Finca Agrovia
Information
Host ID: MEX0081
IF YOU WISH TO WWOOF AT THIS FARM, CLICK THIS LINK TO CONTACT THE FARM ADMINISTRATOR: http://www.wwoofmexico.org/profile/BrunoGiesemann
Name: Tapachula, Chiapas
Members: 101
Latest Activity: Aug 10
We are a certified Rain Forest Alliance and Organic coffee plantation situated in the district of Soconusco, in the State of Chiapas.
Originally owned by a Swiss Family, which emigrated from Argau, for which the plantation received its name, around 1880, and then acquired by Adolf Giesemann in the late Nineteenth Century, and to this date managed by the fourth generation of coffee growers.
The objective of the plantation is always targeted on high quality and long term decisions, using techniques that not only preserve the ecosystem, but truly enhance the qualities of our coffee, which actually is the main crop with an average production of 1000 bags per year, and a strong diversification process with ornamentals (tropical flowers and foliages), ecotourism, fruit trees and forestry. The main grown varieties of coffee are caturra, catuai and packas, all under the roof of inga shadow trees and a large amount of tropical trees, in addition to an extensive diversity of ground cover plants for soil protection.
It manages an environmentally friendly wet and dry mill, in conjunction with a water treatment plant, the first of its kind operating in Mexico, providing extra material, enriching the vermin-compost used for nutrition.
The plantation has traditionally received students worldwide through agreements with Universities, providing space and opportunities for diverse studies.
We are now interested in a more interactive experience in diverse exercises as construction, health, tourism, organic agriculture and transformation, all under sustainable management.
If you have any interest in learning about resort administration, organic environmentally sustainable business and/or living, coffee farming/processing, flower farming/processing and learning/improving your Spanish then Finca Argovia may be the right place for you to WWOOF it.
Please take the time to review the important information on the next page and submit any questions you may have to the email address above or through the Finca Argovia portal on the WWOOF Mexico website.
We look forward to sharing this experience with you.
Bruno Giesemann, Owner
– Important Information
We will need a legal identification of the interested Wwoofer, as well as basic information, as age, gender, education, health status, Marital status, etc. ( As much info as you can give us)
Making Your Decision to WWOOF it with us (Opportunities)*:
Administrative/In Resort (having intermediate to full fluency in Spanish helps if you want to assist in the resort.)
Front Desk – receive and process guest registration, process tour payments notify tour guides, show them to their cabana, guide guests to the restaurant, give guests an overview of the property and offerings.
Tour Guide – learn the ins and outs of the various tours and provide tours to guests. At times act as a English translator if it is needed on a tour.
Farm/Coffee – harvest and assist in processing coffee making it ready to ship. Depending on the season
Farm/Flowers – maintain, harvest and assist in processing flowers making them ready to ship.
Village Elementry School – assist in the daily school activities as needed by the teacher.
Blended Option – Assist in various areas throughout your stay.
Other Options – Assist on construction, transformation, design, or offer your skills.
*Please email/contact Finca Argovia if any of these opportunities interest you. Provide your experience and desired work while you are here. Someone from the resort will contact you to confirm an opening for you.
Before You Travel (Preparation) – Do this at least 2 to 4 weeks ahead of your travel time.
Health/Immunizations – Check with your physician to determine if you need any immunizations or need to take any precautions when traveling to Chiapas Mexico.
Mosquitos – Be sure to bring repellant. Avoid being outside during dawn and dusk hours and wear lighter colored clothing when it is reasonable and possible.
Weather/Climate – Check out the weather channel website to find out the average weather conditions in temperature and humidity during your estimated travel time so that you can prepare accordingly. Be sure to bring sunblock at all times of the year.
Clothing – Prepare clothing in coordination with the weather. Be sure to have waterproof shoes and other rain protection clothing when traveling during the rainy season. Clothing that covers your extremities can help protect from mosquitos but you may also want some shorts and short sleeve shorts for the hotter weather. If you plan to work in the field then longer sleeves and pant legs are preferred. A wide brimmed hat and other sun protection clothing is a good idea as well.
Financial – Traveller’s checks and ATM cards will not do you much good here in the mountains. The closest banks and ATM machines are in Tapachula (about 45 min away by car). Although your meals and lodging are provided you may want to have some pesos on hand to buy gifts for friends or a bag of our coffee to take with you. You may also want to treat yourself to a world class dinner at our Tierra De Café restaurant or buy an evening drink to relax. Regardless you may want to keep some cash on hand. The staff will be happy to lock it up in the office until you need it so that you do not have to fear misplacing it or losing it.
Traveling to Finca Argovia: (Be sure to notify the resort of your expected arrival time and date in Tapachula ahead of time.)
Resort Transport or Taxi – Find your way to the city of Tapachula whether by car or airplane. The staff of Finca Argovia will inform you of where and when to meet the transport that will bring you to the resort. If you miss the regular transport then you may take a taxi but try to take the taxi during daylight hours. The resort operations close around 7 or 8pm each night and it will be difficult to arrive any later than 6pm. If you find that you will get in too late, arrange to stay in Tapachula for the night and come the next day by the regular transport. If you do take a taxi it should not cost you anymore than 300 to 350 pesos from Tapachula to Finca Argovia.
The Staff of Finca Argovia:
Bruno - Owner
Andrea – Adminstrative Staff
Jorge – Adminstrative Staff
Adela – Tour Guide
Arturo - Chief Chef for the restaurant
Others – You will be introduced to other staff that relate to the work you have chosen to do.
Lodging:
WWOOFers are lodged in our cottage at the base of the village in a multiple room home with beds, and basic furnishings, lighting, ceiling fans, electrical outlet, a bathroom with a sink, shower and toilet and running water. The home does not have any cooking or food storage equipment at this time.
Meals:
Meals are provided by Finca Argovia, usually by a local family preparation. The standard diet of the locals usually includes meat so you may find it a bit challenging if you are vegetarian or vegan. Meals are typically served at 9am, 2pm and 8pm but times can vary greatly as is typical for the local culture. If eating at certain times or having certain kinds of foods is important to you, please bring this up when you contact the resort as you determine if you will visit. You may want to bring some of your own sealed foods as a back up when necessary.
Hydration/Water:
Although it is typically humid in this area of Mexico, your body will still dehydrate if you do not take in enough water. Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle with you. The staff of the resort will be happy to refill it for you whenever needed with sterile bottled water (not from the tap).
Going in to Tapachula during your stay:
If you need to head in to Tapachula on any given day to obtain anything or just simple take a break, please let the resort staff know the day before so they can arrange for you to ride in with the daily transport.
Laundry:
If you are going to be staying at Finca Argovia for over a week, we can arrange to provide you access to local laundry so that you can wash your dirty clothing. Just mention your need to the staff.
Outside Communications (phone/text/email/internet):
Communication services are highly limited here in the mountains. You may want to purchase a disposable phone that gets cell service through IUSACEL, which is the only cell provider that works in this area. The resort has satellite internet service but it can be easily disrupted by clouds and has very limited range and bandwidth. It will only be useful for checking email once or twice a day when you are nearby the restaurant.
The office does have a phone that they will allow you to use but you must pay for the cost of the call, which can add up quite quickly depending on where you call. It is recommended that you have alternate means of communication if you feel you will need it.
MESSAGES box
Post a MESSAGE
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Comment by Fern Perkins on July 24, 2010 at 4:50pm -
Hola Bruno,
Somos dos nuevos wwoofers y estamos muy interesados en trabajar en la granja por dos semanas a finales de setiembre/principios de octubre. Somos una pareja casada de biólogos, Fern (28 años, estadounidense) y Jorge (apodo Koki, 30 años, costarricense). Ambos tenemos gran pasión por la agricultura sostenible, la educación y la conservación. Hemos cultivado huertos sostenibles por 4 años y contamos con la experiencia de ser parte del mercado de verduras por un año en USA. Queremos aprender técnicas de construcción sostenible y de agricultura sostenible en los trópicos. Koki cuenta con certificación en diseño de Permacultura y conocimientos en crecimiento de hongos comestibles. Fern cuenta con conocimientos prácticos en el manejo de fauna silvestre en fincas comerciales y en construcción de senderos y paredes con roca. Ambos sabemos cocinar bien, y contamos con buenas recetas vegetarianas, nos encanta la cocina con ingredientes sanos y frescos. Ambos contamos con habilidades interpretativas de los sistemas naturales, los dos dominamos ambos idiomas (español e inglés) completamente oral y escrito, y hemos dado clases por casi 6 años en Appalachian State University (universidad estatal) en USA. Tenemos un terreno en Costa Rica donde queremos hacer un centro de educación e investigación ambiental y una finca sostenible.
Esperamos que nos puedan contactar pronto, estamos deseando asegurar cupos en varias granjas por donde pasaremos y esta es una de nuestras favoritas. Contamos con todo lo necesario para acampar y tenemos un presupuesto muy bajo. Los dos somos miembros de WWOOF. No duden en mandarnos un email a herpertokoki@yahoo.com o a fernperkins@gmail.com esperamos poder tener la suerte de encontrar un cupo en su finca y poder experimentar este hermoso lugar.
Koki y Fern
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Comment by Dana Perez on July 10, 2010 at 12:25am -
Hola!
i am a new excited wwoofer ! would love to learn everything about organic farming and am a hard worker ! currently in mexico city and i would love to stop by and help you guys.
i am israeli and i speak fluent english and very good spanish.
hope to hear from you soon ! can arrive at anytime soon starting now =)
cuidate mucho, gracias !
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Comment by Francisco Asencio on July 9, 2010 at 11:34am - Hola , como está??? Mi nombre es Paco, soy español y he visto en la página de wwoof el anuncio de su granja y estaría muy interesado en poder trabajar allí durante al menos 3 semanas en este mes de julio. Tengo 26 años y en estos momentos estoy viajando por centroamérica realizando actividades que me puedan dar nuevas experiencias y una nueva visión del mundo, alejada de la europea, que es a la que estoy acostumbrada. Ahorita he acabado un periodo de 4 meses como voluntario trabajando en educación de niños pequeños en escuelas rurales en Granada, Nicaragua, y mañana marcho hacia Mexico, para llegar el próximo viernes. En cuanto a mi experiencia a nivel de agricultura, he trabajado en la creación de huertas populares en la ciudad de Lisboa y así mismo he colaborado con el grupo ecológico GAIA, que lucha contra la expansión de cultivos transgénicos y la concienciación social de sobre la defensa de una agricultura sostenible,orgánica y ecológica. Nunca antes he tenido una experiencia en wwoof, pero siempre hay una primera vez y me encuentro muy motivado para aprender y ayudar en lo que pueda. En cuanto a los idiomas, obviamente domino el español y además hablo, portugués, italiano, ingles y catalán. Un saludo y gracias, espero tu respuesta. Cuidate
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Comment by Guillaume Cortot on June 20, 2010 at 2:55pm
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Hi,
My name is Guillaume, I used to be a teacher, I'm now a customer service employee in Canada, I work both in English and French, and my Spanish should help me to cope with the situations in a professionnal environment.
I'm on my way to Southern Mexico, I plan to be in Chiapas as of next August, and I'd like to spend a few weeks there ; I've already been to downtown Tapachula, to meet a lady who runs a charity there.
I would be glad to wwoof at your place if you have some availability for 2 weeks any time in the month of August. My farming experience is limited but I'd like to learn and whenever I had an opportunity to work outside, I enjoyed it. My teaching and language abilities could be of some help at the administration or the front desk of the resort, or for the guided tours.
Should you need any further information, please feel free to ask. Hoping to hear from you,
Guillaume
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Comment by zachary zunin on June 6, 2010 at 11:29am
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hello my name is Zachary
i like to come to your farm towards the of June i cant say the exact day because I'm hitchhiking at the moment. i have some skills that may be of use: im a blacksmith and welder, i can do construction, electrical work, auto mechanics, i know a decent amount about organic farm work , im a hardworker and i love to cook. anyoutdoor work would be preferable
thanks
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Comment by christina ainsworth on June 4, 2010 at 11:34am -
Hola,
I am currently travelling through Mexico and heading south towards Oaxaca in the next couple of weekds and would like to work on your farm. I am fascinated by the process of growing organic coffee and would like to learn more from a hands on perspective. One day I would like to open a cafe and I think this experience would teach me a lot of important knowledge about the coffee industry.
I am a hard worker and eager to learn. My experience on a farm is limited to working on an organic apple orchard outside of Montreal, Quebec. I have also worked several times in landscaping and I enjoy physical work.
My Spanish is quite limited. My plan is to travel to Guatamala and take a Spanish course, but would like to travel a little bit first. It would be a good experience to be saturated in Spanish on your farm.
Thank you for considering me and I look forward to hearing word from you.
Christina*
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Comment by Liam Escario on May 29, 2010 at 11:33am
- Hello, my girlfriend and I are currently in Mexico visiting the country and we are very interested in working in an organic farm while we are here. We are both 29 years old, first time Woofers but very eager and able to learn. My girlfriend grew up in a farm and has been exposed to growing vegetables for several years. She is spanish and speaks the both English and Spanish language fluenty. I am Irish and speak conversational spanish. We have great interest in learning and helping in the coffee plantation. We are both very fit and atheltic (so will have no problems on any of the duties on the farm) and available to start working as soon as possible.
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Comment by mariana ugarte rocha on May 19, 2010 at 5:58pm
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Hola!
Somos 2 voluntarios usando el usuario de una amiga, por que todavia no nos autorizan el nuestro. Vamos saliendo de un proyecto en Jalisco que se termino por causas mayores, y estamos pensando en ir a visitarlos. Tenemos muchas ganas de aprender y trabajar con la tierra y todo lo que conlleve. Ya tenemos experiencia con la permacultura y lo relacionado, y somos buenos para trabajar. Queriamos saber si tenian espacio, por que estamos planeando salir lo mas pronto posible para aya. Mi correo es: cakumanzanares@hotmail.com, Se les agradeceria mucho su respuesta. Y esperamos visitarlos pronto. Gracias!
-Juan Carlos
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Comment by Shelby Seegmiller on May 18, 2010 at 3:20am -
Hola!
My friend Candice and I will be spending some time in Chiapas around the 9th of July. We are both strong, hardworking and kind Canadian women who are very interested in sustainable and mindful agriculture and want to learn more about permaculture and alternative food production. We are also very interested in coffee production an harvesting as well as fair-trade initiatives. We should be interested in helping with coffee harvesting and production. We are very motivated and eager to learn.
How many hours per day are volunteers expected to work? Is camping with a tend allowed on your property at all? Would you have room to host 2 volunteers for a week or two around June 28th?
I am also wondering what is your interaction with the local community around Tapachula?
Please let me know as soon as possible if you have room. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys!
Shelby
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Comment by Nick Ognibene on May 14, 2010 at 8:18am
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Hi-
I am a university student studying Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, about to complete my second year. I live in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and have always been interested in environmental conservation, especially paired alongside development of rural areas. I am interested in WWOOFing this summer in Latin America, especially Mexico, probably during July. On previewing Argovia, it caught my attention as a great organization and exactly the sort of place I am interested in. Is there any possibility of an opening for one this upcoming midsummer? Or is there any other information I should be aware of? Thanks in advance.
Sincerely, Nick Ognibene
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