Organic Farming in Costa Rica

Through this program, volunteers have the opportunity to live and work on an organic farm in rural Costa Rica. Volunteers learn more about areas such as organic farming, reforestation, and environmetal issues in Costa Rica.

The interest in organic farming is growing in Costa Rica, and in many other parts of the world. Costa Rica now has the highest rate of stomach cancer in the world, caused by the heavy use of farming chemicals. The farm where our volunteers work is one of Costa Rica's "green" farms that are devoted to organic, chemical-free farming.

The farm is located above the Orosi valley near Paraíso. The farm sits at 1,250 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. It has a horse, goats, sheep, chickens, nurseries, and fields of crops - all spread out over 15 hectares of land.

The volunteer work varies, depending on the area(s) of the farm that you want to work on. The available options are:

• Organic agriculture
• Reforestation
• Domestic animals
• Medical herbs
• Construction
• Arts
• Community work
• Children education

Volunteers can rotate or work in just one area in which they have special skills or would like to have a more focused experience. Volunteers can also arrange Independent projects within these areas, working with the local experts / employees on the farm. You can also arrange to receive school credit for the projects you work on.

There are also courses and workshops offered to supplement the physical work done by volunteers. The most popular is the Sustainable Development Course. Participants learn about Organic Agriculture, Tropical Biodiversity, the agricultural history of Costa Rica, Medicinal plants, Agro-forestry, Techniques for collecting & identifying flora in the field, and much more.