Buffalo farm in the heart of Transylvania – Rupea, Romania 🐃🌿
Location: Drauseni, Romania
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Our farm, Ferma Indianului, is situated near Rupea in Brasov County, right in the heart of the Transylvanian countryside. Our main objective is to develop commercially viable, non-industrial food production systems. We are also interested in facilitating the reintroduction of heritage plant varieties, particularly edible perennials, and initiating a study on the health benefits of traditional diets, including raw milk and pickled vegetables.
The water buffalo herd is the core of our farming operations, with numbers currently at 120 females. Fresh milk and cheese are sold from the farm, with weekly deliveries to our restaurant, Barka Saffron, in Bucharest. We produce a small range of buffalo milk products, including soft and hard cheeses, butter, and ghee.
Our vegetable gardens supply the farm staff, volunteers, the restaurant, and a select group of clients in Bucharest and Brasov. The food forest project started two years ago and involves creating a 2-hectare edible forest with approximately 200 fruit and nut trees and over 600 berry bushes and other edible perennials.
We have also started a project to preserve local buildings in the area that are being destroyed. One old building has been dismantled and reassembled on the farm, and we are converting it into funky living spaces for guests.
We have 5 full-time staff working on the farm, with between 2 and 5 volunteers at any given time. We also have 3 horses, 5 dogs, 3 pigs, and 10 turkeys.
Our philosophy is one of respect, responsibility, and community. Respect for ourselves, respect for nature, and respect for others. We believe that individuals should take responsibility for their own actions and for the collective actions that impact their surroundings, whether natural or social. We strive to understand how we can impact and develop our communities through our actions.
We are currently in need of helping hands. If you have skills in carpentry or building, or if you have strong experience with horses and a general wish to be part of the farm, contributing your strength and skills, this could be a good fit.
We are not a place for lounge lizards. Our guidelines are few and simple, but we expect genuine commitment and a willingness to work. In exchange, we offer excellent food, comfortable accommodation, and the chance to be part of a meaningful project in a beautiful part of the world.
The water buffalo herd is the core of our farming operations, with numbers currently at 120 females. Fresh milk and cheese are sold from the farm, with weekly deliveries to our restaurant, Barka Saffron, in Bucharest. We produce a small range of buffalo milk products, including soft and hard cheeses, butter, and ghee.
Our vegetable gardens supply the farm staff, volunteers, the restaurant, and a select group of clients in Bucharest and Brasov. The food forest project started two years ago and involves creating a 2-hectare edible forest with approximately 200 fruit and nut trees and over 600 berry bushes and other edible perennials.
We have also started a project to preserve local buildings in the area that are being destroyed. One old building has been dismantled and reassembled on the farm, and we are converting it into funky living spaces for guests.
We have 5 full-time staff working on the farm, with between 2 and 5 volunteers at any given time. We also have 3 horses, 5 dogs, 3 pigs, and 10 turkeys.
Our philosophy is one of respect, responsibility, and community. Respect for ourselves, respect for nature, and respect for others. We believe that individuals should take responsibility for their own actions and for the collective actions that impact their surroundings, whether natural or social. We strive to understand how we can impact and develop our communities through our actions.
We are currently in need of helping hands. If you have skills in carpentry or building, or if you have strong experience with horses and a general wish to be part of the farm, contributing your strength and skills, this could be a good fit.
WORKING ARRANGEMENT
We expect 4 to 5 hours of work per day, with at least one day off per week. The work is varied and includes caring for the buffalo, gardening, maintaining the food forest, helping with construction, working with the horses, and general farm tasks. Volunteers with practical skills such as carpentry, construction, vegetable growing, or cooking are particularly welcome. Those motivated to contribute something tangible to the farm will do well here.LIVING ARRANGEMENT
Accommodation is comfortable, with double bunk beds in shared rooms, a shared spacious kitchen, and a bathroom. Volunteers have access to fresh buffalo milk, butter, cheese, and organic vegetables from the garden. Meals are provided and shared together.We are not a place for lounge lizards. Our guidelines are few and simple, but we expect genuine commitment and a willingness to work. In exchange, we offer excellent food, comfortable accommodation, and the chance to be part of a meaningful project in a beautiful part of the world.
