Volunteering
Introduction
Do you want to understand where your food comes from? Looking for a break from city life and a chance to spend time outdoors? Curious about regenerative farming, composting, or effective microorganisms? Or maybe you simply enjoy working with your hands and don’t mind getting a little muddy.
At Varanashi Farms, we believe in regeneration, sustainability, and working with nature. As a volunteer, you’ll become part of the daily life of a working organic farm. Depending on the season, you’ll help with planting, harvesting, weeding, mulching, composting, and many other tasks that keep the farm running.
This is not a structured learning course, but you’ll naturally pick up knowledge by working alongside our team. We also share the ideas behind our farming practices through occasional presentations and discussions on regenerative agriculture and permaculture.
If you’re happy to contribute, enjoy simple living, and are curious about life on a regenerative farm, we’d love to have you join us.
For a more detailed insight into volunteer work check out our Volunteer Work A-Z Guide
Your Workday
Volunteers work in various sections of the farm
Field work
work in the multi-layer plantation; planting, harvesting and taking care of crop plants. These activities provide a valuable insight into the local ecosystem and Varanashi’s farming practices.
Compost work
Volunteers are involved in producing and packing compost using the VRF method. This work is physically engaging.
Office work
In the office, volunteers assist with the production & packaging of Varanashi Farms’ fertilizer, cacao production (seasonal) & other packaging works. They gain insight into the microbiology laboratory and assist with inoculation.
Hospitality work
To liven up the farm for workers and guests, volunteers will be involved in maintenance work and creative projects. This includes event preparation, clean-ups, painting & social media content creation.
Own projects
Do you have a particular skill set and are eager to show initiative? Feel free to approach us – we welcome personal initiatives and usually have pending projects that you can take up.
Daily Schedule
- 8AM: Breakfast
- 9AM: Start work at the assigned workstation
- 10:30-11AM: Break for tea, snacks
- 1-2PM: Lunch Break
- 4PM: End of work
- 6PM onwards: Dinner
Expectations & Responsibilities
Volunteering at Varanashi Farms offers a wide variety of hands-on experiences that change with the seasons, ongoing projects, and the farm’s current needs. While we cannot guarantee specific tasks, we’ll do our best to consider your interests—feel free to share them with us.
The best way to enjoy your stay is to arrive with an open mind and as few expectations as possible. Going with the flow often leads to the most authentic and rewarding experiences.
Many farm skills require time and repetition to master. While you’ll gain valuable practical experience, developing a deeper understanding of tasks—such as harvesting cacao or processing crops—takes more than a single session or a short stay.
In return, we ask volunteers to be punctual, reliable, and respectful. We trust you to work independently, contribute to the community, respect our staff and guests, and follow the farm’s Rules & Regulations . If you have any concerns or feedback, please speak to us directly—we value open communication and are always happy to find solutions together.
If you ever feel that your tasks aren’t the right fit or you’re not getting the most out of your experience, please come and talk to us. We’re always happy to listen and work together to find a solution that makes your time at Varanashi Farms as rewarding as possible.
Please note: While you will gain valuable insights into regenerative farming, permaculture, and farm life, and we occasionally offer presentations and other learning opportunities, this is first and foremost a volunteering & working program rather than an educational course.
The focus is on contributing through meaningful, hands-on work, much of it physical. As the farm stretches over more than a kilometre, many tasks also involve a fair amount of walking. We simply want to help you arrive with the right expectations so you can make the most of your time here.
Volunteering Options
15 days volunteers
- Start first day of the month
- Stay in single room with shared bathroom
- Working time: approx. 4 hours per day
1 month volunteers
- Start first day of the month
- Stay in shared dormitories
- Working time: approx. 6 hours per day
In cooperation with FSL India, we host long-term volunteers from Germany for roughly a year to immerse themselves in hands-on working and intercultural exchange.
Your life on the farm
True to our idea of community living, you’ll stay in shared accommodation with common living spaces. Three fresh, home-cooked vegetarian meals are served daily, prepared with seasonal ingredients grown on the farm.
As the daily menu remains mostly the same, with only slight changes in ingredients, you may crave some variety. If so, you’re welcome to use the community kitchen or head out for a meal.
For more detailed information about our spaces and activities, please refer to the Farm Spaces & Activities Guide
We ask everyone to respect our zero-tolerance policy regarding drugs, alcohol,smoking and meat on the farm.
Are you interested in joining us for volunteering? Send your resume and letter of intent to [email protected] . We would love to hear from you! – your Varanashi Farms Team
