Tenorio River Retreats, Costa Rica

31/01/2016

My neighbors at the farm.... Well, 22 kilometers away, but still close!

Río Perdido Resort / PROJECT CR+d, nominated to Building of the Year 2016

15/07/2015

This has been a very mosquito free year so far.... Am not at all sure why & when they come nor who they prefer.... But there is interest in mosquitoes...

Mosquitoes like the smell of carbon dioxide. They also detect other body scents, some known to be affected by bacteria on skin.

25/05/2015

I have been asked to complete the address.... well... on the road between the concrete bridge which crosses the canal del oeste & the rio cuipilapa bridge, before hacienda nin, there is a road to the east which goes 1km down to the river & the corner of my place.... if one asks a bagaces taxi driver for "finca la leona" s/he may get you there.... la leona is across the river (but cars cannot cross)... so you see, addresses in costa rica are complicated, even in the cities... & perhaps more so in the country... i understand that GPS is not recommended. one day i will go with someone who has it & see if i can get there.... basically we are 4km from montano & 6km from santa fe & 7km just off the highway where "tilapia del sol" has reopened it's plant... i will look for the coordinates on the map... promise! in the meantime you see below tiina getting a ride to bagaces for her visa run...

about prices... volunteer/intern prices depend on the length of stay & activities desired. (from $35 to $105 a week). visitors prices include 3 meals & snacks, activities & educational projects from sunrise until bedtime & start at $30 a day...

23/05/2015

Innovative vegan mujarrah burgers.... So good I can't post a photo 'cuz they were all downed before we could take a photo! Am thinking of starting a recipe book with innovations from the farm!!

03/05/2015

Sunday baptism with my Montano evangelical neighbors. Am blessed to have been there...

03/05/2015

Another agricultural 1st for a city girl turned farmer!

03/05/2015

My very first incredibly huge & fragrant organic pineapple.

04/03/2015

Pesach 5774..... A few guests stopped by....

04/03/2015

Past two years - pesach at the finca....

31/01/2015

FOR ALL POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS:
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

thank you for choosing to spend some time at tenorio river retreats organic farm! i trust it will be a mutually beneficial experience & am looking forward to your stay..

following is some information regarding your trip to our experimental field station & tent camp. pay careful attention & your stay will most likely be smoother......
included is the "exact" location & instructions
on how to get here in case you are walking, busing or driving in....

FOOD: it costs me about $5 a day to feed a volunteer. until i start to have income from the farm volunteers will be asked to contribute this amount during their 1st 3 weeks... stays longer than 3 weeks may be arranged a bit differently.

TRAVEL TO THE FARM FROM SAN JOSE:

BUS to LIBERIA, PULMITAN, goes almost hourly
www.liberiacostaricainfo.com/BusScheduleLiberiaCostaRica.html
San Jose. Calle 24, Ave. 5-7, Pulmitan de Liberia Tel: 256-9552, 222-1650, 666- 0458, 6663818, Daily, 6:00 to 18:00. Ret. 4:00 to 20:00, 4.30 hrs ...
GET OFF IN BAGACES & call me from there. there are 3 daily buses to MONTANO. montano is 4 kms from the farm. i can arrange a taxi or maybe get you myself. taxi from bagaces is about 10,000 colones & you ask for "La Leona" on the tenorio river. find a taxi who knows the place. do not go with anyone who needs to look for it. my farm is on the road side of la leona. you only cross the rio blanco & do NOT cross the rio tenorio to la leona. i am on the corner of the "road" & the river.

OR:
ask to get off 1.2km AFTER THE RIO TENORIO BRIDGE, JUST AT THE SMALL CANAL. you will pass the huge AGRICOLA ZACATE building just after the rio tenorio bridge, all on your right side...there is a small house on the other side of the canal & now there are about 12 WHITE DOMES just off the highway where you take a right. (tilapia ponds) hard to miss... even at night it is lit up...
we would have had to coordinated in advance pick up from this point.

you can show this to the driver & other passengers:
"POR FAVOR DEJAME EN LA PISTA JUSTAMENTE A LA PAR DEL CANAL DE IRIGACION PEQUENO QUE SE ENCUENTRA 1.2 km DESPUES DEL PUENTE RIO TENORIO, DESPUES DEL AGRICOLA ZACATE, DONDE SE ENCUENTRA LA FABRICA DE TILAPIA" . i can get you from here if you call me from the bus...

TRAVEL TO THE FARM FROM THE P***S BLANCAS BORDER OR FROM LIBERIA GOING SOUTH: get off at BAGACES or continue south sitting on the left side of the bus if you have arranged for me to pick you up at the canal:

ask to get off .8 km AFTER THE RIO BLANCO BRIDGE , right next to the small canal. it is a very short distance... if you get to the "rio tenorio" bridge you will need to walk back north to the canal....

you can show this to the driver & other passengers:
"POR FAVOR DEJAME EN LA PISTA JUSTAMENTE A LA PAR DEL CANAL DE IRIGACION PEQUENO ESTE PARADA SE ENCUENTRA POCO AL SUR (.8KM) DEL PUENTE RIO BLANCO DONDE SE ENCUENTRA LA TILAPIA"

FROM this canal which reaches the highway, the farm is only 7 kilometers. from canas the farm is about 19 kilometers, one way..

THE CANAL IS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF THE RIO TENORIO BRIDGE & JUST SOUTH OF THE RIO BLANCO BRIDGE WHERE THE 12 WHITE DOmES ARE.

almost everyone in costa rica has a cel phone & will be happy to make a call for you. i will ask them to tell you & the driver where you get off & i can meet you.

BEFORE COMING - GO SHOPPING! try to bring your things from your home - almost everything is more expensive in costa rica than the usa. prices in europe may be similar to here. bring your favorite snacks or foods! i do not supply packaged snack foods.

The weather is warm but around 3am it cools off & i snuggle up in a blanket. there can be days & nights bug free but likely there are mosquitoes... most of the clothing you will need is to protect you from the sun & the bugs. try to NOT bring jeans & heavy cotton materials. the jeans are too hot for the tropics & cottons do not dry in the rainy season. jeans never dry in the rain!! (may through november). when it's hot we spend our days jumping into the river to cool off so i generally wear a swimsuit under my work clothes & keep a sarong around for covering up (to protect from the sun) after the swims.

keep this in mind while packing....quick dry & light weight materials work best. light cottons are alright & blended materials usually dry faster....old clothes are best as the mud never really gets out of the clothes.

We have at the farm:
sheets
light weight blankets or sleeping bags
pillows
mattresses
dishes & cutlery
some sizes of rubber boots....
IPOD player
DVD player & TV screen

You bring, your PACKING list:
long pants for work
long pants for hanging out at night
long sleeves for work
long sleeves for hanging out at night
shorts
short sleeved shirts, sleeveless shirts
swimsuit
towel - light weight & large works better than thick ones
sarong/something to throw on after the river
sun hat
hiking boots
rubber boots to use while working if you have them or buy them in bagaces if i don't have your size....
water shoes - something to walk in the river (to protect from rocks..) can get cheap ones in CR if necessary
tent if you want to use one.
hangout "clean" shoes/socks for inside the rancho like crocs or something - so that shoes & mud stay outside
biodegradable soap for body & clothes washing, like "dr. bonners"
mosquito repellent... i have tried several natural ones but nothing works as well as "deet", unfortunately.....
sunscreen (i prefer to use long sleeves & hats but still always have some around)
work gloves - can get in costa rica
flashlight, preferably rechargeable.. head lamps work great too!
sunglasses
your personal things - toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, medicines
backpack
day pack
f***y pack (yes, i use all three!)
refillable water bottle or better yet, with built in purifier...

glasses wearers:
bring an extra pair & prescription in case of loss.... disposable contacts are discouraged as is everything else disposable.....

women: recommended to order a "diva cup" for your cycles. no more leakage, no disposal issues, will save you $$ & is totally sustainable. it will change your life, honestly. about $30 on www.amazon.com

suggested items:
ipod with your favorite music. almost everything except hard rock
will be enjoyed.... farm has an IPOD player & speakers....
DVD movies which you would like to donate to the farm collection.
pocket knife. always is handy in the outdoors...
camera
specialty foods - energy bars, nuts, teas, grains....
personal supply & to share if you wish.
things from your home that you would like to donate to the local children & adults. pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, stuffed animals, toys without batteries, etc... you don't even need to buy things - most of us have stuff that we don't use lying around the house. books in spanish, notebooks, etc, etc.
our trash is their treasure....
over xmas & childen's day i will organize a small party for some local children. everything will be appreciated, including for the adults....
during your stay we can also organize reading classes. generally
there are nicaraguan workers across the river who cannot read.
pens & notebooks will be helpful. used supplies are great!

pack lightly. you won't need much clothing at the farm.
please let me know if i have forgotten anything.
there may be some supplies which we need from the states.
if you have room in your bag please let me know so that i can
make an order in time & have it sent to you. usually from www.amazon.com.

let me know if you have any other questions.

ACTIVITIES CLOSEBY OR FOR FREE DAYS:
montano pueblo, town. has a school, 2 churches & a pulperia (store)
fishing form the farm & other places nearby
llanos de cortes waterfall
horseback riding nearby or across the river
innertubing, kayaking & canoeing on the river in front of the farm
rio tenorio rafting class 3/4 in the rainy season
rio perdido adventure & hot springs
yoko hot springs (40 km.. can make an overnite there too!)
las hornillas hot springs
africa mia (never been there)
franklin chang space center (never been there)
palo verde national park
tenorio national park
rincon de la vieja national park
miravailles geothermal plant tour (never been)
& plain old exploring by foot....
volunteers would share expenses to get to these destinations....

there is cel service at the farm but it is not always strong. best to
send a text & wait for my answer. once at the canal there is little
traffic on the road to the farm & only a few people using that road...
happy & safe travels & looking forward to hosting you real soon!
diane
ps. for more info if you haven't seen it before, here is my workaway site:

http://www.workaway.info/hostlist.html?ct=NorthAmerica&country=CR®ion=guanacaste&c&search

21/01/2015

Thinking about composting? Start here, this site is full of how to's, etc... It's absolutely amazing just how much good composting does!

http://www.earthmachine.com/

15/01/2015

For the last 2.5 years I have been receiving volunteers, mostly from the states & europe. We have met some great travelers & through FB have been able to keep up with them... Lindsey, Kelsey & Anthony, you guys are the absolute best!!
The program has its' challenges though.... 1st off, apparently costa rica is the only country where volunteers are often charged to stay, eat & work. Another issue has been the need for me to be on the farm at all times when receiving these guests which kept me at the farm even when I needed to be in town.
As I have reduced the numbers of volunteers (closing one door usually means that another door will open) I received a request from the University of Peace to work with their interns. So as of today I am making a formal invitation to UofP students to come & use the finca as their home for work in the area or as their base of operation for their particular field of study or research on the farm. Originally we called the farm an "experimental field station" so with this program another aspect of the farm is in process of manifesting!
Tomorrow morning I plan to be on the 7am bus to Bagaces where my landcruiser is at the mechanic. I am bringing the replacement piece for the clutch & hope to have it up & running to get me to the farm long before sunset. While waiting I'll go & check my mountain bikes at the bike shop, deliver some books to the Bagaces High School, get a haircut & visit the local Red Cross where I plan to volunteer regularly once I am living FT in the area. My day in town near the farm... No wonder I can sleep with roosters crowing, dogs barking, branches falling & winds howling.....