wide range of activities. Currently looking for volunteers who can help us with 1- Food Preparation : If you like cooking we really need an extra hand helping preparing meals for our volunteers and team! 2- In the Horse Area : volunteers with substantial horse experience, who can stay a minimum 3 months. 3-General Maintenance Area: Are you handy with tools? We need you help 4- Agricultural Area: volunteers with experience in nurseries and pruning diverse types of trees. Life in the Farm PERMACULTURE & AGRICULTURE. We have a few projects on going in our fields and depending on season we need help for define tasks. Volunteers are invited to bring 5 different types of ecological seeds coming from ecological gardens, from other regions and other farms from around the world. This way we help share the biodiversity around the Earth. STABLES. Our horses live in their natural environment in immense fields, and all their diet is organic. The first 3 years of their life our horses are being trained under Natural Horsemanship, then to being trained under Doma/Dressage. One of our objectives is to sell horses that are both trusting humans and technically highly performing. Our horses are therefore the main characters in our farm, as our guests can ask for dressage lessons or “rutas” into the wild. ANIMALS IN OUR FARM There are also cows, goats, sheeps, chickens, geese and roosters. TEAM. We are big team, great group of enthusiasts, open to new ideas and way of growing. Some of us live on the farm, some others in the small Pueblos Blancos of the region. LENGUAGES & COMMUNICATION. We are all from different origins and countries, we therefore speak a mix of English and Spanish. Speaking both is a big plus for our organizational communication.

We love to receive people with initiative, creativity, energy and with the wish to learn and teach, live on the farm enjoying an environment of magic nature that invites us to explore, to do walking and cycling tours or simply to meditate on the beauty we are blessed with. The volunteer program is a major component in our farm, you can expect to help in a wide variety of fields... 1. In Agricultural/Permacultre Area: Volunteers working with our agricultural team in the olive trees and vineyards. There is also general maintenance and construction work carried out on the farm. The volunteer is required to speak Spanish at an intermediate level and be willing to learn. It is physically hard work but a good experience for people who want to learn about commercial farming and gain/share knowledge about production of plant fertilisers, water and erosion management, preparing firewood, cleaning the forest, realising bioconstruction, planting trees, weeding, harvesting, taking part in the maintenance of the area. 2. In the Community Area “El Nido”: Handy and creative volunteers that can assist in construction, maintenance and gardening projects for the housing area of volunteers and staff. 3. In Kitchen Area: Volunteers who help in the kitchen of “El Nido” to prepare and clean up for breakfast and lunch that we provide for staff and volunteers. 4. In the Animal Area: A volunteer who works with the animal team helping with their rotation throughout the farm, their food, etc. We have goats, sheep, chickens, horses, and cows. It is a very hard work physically and only suitable for people interested in learning the handling of animals in a commercial farm. 5. In the Horses Area: we need an EXPERIENCED HORSE PERSON who can stay 3 months minimum. We would like some help with cleaning the stables on weekends and help feeding hay. On week days we need someone who is able to work comfortably around our horses and is knowledgeable about horse care as you may be required to move horses between fields/stables, help to prepare horses for riders and clean them up after their rides are finished. There may be the opportunity to ride and exercise our horses depending on the level of your riding ability - for this we would prefer an EXPERIENCED RIDER who has a good level of Dressage. Also, it is requested to speak a minimum basic Spanish to work in this area, as our team is half Spanish. 6. In Guest Area: Volunteers who help in Farm Tours, Bike tours and Hikes with guests. Requirements for all the tours is that volunteers speak fluent English. Our terrain is very hilly, so mountain bike experience is a must! For Farm Tours you will need a driver’s license. WE REQUIRE -A minimum stay of three months, being somewhat flexible with volunteers who have specific experiences to share with us. -Experience working with horses -Basic Spanish as big part of the team is Spanish. So a bit of knowledge is a plus! -A great passion for learning as well as a lot of energy in participating in a very special project. -Send an application and call by telephone or, preferably, Skype before being accepted into our volunteer program