Regenerative organic farm in Puerto Rico focused on cacao, coffee and many types of fruit
Puerto Rico
Update: I love when there's a group of about 4 to 6 people here for usually around 2 weeks, but sometimes longer (or shorter) is good too. Puerto Rico is an amazingly beautiful place and SO MUCH grows here! I see the farm as a canvas and there is so much beautiful color to add to the masterpiece, veggies, herbs, flowers, and many more fruit trees!
The Area: The farm is 14 acres in the beautiful mountains of Mayaguez at 600 ft. elevation. You can see the Caribbean from the street. The evenings are cooler with nice breezes.
Activities: The Farm is mostly a tropical fruit tree farm with a lot of variety. There are 75 kinds of tropical fruits and nuts so far and various varieties of each. There are over 2000 fruit and nut trees and special bamboo. The main crops are high quality artisanal Cacao (Chocolate) and Arabica Coffee. There is usually weeding, mulching, pruning, harvesting and other interesting projects. We also plant vetiver grass which is amazing to stop erosion and build terraces. The roots go down 10 feet! And the cut grass has hundreds of uses. We recently planted it around the pond for filtration.
I really like teaching what I've learned and really like learning from others. I enjoy working on the land with friends and want to create a beautiful place with lots of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for people to enjoy. It's so nice working outside together and then eating the food together is really special!
Length of Stay: Length of stay is variable just depending on what seems good and the needs of the time.
Expectations: I like to enjoy life which to me means both working hard and accomplishing projects to make the farm all it can be to provide food and a great environment for people. And taking breaks, a siesta, going for a hike, etc. I want people to enjoy their time, doing work they enjoy doing as much as possible. Everyone is built differently and can handle different kinds of work so I like being sensitive to individuals needs.
We work 3 hours in the morning, usually from 7-10am, before the sun gets too hot (Feel free to start and finish earlier if you want). And then at 2 or 3pm another 3 hours. There's a lot of free time during the day. It's basically 30 hours a week and there's flexibility in how the time is arranged. We're off on Saturday and Sunday for farmers markets.
When Needed: Year round, but especially April to November.
Accommodations: Camping either on a patio with a roof that's attached to the house or out on the farm under the stars. You will have use of a clean (you keep it clean, lol) bathroom with solar heated hot water at the house, a kitchen, and will have use of the washing machine.
If you want something more comfortable than tent camping I also have available a very nice ecotourism room. If you're interested let me know.
Transportation: It's 6 miles to downtown Mayaguez on a beautiful mountain road. There's a free bus from near the farm to downtown Mayaguez.
Languages: English Fluently, Spanish pretty well, and some Portuguese
Children/Pets: Children Yes if they're respectful, pets probably not.
Food: I'm very respectful with people concerning food. I don't judge people by what they eat but by their kindness to people. If you're vegan, eat meat, allergic to something, or whatever, you will be treated with kindness. Everyone needs to do what they feel is best for their particular body. I love good healthy delicious food.
Sometimes there's a nice garden but not always, it's mostly a fruit farm. I provide food from the farm such as platanos, breadfruit, yucca, fruits and vegetables (depending on season). And also staple foods like oatmeal, rice, beans, etc... Some people buy additional foods, snacks in town if they want something I don't provide. There's a nice clean kitchen and we are all expected to help keep it clean and orderly.
The food is very simple, not at all like the SAD (Standard American Diet). I do not buy any chemical or gmo foods. In addition to what I grow I try to use mostly local foods. I would rather have less variety of high quality organic food than an abundance of junk. The fruit availability varies by season, the dry season doesn't have much fruit growing on the farm, the summer is when there's a lot. So please know this before coming because a couple of people have complained a little in reviews but the reality is I have provided high quality organic food which is expensive, and I'm not rich, and they may not have appreciated it because they're used to an abundant variety of junk food.
Nearby fun: This is Puerto Rico! Beaches and all kinds of amazing things everywhere!
Organic methods: Composting, Biochar, Mulching, Foliar feed compost teas, Boosting natural soil microbes, etc...
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Forestry
Aquaculture
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Production farm
5.7
Hectares
|
14
Acres
Jeff
Member since 2013
Languages spoken:
English, Portuguese, Spanish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 1 day
Puerto Rico
Mayaguez airport or Mayaguez bus/Taxi terminal
Reviews
Lindsay
United States
•
January 2026
I had the most amazing experience at Jeff's farm! His farm is absolutely beautiful and Jeff is wonderful person with vast knowledge about farming and beyond. I learned so much in my short time at the farm and cant wait to return. I paid to stay in the eco tourism room which was cozy and definitely worth it. Thank you, Jeff!
Gabriela
Puerto Rico
•
July 2025
Very beautiful farm! This was a very informative and enriching experience.
Melissa
United States
•
April 2024
Very unique experience! We tried foods we had not tried before both that Jeff grew or procured by other means. Jeff is knowledgeable and has passion for his work. We did buy some of our own food because my kids are athletes and require a high caloric intake. Jeff’s environment was conducive to clean eating both in what he provided and encouraged. We got some food food from the farmers’ market, and it was great to support local production. Jeff embraces a healthy lifestyle and I’m grateful for our experience there. I learned a lot from him, and am making changes in my own lifestyle as a result.
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Zeeshan
United States
•
March 2024
A much more adventurous way to see Puerto Rico than to stay in a boring resort with tourists. The work can seem hard at first depending on the project and the lifestyle you are coming from but you quickly get used to it. You take long breaks to reenergize with fresh coconut water, snooze, go for a swim, or a hike. The weekends are relaxing (for you, not Jeff - the man never stops working!) because you go to a farmers market and get an authentic Puerto Rican experience by interacting with locals and walking around the town. If you have money, I would recommend supporting the hardworking farmers in the market. It will also give you more food to take back to the farm to enjoy along with the amazing fruits that grow on the farm. The room is well worth paying for, and is a great way to support Jeff. He's a true farmer and a very kind individual. Protect this man at all costs.
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Eva
United States
•
January 2024
Jeff has a beautiful farm that feels like a home. I helped out during the dry season and learned so much still without much in bloom - I can't wait to go back again and visit in the future. Jeff is a super knowledgable person with a wise perspective and has so much great information and stories to share. It was my first time in Puerto Rico and I really fell in love with the land, culture and people!! I felt very safe and met many kind people. Definitely go to the farmers market if you volunteer here!! Great way to meet people and see more of the island :) Thank you Jeff, for a beautiful experience and place to stay!
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William
United States
•
January 2024
GET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND TAKE AN EXTENDED VACATION TO MAYAGUEZ PUERT RICO, then get the bus into the nearest mountains a mile from his place, he will pick you up and then you will have an amazing time; life changing to be exact. This man is a super genius and very humble about life.
