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Published: December 16th 2017
Hola!
Hi y'all, posting my blog from a hostel/cofee plantation on Ometepe Island Nicaragua, having arrived at Project Bona Fide.
So I caught the ferry to San Jose del sur on Ometepe Island then a shuttle to the farm entrance.
The ferry I caught was a really stable quiet ride with great views and plenty of seating for the 1 hour 15 min journey.
First impresssions of the island, from the shuttle, was it reminds me of Utila Honduras but larger and obviously two volcanoes staring you in the face.
Road is paved most of the way to the farm, then a uphill hike to the farm which is situated at the lower slopes of Volcan Maderas.
Walked up the hill approx 20 mins, sweaty work as around noon and full backpacks!
Got to the main building which is a semi open air kitchen and eating/chilling area.
Greeted and introduced to all the volunteers, interns and coordinators, ten of us in total.
Most from Canadia or USA, one english guy Sam from Devon doing an internship so been here for 5 mths and finishes end
of the year.
Most others are only here for a few weeks or month max and many leave next week, think it a moving feast and gets busier as we get into dry season and new year.
Arrived just in time to be served lunch, which was amazing, then given a quick tour and shown to my new home, The Hilton lol
Four bunk beds but high ones so on the bttm one you dont feel like you are in a coffin!
Nice open air cabana which provides a nice cool breeze at night. No lights in dorms so torch needed to get around at night.
The buildings are seperated within the farm such you cant see another building from the one you are in.
As the farm is agroforestery then the entire farm is filled with trees and bushes not like a farmers field in UK.
There are 2 dorms of 8 beds plus two smaller dorms of 3 or 4, however only 8 of us here so all spread out. 3 large composting toilets, 4 open air showers, main kitchen eating area, chicken coup,
tool shed, raised tree viewing platform, some hammocks
A bit about the farm:
"Project Bona Fide uses the diversity of agro-forestry and permaculture design to support the rural economy and environment on Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua.
The project’s goals are to demonstrate and offer diversified horticultural technologies to expand cropping options that have both higher market values and promulgate food security.
Perennial food systems that promote food security and diversified economy may also resist the vagaries of global weirding and contribute to re-forestation of abused landscapes.
With more permanent and economical farming systems farmers will be less inclined to sell their land to incoming expansive tourism and cash cropping, thus keeping the culture and environment intact"
The farm was started approx 15 years ago, used to be empty pastures but now as you will see in pictures the farm is now reforested completely with areas for a nursery and smaller specific growing beds.
So far the food has been amazing, served a breakfast and a lunch every day except Saturday nights then take in turns cooking in the evenings and or eat out.
We eat what we
grow and only buy things like rice, carrots, onions.
I will explain more of what we grow etc in future blogs as i learn more here in the coming months.
Near the end of the first night in rolls a guy from Florida called Phil, with a litro of Ron, Flora de Cana!
So we drunk that between the 5 of us then off to bed. Not bad for a first night!
Up at 0530, 0600 yoga (optional!) and then morning meeting 0645 start work at 0600.
We choose an area to work in, I chose Field, idea of work activities are :
Field - around the farm "fields" to harvest cocunuts, mango, jack fruit, bananas, plantain, de husk coconuts, process fruit, did this on my first week here
Some days cut firewood, machete undergrowth .... I also dismantled an old tiled sink on my first week
Nursery - taking cuttings, potting plants, seeding, watering
Garden - attend garden beds, medicinal plants, watering
Other general work like helping intern or construction projects
We break
for a served breakfast at 0800 start work again at 0900 for 3 hours then finished.
So as I arrived on a Thursday afternoon I had to work the Friday then had the weekend off!
We have about a 20 min walk to town or nearbye hostel Magdalenas, but through fields and rocky pathed forests across the volcano then down. A nice walk for your local pub lol!
Spent Saturday walking around town getting to know the nearest places to eat, drink and any shops etc
Seems a nice chilled part of the island with some nice local bar/restaraunts to walk to.
Eaten at several restaraunts, drunk beer and chilled for most of the day basically!
We went to a hostel for a pizza and fire dancing on the Saturday evening, the El Zopilote hostel does this every Sat and Wed and is approx. 40 min walk.
On the Sunday I hiked with Dylan and Dina to a nearbye waterfall, took 2 hours each way and luckily found a boy to help us find it as we were stuck halfway ref directions !
Was a tricky
hike over rocks, mud and streams but a beautiful cascading waterfall when we finally arrived, unfortunately no swim pool, also looked still not cleared from storm damage.
So at this point 3 days in at Project Bona Fide ;
Great company, great food, no hot nights for better sleep, cheap good beer, walkable places for meat and beer/rum, nice thick mattress, only 3 people to share with max, plenty time off to do your own thing, short work hours, lots of things to do and learn, electricity and limited wifi everything is amazing happy days! :o)
So looking forward to my stay here which is up until to Feb 15th 2018!
I will give you more details of the farm and the type of work we do in future blogs, as I learn more about the farm.
Chow for now
:o)
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Jaroslaw Orlik
non-member comment
Ola Bro :)
Monday today, last week at work before Xmas brake :) Family all ok thank you bro, other than all 4 of as catch cold at the same time so we had PJ day yesterday :) we watch some movies and just relax very lazy Sunday. Reading your blog i can see what you been missing all this time beautiful places, great food awesome. I'm glad you all ok this new accommodation looks better than the first place, i love the pictures of Vulcanos impressive, make me realize that I haven't see word at all:( All the best Marco take care there and stay in touch. Jarek.