Los Campesinos de la Neblina

---

Miraflor

The first of two organic farms we planned to WWOOF for, Finca Neblina del Bosque, was twelve-hectares on the edge of Miraflor Nature Reserve, 30km from Estelí.



Only a year old, the farm´s fruit trees are just knee-high, they had only one chicken (with chicks), one pregnant pig, two horses, and a sweet collie named Fiona.



It´s run by an interesting couple - Isabel is German and her husband Edwardo is Nica - who started the farm after selling some land on Isla de Ometepe.



We volunteered doing mostly repair and maintenance work, while indulging in the serene setting, and studying Spanish with a sweet tutor named Marta.



They fed us basic meals, lots of potatoes and gallo pinto (rice n beans), and housed us in their bamboo eco-cabañas powered by solar panels (the source for almost all electricity in Miraflor).



We had our ups and downs for the week, but overall it was a very positive experience.



Both of us felt our language skills improve, as much from the work being communicated exclusively in Spanish as from the three days with Marta.



The showers were freezing, we had no water in our cabaña, meals were a touch small without fruit or tortillas, we had little information about the area, there were no cold drinks, and cold nights; also, wonderfully, it was muy tranquilo, there was an enormous starry sky for endless gazing, magical foggy mornings, a waterfall (kind of), plenty of exercise, we were awoken in the night by animals rather than cars, they had a sweet dog who kept us safe, sweet corn tea, and big smiles from everyone.



We did it, we WWOOFed in Central America - it was different than anywhere else and perhaps outside our expectations in some ways, but isn´t all experience like that?

---

Photos

The Groves of Hobbiton
The main house of the finca and the hills beyond

Riding Water
The bike that draws water from the 15 meter well is a simple but effective design & only takes 45 minutes of steady pedaling to fill a drum at least the size of two jacuzzis.

La Neblina
The fog made for some magical mornings

You´d think they were statues...
...except for the way their eyes follow you.

The Finca From Afar
Looking up the road toward the farm, grazing fields, and future crop lands on the right. The main cabaña (on the right) and the three eco-cabañas - ours was all the way to the left with the best view.

No Bull
Not sure the string of barbed wire looks as tough as he does...

Cowboy, emphasis on Boy
This kid couldn´t have been older than 12, but the spurs on his rubber boots showed his toughness.

Bundled in Bamboo
In our bamboo cabaña on a chilly mountain night

Rubber Agua Man
Just relaxing in a local cascada

Orchids?
We were sent to an orchid farm and all we found were coffee plants and these strange gates restricting cows, livestock, and apparently, those over 200 pounds.

Master Painter
After two days of painting and re-painting the lettering I definitely have it memorized. And don´t want to see it again.

Jefes
Honore, Edwardo & Oskar after a good week´s work

Comments

[Maura Callahan]

Yes!
Once again, I have browsed through the narratives and photos and loved, loved all of what you have been offering us. No, it is not the same as speaking, but seeing pictures of your trek and reading your shared words has been so wonderful for this home traveler. I hope you are having a grand time on Isla de Omatepe (?) I probably spelled it wrong. Oh well, I miss you and love seeing you both in photos. Mama.