Finca Recreo Genova

New info!!! Rainy season, Oct-Feb, i will be asking volunteers to work a mix of tasks but when there is no rain I would like help with outdoor tasks, weeding around coffee trees, clearing bamboo branches and moving sand/rocks. Nothing overly difficult but it is manual work.

Dogs; as of November I have 4 dogs. 1 8 year old Ridgeback who is very big but I have no concerns about. I have an adopted 4 year old Ridgeback who is very friendly but I am still training and learning about his nature. I also have 2 Doberman puppies who are now 12 weeks old. They are full of energy and are very mischievous. I need volunteers to help me keep their personal belonging out of their reach, Keep doors closed, etc.

They can find a place to relax and get away from complex life.
Get to now the countryside and rural life in Colombia.

I am happy to host digital nomads and couples.

Genova is at the end of the road. It is not yet overly touristy, it still has an authentic small town feel.

I work online a large portion of the time. Volunteers need to be self starters, though Pedro(Works on the farm) is generally around to help if I am in my office. I can be sociable and outgoing but I am also happy alone. Volunteers should be mostly self reliant but I am happy to teach what I know. The kitchen is open to volunteers, I am a very light eater so some days I may only eat alone or something very small. I will provide simple food that is locally available. Cheese, meat, sweets, gasiosas and anything imported will be the responsibility of the volunteer. Rice, pasta, veggies, local fruits, eggs(reasonable amount), milk, cereal etc. will be at the farm, I may ask volunteers to go shopping if I am not available to do it. I have good fast WIFI. But it is not always reliable when it rains. The town of Genova is at the end of the road so any storms frequently cut off the cable internet. Volunteers are welcome to use the WIFI but if there is a problem I will prioritize my online meetings over volunteer downloads. Part of the volunteer responsibilities is to help keep the house clean. Nothing crazy, the house is open to the outside, but it gets messy fast without a few minutes a day sweeping and cleaning. I ask volunteers to be ready to start at 7:30 am and work until 12 mid day. Pedro (my employee) goes home for lunch at 12 so I like to have the volunteers finish the day at the same time. I am not a slave driver, if volunteers are doing a job that is fully independent you can choose your hours. (4:30-5 hours total of useful tasks, cleaning, field work, etc) If you have any questions, please bring them to my attention, I want to explain everything here rather than individual responses. Please read: *I am not from Colombia but this is my home. For all volunteers please remember I am not on vacation. I am happy to share fun experiences but my house is my home, it is not a place for parties. Please remember the way the community sees you reflects on my reputation. ******PLEASE also remember, this is Colombia and the costs are very different from Europe and the USA. A full day of work for a local who knows everything about farming costs about $10 USD. Including weekends, volunteers food+ costs= close to the same per hour of work. I do not expect volunteers to be experts but I do need volunteers to respect that I am not a charity, I am trying to advance my farm. I also want volunteers to understand that small costs in Europe/North America may not be small for a working Colombian farm. I need volunteers to give me useful work for 4-5 hours/5 days a weeks to break even. I enjoy having good volunteers but bad volunteers take away from my productivity and the enjoyment of my lifestyle, so please be aware and don't ruin it for future volunteers. *Please be aware that volunteers are responsible for their own insurance. I have first aid, but I can not pay for emergencies. So it is also your responsibility to tell me if you are not comfortable with a project. Nothing is overly dangerous, my worker handles the chainsaw and machines and machete. But you are in the field, there are rocks to trip over and chances for allergies, etc. *I have keys for the rooms and the front gate. I ask volunteers to give me a 20,000 peso (Col) deposit for the keys. If you don't lose the keys you will get your money back when you leave. (it costs me money and time to make copies of keys) If you bring your own padlock, you are welcome to use it on your room.