Life at Vrouva Farm

With more than 100 animals at the farm we cannot do without the help of volunteers as there is a lot to do. It can be hard physical work like mucking out stables and repairing fences, but it can also be cuddling with kittens and walking dogs.

 

We live a low impact life without modern comforts and therefore there are some things to take into consideration before deciding to join us:

 

Location:

 

Vrouva is located in a forest area on top of a steep hill. It can be reached via a dirt road about 15 mins walk from the nearest village and 30 mins drive from the main port town. If you want to go to the beach it’s a half hour walk . The nearest pub with Wi-Fi about the same

 

Living facilities:

 

There is no Wi-Fi or reliable phone signal. The electricity we have is solar powered and we preserve it for lighting. Phones can be charged on the farm with a solar charger and there is better signal up the hill, five minutes from the farm.

 

Accommodation is very, very simple, close to nature and our animals. It's noisy and nothing is very clean. The dogs bark at night, cats want to snuggle with you, the roosters crow early in the morning and most animals shed hair.

 

For most of the year there are many insects, such as flies, fleas and mosquitoes.

 

We economise water and shower only when necessary. In the winter there is limited heating so it can get quite cold at night.

 

We love living so close to our animals and nature, but also understand that it does not suit everyone.

 

Food, alcohol and drugs:

 

Vrouva provides simple vegan food for the everyday life at the farm, but it is not a requirement to eat vegan outside of Vrouva. You can buy extra food at supermarkets or Tavernas .

 

Alcohol and recreational drugs are not allowed . We expect our volunteers  to always be alert for any animal emergencies and to be present to their needs on an everyday level.You are free to do what you want in your own time away from the farm and we sometimes enjoy social events like live music or going to a taverna/bar together (mostly in the summer).

 

Life on the farm:

 

Caring for farm animals is hard manual work. The work load can be very unpredictable, but there are standard everyday chores (like feeding and cleaning) that we expect you to take part in.

There are also group projects aiming at improving the space and the well being of our animals.

Outside of this we encourage each individual to express their talents and decide in what way do they personally want to help the animals.

 

There are usually 2-3 volunteers from abroad at a time and some local volunteers who come to the farm when they are able to as they have other commitments.

 

Team work and maintaining a positive environment is important for us and more importantly for the animals.

Most of our animals really enjoy cuddles and attention, but some of them don't like to be touched and can scratch or bite. Please ask before walking into any enclosure if you do not know the animals yet.

 

You will have moments of fun and connection with the animals. There is also, however, the sad reality of caring for old, sick, abused or abandoned animals to consider and so disease , pain and death are often in the picture.

 

This is all part of life at Vrouva. It can be rewarding, educational, fun, heartwarming and sometimes, even a life-changing experience.

 

Animals are at the centre  in Vrouva Farm and our life revolves around enabling them to heal and making their lives richer and happier.

If that sounds more like fun to you than like hard work then please come and help us help them.

 

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please fill out this form and tell us more about yourself.