Sitio Bahia is a 20 acres farm at Bairro Demetria (where is situated  Estância Demétria,  Brazils 1. organic farm) and has been a biodynamic farm for 23 years. Sitio Bahia and bairro Demétria lie near the town of Botucatu, São Paulo State, in Brazil. We are located about 250 km West from the big town of São Paulo, almost over the Tropic of Capricorn line. The farm comprise about 35 ha of area, and today is part of a neighbourhood developed around the two farms (S.B. and the larger Demétria where about 150 ha are farmed), where one finds several other working initiatives, as a Waldorf School; a venue for agriculture and education courses; the Biodynamic Association, where research and development work happens; those as the main, but a lot more is happening around. Seasons are as opposed the Northern hemisphere. Bio-dynamics, Waldorf education and other activities are outcomes from Anthroposophy, founded by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the beginning of last century.

THE WORK: Our main activity are our animals: dairy buffaloes (murrah, the indian kind), some 30 future dairy cows and the horses (currently 7)A lot of agriculture happens towards this, as for instance feeding them daily, fence work, compostation,   etc. We also grow herbs, dry them and sell tea, make and sell buffalo cheese and have some fruit trees. we are currently running different experiences with feeding plants. Landscaping, clearings, and similar activities are very frequent.we work with very few machines instead use the buffaloes power also to work on the land. During summer – December, January and February mainly (the rainy season) – we plant  trees (reforestation), most of them locally produced. 

We expect our volunteers to help where it is needed, interests may be taken in account. Volunteers can count with two days off a week and are expected to work about eight hours a day.

THE COMMUNITY: We work closely together with Estância Demétria. Their bakery and shop lies in the center of Sitio Bahia, twice a week we go to organic markets in São Paulo where Demétrias products are sold together with Sitio Bahias- the cattle we raise are theirs- case we need a tractor they have four.. We run a kindergarten on Sitio Bahia together.

ARRANGEMENTS: We provide food and lodging ( singular rooms with  facilities only for the volunteers use and if so wished the possibility to use a separate kitchen) for people joining us for the work and living. Brazilians speak portuguese, so it’s necessary a previous contact with the language.Our family can comunicate in english, german and french besides portuguese, being originally swiss.

we can house up to three volunteers at a time.

TIME OF STAY: We prefer to receive persons for long terms . It takes time to introduce people into jobs and tasks, and share responsibility on daily activities. Out of experience we know that long or medium stayers collect their own reward, including here a good amount of mingling with neighbours outside the community, as well as giving a fair contribution to the community. So,we consider a 6 month to one year stay as ideal but go also for short time-stays.
ABOUT YOU: Farm skills, handycrafts, former experience, a high degree of self motivation and other features are desired and welcome. Please send a brief life story, mentioning basics about you: schooling, skills, hobbies, past experience and other relevant info. Inform intended time of arrival and stay