• Life On Land

Stingless Native beekeepers

location
1 - 6 weeks  ·  Age 16 - 50+
rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • These stingless native bees doubles the fauna the Forest can support by increasing the fruit output through pollination.
  • Fantastic creeks with natural pools of semi-olympic size and beautiful waterfalls
  • eat heathy delicious fruits and food.

Highlights

  • These stingless native bees doubles the fauna the Forest can support by increasing the fruit output through pollination.
  • Fantastic creeks with natural pools of semi-olympic size and beautiful waterfalls
  • eat heathy delicious fruits and food.
  • walk and exercise outdoors
  • Free rides to Rio de Janeiro city on weekends (2hs travel).

    • Especially good for

    Age 16+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    It is an absolutely pleasure discover how native sting bees organizes their complex society and to interact with them! Support our Native bees and the Forest they protect

    In this program the volunteer will learn how to manage native bees and create artificial homes for them. Part of the work includes pleasant trails in the woods. In managing beehives, the volunteer will learn how to feed the bees to keep them healthy, how to collect honey (November to March), and how ...

    About the program

    In this program the volunteer will learn how to manage native bees and create artificial homes for them. Part of the work includes pleasant trails in the woods. In managing beehives, the volunteer will learn how to feed the bees to keep them healthy, how to collect honey (November to March), and how to protect beehives under attack.  

    We have appropriate beekeeping cloth/protection to provide you. Although they do not sting, we do not want them to enter our nose. 



    In a 18 hours a week program we will give freedom to our volunteer to choose to work 4 or 5 days a week.

    Cultivating native stingless bees  is an essential activity in many ways:
    - It supports our reforestation program, since we have a vast area recently reforested and  young trees do not have hollows to host beehives inside. The young trees need bees for pollination and bees need homes to increase their population and respond to the increasing demand of young trees.
    - The increasing pollination by our cultivated native bees will provide more fruits and seeds to feed the  fauna. A  a more rich and abundant fauna will protect many endangered species. Furthermore, many animals have important roles in  planting seeds and spreading  seeds, strengthening the forest. 
    - It provides an income to our project much in need of resources to keep going. This income will come from selling honey in a very sustainable way with the health of the beehives at sight. In the same way bees takes what exceeds from plants (nectar) we only take what exceeds their daily needs. We constantly provide them food (nectar and pollen) by planting flowers for them and making syrups when needed.

    Typical day

    In a typical day, volunteers prepare their only meal with organic (mostly) ingredients, all plant based (no animal protein).



    Wake up before 6:30am, 
    Prepare breakfast, keep kitchen clean. During the day, we don't always have time to prepare lunch, so we prepare part of lunch in the morning too.
     8:30

    Typical day

    In a typical day, volunteers prepare their only meal with organic (mostly) ingredients, all plant based (no animal protein).



    Wake up before 6:30am, 
    Prepare breakfast, keep kitchen clean. During the day, we don't always have time to prepare lunch, so we prepare part of lunch in the morning too.
     8:30am - prepare artificial homes or (if already prepared) go in a trail to place them or make ecological painting for wooden bee nests.  Other activities would be to prepare propolis, or extract honey on demand. 
    Noon- Lunch
    For 1 hour in the afternoon - Prepare bee syrup and feed bees. 

    I will be guiding you all along.

    Free-time activities

    We are in a very preserved section of native Rain Forest, called Atlantic Rain Forest. There is a beautiful creek that cross our land with many nice bathing spots. 


    There are many walking trails with beautiful boulders and beautiful view of the entire valley.

    You can get to know humble and happy ...

    Free-time activities

    We are in a very preserved section of native Rain Forest, called Atlantic Rain Forest. There is a beautiful creek that cross our land with many nice bathing spots. 


    There are many walking trails with beautiful boulders and beautiful view of the entire valley.

    You can get to know humble and happy local people. 

    You can birdwatch. Best time is early in the morning. More than 150 species roam our place

    You can place camera traps to see animals moving at night. 

    You will savor many exotic (for you) fruits.You will savor different types of honey.

    You can enjoy a cozy bonfire at night outdoors. 

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 16 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 16 years old on the program start date.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 09:00 - 13:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Fazenda São Marcos

    These fees will help us to provide you organic healthy whole food plant based ingredients for your meal. We expect volunteers to prepare their own meal that will be done in a collaborative kitchen. I am a celiac and because of it, the kitchen  is gluten free. We will eat local  meals,i.e., with ingredients extracted from the land or nearby organic producers. We will buy plenty of nut, and rich ingredients. I am growing mushrooms that will be available in our meals. 


    Also these fees will pay our costs hosting a volunteer (wifi, energy, gas, working tools) and it will allow us to buy more  trees  and plant in our land for you to carbon neutralize your travel to Brazil.  

    A percentual of your contribution will be for us to improve our accommodations to receive volunteers and support our work in environmental preservation.  

     

    We also provide environment for your home office, so that you can continue your work with very little living expenses and generate money for your future travels. 

    These fees include  trips on Friday noon to weekends in Rio de Janeiro city, returning Monday early morning to fazenda São Marcos. Every Friday I do delivery of organic produce in Rio de Janeiro city and stay with my wife and son and return to Fazenda São Marcos on Sunday evening or Monday morning,

    We do not pick you up on airport, but on Sundays evening or Mondays mornings I can pick you up at a hostel in Rio de Janeiro or airport on the way to Fazenda São Marcos. 

    If you arrive any day other than Sunday or Monday, you can take a uber/taxi to Rio's road station and take a bus to Cachoeiras De Macacu and I pick you up there, or you can get to visit Rio de Janeiro and travel with me in the next return trip to Fazenda São Marcos.


    Airport Pickup at Santos Dumont Airport

    Every Monday morning I travel from Rio de Janeiro to Fazenda São Marcos (2hs travel). In case you arrive on Monday morning I can pick you up in the airport. In case you arrive in a different day, please get to know Rio de Janeiro and meet me on my home in Rio de Janeiro (very beautiful and safe neighborhood of Leblon). 

    Accommodation

    Bedrooms suite (w/ bathroom), with warm blankets and window. Simple but all you need is there.  In the case of a large group, we provide a large dorm room. 

    Food & Beverages

    It will be a great opportunity for you to enjoy a healthy whole food plant based diet. We eat this way, so that we preserve our health, protect the environment and fight climate change. In special red meat is associated with deforestation, chicken meat is associated with factory farming where dangerous avian flu are being bred and our oceans are being depleted of life due to overfishing. 

    We provide food for all meals and snacks. We invite volunteers to prepare whole food  plant based meals with us and you will learn how easy it is to cook a healthy and delicious diet at home. 


    Furthermore, due to my celiac condition, it will be offered only gluten free diet.


    Drinks: Excellent coffee, tea (green, herbals), water kefir, soy milk, nut milk, cocoa power. No alcoholic beverage. No soft drinks.  


    Food: amaranth, quinoa, rice, beans, sweet potato, potato, squash seeds, sunflower seeds,cashew nuts, peanut paste,  garbanzo beans, banana, exotic fruits, palm hearts, leafy vegetables, seasonal legumes, popcorn, fruit jams, tahine. 

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) in Rio De Janeiro. We assist you to find cheap flights to Brazil. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Brazil provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Brazil you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Brazil. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    We are open for volunteering all year around. We provide transport to Fazenda São Marcos every Monday morning. I ask you to take a uber/taxi to my family's home in Rio de Janeiro (in a very safe and beautiful neighborhood of Leblon) and we depart from there. 

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    1 week (min. stay) 299€
    2 weeks 344€
    3 weeks 389€
    4 weeks 434€
    6 weeks (max. stay) 524€
    Average fees 193€/week

    Program fees

    193€ per week 1 - 6 weeks Age 16 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    1 - 6 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Fazenda São Marcos during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

    Meet your organization

    Fazenda São Marcos

    Brilliant 4.7 rating (20 reviews)

    Agency - founded in 1972

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Excellent response rate

    Coordinated by

    Marcus

    Spoken languages: English, Portuguese

    About the project

    We preserve 95% of our land (~1km^2) as native tropical rainforest, generate income for local people. We also teach people ways to preserve and fight climate change.

    Meet your organization

    20 years ago, my parents started a major forest regeneration in our land and today we are proudly 95% native forest. Our land stays in an important area for water generation for major urban areas of Rio de Janeiro and we have 12 spring waters protected by our forest that are part of the water supply system for millions. We have borders with a important Rio de Janeiro State Park (Três Picos) that forms an important mountain range of Atlantic rainforest that protects it and its rich biodiversity. We also have borders to another important initiative REGUA.ORG, that has been reforesting thousands of hectares (and acres) of land (or dozens of km^2) and we have borders with a natural spring water company that values forest as a form of preserving water supply.   


    In 2018, we faced a situation of housing a unemployed local person that decided to destroy a small part of our forest to make a conventional plantation to make a living. It was not only a unauthorized act but illegal, since Atlantic Forest is protected by law. We offered him a solution of getting a income using organic(bio) methods of agriculture on available land and cultivating practices that goes along with the forest (native fruit trees, mushrooms, native beekeeping) and respecting the environmental laws. That's how we started!  We started with this realization that we cannot do environmental preservation without including local people in the solution. We plan to become a scalable model that will multiply and 

    Since November 2019 we have volunteer program (we are top hosts at Worldpackers and wwoof host for quite some time), where we educate people about agroforestry, native bees, carbon and ecological  footprint, plant and fungi based diet as a healing diet and a form of fighting climate change and environmental preservation.  In fact, we emphasize the connection of healing yourself and healing the planet, where the student/volunteer realizes not only the physical benefits from chemical free plant and fungi based diet, but also the mental benefits of living in a nature abundant environment, with less high-tec distractions, understanding and appreciating the art of organic farming with his hands and few machinery. Agroforestry farming is a perfect blend of exercising and meditation where you need to bring your presence to the moment whether you're planting a delicate seedling or using a machete. 

    We are already facing climate change challenge of food scarcity and we cultivate food adapted to hotter climate like tropical edible plants that are more productive and adapted than staple foods (some of them with high negative impact in climate change like rice crops that releases a lot of methane).  

    Furthermore, we fixate tons of carbon in our syntropic agroforestry method that cultivates trees  and  develops a rich soil that brings carbon down through its root/microbial system.

    Many of the native plants have medicinal use and we are teaming up with Ayurveda teachers to provide workshops on the use of natural and medicinal use of plants for healing the body and cosmetic use. 

    We have a in house researcher and agroforestry teacher, Alexandre de Almeida, a biologist with  Phd in ecology and specialization in birds (ornithologist), and there is on going research on biodiversity in our land.

    20 reviews · rating4.7

    Ellie Potts rating5

    2024 at Stingless Native beekeepers

    My roommate and I joined Marcus on his farm to assist in bee keeping for two weeks as a school project. We're sophomores in college from the States and loved our experience. In such a short time, we learned so much about the rainforest, bees, health and our bodies. We enjoyed Marcus's approach to ...
    Alice Stewart rating4.6

    2024 at Stingless Native beekeepers

    We had a great stay at Fazenda learning all about the bees and their complex systems, the wildlife and the value of a plant based diet and spirituality. I learned so much on my stay that I will take with me for life. It was truly an astonishing experience to be immersed in the forest and experience ...
    Clara PETIT GARCIA rating5

    2024 at Agroforestry Assistant

    It was a wonderful experience to come here, and I am so happy I have choosen this mission. In the addition of doing a meaningful job and learning a lot about agroforestery and permaculture you have an experience with Marcus and other volonteers, all with the same conviction of making the world ...
    Elie Beaufils rating5

    2024 at Agroforestry Assistant

    J ai passé 4 semaines à la Fazenda avec Marcus et deux autres volontaires françaises. J' ai appris beaucoup plus que ce que j' aurais pensé car Marcus aime vraiment ce qu il fait et on voit qu il prend plaisir à partager ses larges connaissances . L'endroit est juste magnifique ( les montagnes, ...
    Drim Stokhuijzen rating4.8

    2024 at Agroforestry Assistant

    This January, I've visited Sao Marcos for two weeks. Marcos is a beautiful spirit, truly motivated and I'm really grateful to have experienced what it is like to go work in the jungle and live vegan. The house is very comfortable and I felt at home quickly. I would say I can call Marcos my friend, ...
    Antoine Van Aerde rating5

    2023 at Agroforestry Assistant

    If you're wondering about this opportunity, follow your gut. Whilst I wandered through beautiful Brazil, this was one of the stops I made - an unforgettable experience, counting countless stars at night around the campfire. Marcus and his brother are two remarkable people with such deep ...

    Location

    Americas > South America > Brazil > Cachoeiras de Macacu

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    Contact Marcus
      Excellent response rate
    English, Portuguese

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