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1-2 Month Organic Farm Help

5.0
(3 reviews)3

The experience

We have a small organic farm in Dongshi, Taiwan. It is run by volunteers and deliveries are made twice a week from the farm to the Taipei Academy.

This is a great opportunity for those who who are interested in or are learning Mandarin and also want a quiet natural environment for personal projects during their down time. Dongshi town is a short bus ride away but our farm provides a peaceful environment.

What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Kitchen Hand: Help prepare, finish and serve meals.

Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.

Farming: Plant crops, sow seeds and help in outside tasks.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Requirements

Beginner English or Beginner Chinese

Over 18 years old

Only hosts solo volunteers (doesn’t accept couples or partners)

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

We are looking for someone able bodied, enthusiastic and self-driven to help out with our farming program. In exchange you will receive home cooked meals, experiences in rural Taiwanese culture, opportunity to practice Mandarin, and a significant amount of quiet/personal time in the countryside to pursue your own study or work projects.

Our organic farm was established about 10 years ago as a way to support our academy with healthy food and provide a place for personal practice and cultivation. We hope to run longer meditation + farming programs there following the great Chan Buddhist traditions of 'work as practice'.

Activities & Shift

We expect 5-6 hours of help on the farm per day which is arranged with the farm managers. Some of the work may be preparing and packing vegetables, operation of some light machinery, weeding, cleaning debris, etc. Helping with preparing meals and cleaning up after as part of regular life together. There may be 2-6 other people at other times whether long term local volunteers or short term foreign volunteers.

Outside of the farm work the volunteers have weekly Buddhist studies and chanting (in Mandarin) on Sunday evening you can attend. We have online classes with our Taipei center that are also available. On the weekend volunteers form Taipei come to teach classes nearby and on occasion we may have large dinners or activities at the farm and you'd be welcome to join. Especially when holidays or special events occur family members and guests may have large dinners at the farm you will be warmly included in. Weekends may also bring a monastic or two to help at our nearby practice hall.

Rules

We do not allow meat/fish, guests, alcohol/drugs/smoking, etc. at the farm. While there is no curfew we do request you let the farm managers know if you'll be leaving to Dongshi town or further- for everyone's safety and awareness.