We expect volunteers to work around 30 hours per week + help with any house chores, such as taking turns doing dishes, setting up the dinner table, keeping things cleaned and organized, etc.
In exchange for your great work :-) you will get:
A comfortable place to sleep in a hardwood cabin at the farm.
Two delicious and nutritious meals each day.
Coffee, tea, and drinking water are always available and included.
Access to WiFi.
Hot water showers.
Access to trails, dock/swimming area.
A headlamp, rechargeable if possible.
Bug spray.
Sturdy closed shoes. Preferably waterproof.
Work clothing or any clothing you don’t mind getting dirty.
A rain jacket.
A lightweight quick-dry towel.
🐓 General farm help: We need help planting, harvesting, making compost, helping with the aquaponic system, making new planting beds, preparing the soil, feeding the animals, fixing and making new trails, weeding, mulching, etc.
📸 Skilled photographer: We need someone who has their own equipment and can take better photos of the farm, farm shop products, rental cabin, farm-to-table meals, etc. We also would like to get some aerial photos to help us map the farm, so if you have a drone that’s a plus.
🍄 Mycology enthusiast: If you have experience growing gourmet mushrooms let us know. We are expanding our mushroom grow from personal use to selling to customers. We are in the process of building a controlled fruiting area and an incubation area to increase our production.
🪚 Skilled woodworker or carpenter: We need someone with carpentry skills for several projects including building a solar dehydrator, helping with the construction of the gourmet mushroom fruiting area, and many other smaller projects.
🥗 Foodies... Are you a chef or a culinary expert? If you have culinary experience please let us know. We would like to find new more creative ways to use our farm-grown ingredients to develop more recipes to cook at the farm and also to share with our customers who buy our farm produce.
✍️ Writer, blogger, filmmaker: Are you into content creation? We would love to improve our blog to provide more recipes and articles, create social media content, create new videos for our youtube channel, improve our product descriptions, improve our website content, and more. If you have your own equipment that is preferred. We do have a decent camera with lenses, photo and video editing software, and a computer you could use.
🌳 Arborist: We need someone who can operate a chainsaw, and has experience cutting down trees and cutting down branches.
👉 Isla Solarte is remote, with no roads, no shops, no bars, and no restaurants - everything is accessible by boat.
👉 We live in the jungle. This means wildlife of all kinds, including spiders, scorpions, and snakes. You are unlikely to encounter these creatures but people with phobias should be warned.
👉 Mosquitos, Chitras (no-see-ums), and other flying insects are common at dawn and dusk, please bring bug repellent and long sleeves if you prefer.
👉 Allergy alert: We have 2 dogs, 4 cats, and other animals on the farm.
👉 Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate the vegan diet as most of our meals are meat-based or contain animal products.
👉 Please do not arrive unannounced, we have dogs loose on the property and need to know your arrival time ahead of time.
👉 Transportation to our island costs $10 per person from Bocas Town. We can help you arrange transportation with a boat driver who knows where we are located. Please contact us the day before arrival to help you arrange transportation.
Our program is for anyone who wants to learn about self-sufficiency and sustainable living through a hands-on learning experience.
Our program is great for:
People who want to learn by completing tangible projects.
People who want to experience living sustainably and off-grid before committing to this type of lifestyle.
College and university students who wish to learn about sustainable living/farming.
Our program is not good for:
People who want to learn conventional farming methods.
People who prefer to learn in a traditional classroom environment.
We currently do not accept children under 12. Children 12 and up are welcome, they must be accompanied by an adult and must be well-behaved. Children who can't follow basic rules, are misbehaved, or otherwise disturb other guests will be asked to leave. No refunds are given, even if you are asked to leave early.
Normally, colleges and universities will recognize your time at our farm as long as it is relevant to your field of study. Before making any commitments please consult with your college or university.
We expect interns to work around 30 hours a week. There will also be some chores outside normal working hours, such as helping with cooking, helping with cleaning, etc. Sunday is a day off.
During your free time, you can explore the natural beauty of the farm, visit nearby beaches and islands, take a swim from our dock or take the kayak around the bay, or simply relax and enjoy the peaceful environment.
We have an omnivorous diet. Every meal is prepared from scratch using what is currently available from our own farm and from other locally sourced ingredients. We try to use the best ingredients available and we always avoid any processed foods, vegetable oils, and seed oils.
Most meals at our farm contain animal products. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate vegan diets. If you have other food restrictions or food allergies please let us know ahead of time to make sure we can accommodate to your special diet.
Most countries do not require a visa to enter Panama. Upon entry, you will be given a 90-day visa, if you wish to stay for more than 90 days you will need to leave and re-enter Panama to receive another 90-day visa.
Some countries do require a visa to enter Panama, please check with the Panama embassy before making any travel plans.
A rechargeable headlight.
A rain jacket.
You can wear shorts, but we recommend wearing lightweight long pants to avoid bug bites while working outside.
A pair of closed shoes and socks.
Swimsuit/ swimwear.
Crocks or flip flops.
An umbrella would come in handy during rainy periods.
Reusable water bottle.
A quick dry towel.
Work gloves.
Any medication or personal care items that you need.
Nice leather goods
Camping equipment
Expensive jewelry or other valuable items
Anything irreplaceable as the tropical climate is harsh on belongings
Pets
You can arrive in Bocas del Toro by plane or bus. Once you arrive on the main island (Bocas del Toro) we will arrange your pickup and transport to our farm.
Bus and flight schedules and pricing will vary depending on your departure location and the season, please research your travel options ahead of time. If you need any advice on how to get here please get in touch.
We can call you a water taxi that will pick you up from our dock. Keep in mind it will not be possible to go to town during night time.
If you wish to visit some of the remote islands and beaches we can also help you arrange tours and excursions, they will also pick you up from our dock.
You should have a budget for any additional expenses such as going on tours or excursions, drinks or snacks, and transportation costs.
To apply click here.
Yes, we will review applications in the order they are received. Please keep in mind we only have 4 available spots and we get more requests than we can accommodate, so the earlier you apply the more chances you have of securing your spot.
Welcome to our farm shop! 🥳
We're thrilled to offer our community the opportunity to enjoy our organic greens, fruits, vegetables, and other farm products delivered straight to your dock.
Our farm's production areas, species selection, and crop rotations will be based on the demand we receive, therefore, we're only accepting a handful of customers at a time. So, jump on our waitlist now to be one of the lucky ones to sample our fresh, organic, zero-mile, and downright delicious produce.
We will be adding new customers on a first come basis, prioritizing proximity to our farm (aka: our closest neighbors first 😀). Don't miss out on this chance to support your local farm and enjoy the tastiest and most nutritious organic produce around, and be part of our growing farm family.
Join the waitlist now and we'll let you know when you are first in line.
Welcome to our farm shop! 🥳
We're thrilled to offer our community the opportunity to enjoy our organic greens, fruits, vegetables, and other farm products delivered straight to your dock.
Our farm's production areas, species selection, and crop rotations will be based on the demand we receive, therefore, we're only accepting a handful of customers at a time. So, jump on our waitlist now to be one of the lucky ones to sample our fresh, organic, zero-mile, and downright delicious produce.
We will be adding new customers on a first come basis, prioritizing proximity to our farm (aka: our closest neighbors first 😀). Don't miss out on this chance to support your local farm and enjoy the tastiest and most nutritious organic produce around, and be part of our growing farm family.
Join the waitlist now and we'll let you know when you are first in line.
The price to rent the cabin is $95 per night for up to 2 adults and 2 children. To confirm your booking you must pay a 50% deposit. If we have the availability we'll send you a link to pay your deposit.
Here are a few things to consider before you book your stay with us:
We are located in a rugged area, surrounded by rainforest and by the sea. Our farm is not ideal for very young children. If you wish to come with young children, they must be supervised by an adult at all times.
If you have any dietary restrictions, food allergies, or special diets please let us know below to make sure we can accommodate your needs.
We are located on Isla Solarte, on this island, there are no stores, bars, restaurants, or shops. If you need anything special during your stay be sure to bring it with you.
We recommend you bring: a headlight, bug repellent, and a good book in case of rain :-)
Some of the trails can get muddy during rainy days, we recommend you bring hiking shoes or boots if you want to walk on the trails and around the farm.
If you would like to enjoy the night scene, keep in mind we may not be a good fit due to our secluded location. Most bars and restaurants are located on the main island.
After booking we'll contact you to help you arrange transport to and from our place.
Check-in: 3pm-7pm
Check-out: before 11am
If your chosen dates are available we will send you a link to pay a deposit to secure your booking.
We hope to meet you soon!
