GROL Garden

Where are you located?

    Our Garden is located in Northern Cyprus. The city is called Girne or Kyrenia.

 

What is GROL Garden?

    We are a sponsored non-profit garden based off Permaculture Principles.

    We organically grow a wide variety of food plants. We have citrus and olive trees throughout the property. 

    We also have chickens, ducks, dogs, and cats. None of the animals live indoors. 

    We have recently built our first Aquaponics system in order to produce fish and vegetables in a truly sustainable way.

    This first system is a trial and we hope to improve and expand it over time.

    We have wild bees living on our land but our goal is to catch the new queens when they swarm spring 2015.

    After that, we will have our first beehives which we'll be able to harvest organic honey from.

 

How old is this project?

    GROL Garden became a serious project in 2013. This is a relatively new project, so of course we aren't self-sufficient yet. 

    However Our Goal towards being Self-Reliant is being realized with each day, and each contribution. 

 

How does your Garden Operate?

    Our Garden has a base community of a few people, some living on the property and some with a less active role.

    We have 3 managers who live on the farm: Yam, Mark, & Ihsan. Another key member is Dervis, who lives in nearby Lapta.

    Our Garden also consists of a revolving group of International Volunteers visiting from all over the World.

 

What are we looking for in terms of Volunteers?

    We are looking for long-term Volunteers for helping around the Property who are interested in sustainablity.

    Our agreement is 30 working hours a week in exchange for room and board. 

    Working 4-6 days a week, we offer a flexible option to build up your own schedule. 



What kind of duties do Volunteers have?

    Our Garden/Farm is expanding, so duties could change on a daily/weekly basis which range from
    animal care, planting, seed germination, watering, weeding, soil preparation, compost tumbling/mixing, etc.
    This is a hands-on experience, so if you're afraid of insects or digging in dirt, this will not be a good fit for you.

 

    Volunteers may also use their exchange hours towards non-gardening activities, such as:

        ---Walking dogs (7 large, strong dogos that need daily walks)

        ---Yoga (willing to teach/inspire)

        ---Vegetarian/Vegan cooking with our Vegetables

        ---House Keeping Manager

        ---Some Art Activities 

              **However, you will still need to participate in other garden tasks as well...

 

    Although management guide the project and have a basic roadmap for future projects, some of our best ideas originate

    from volunteer suggestions.

    Many Volunteers often have great insight and are valuable resource, so we encourage input and idea sharing.

 

   We have a flexible option to build up your own schedule- WITHIN REASON.

   Each sunday we plan out what chores you will be doing and when for the following week.

   You have the option to choose which days you want off and how you'd like to manage your hours.

   There may be times that we need you for certain hours. 

 

What is the accommodation like?

    In exchange for volunteer work, we will provide:

    -Housing (bed, pillows, sheets, clothes rack)

    -Food (own-grown, minimal budget for foods)

    -Yoga classes (normally 3x a week)

 

    Cooking on the Farm is exclusively Vegetarian/Vegan.

 

    We have an outdoor kitchen with cob oven, an outdoor shower, & a compost toilet



Housing?

    -A-  The main house has 2 bedrooms, one room for Single Males & one for Single Females.

              There are 4 beds in the Single Males room & 4 beds in the Single Females room.

    -B-  We have a second house, which has 2 rooms.

              The manager Ihsan lives in the first room and the second room is reserved for couples.

    -C-  We have a wood cabin made from Reclaimed Wood

              Our manager Yam currently lives there

    -D-  We have a few spacious tents which can be used if the rooms are full or if the volunteers prefer 

    

   We ask that you are respectful to everyone one working here and respect the rules of the house: 
    ---KEEP TIDY-------------------
    ---WASH your DISHES---------
    ---NO SHOES in the HOUSE---

 

What Else Can We do?

    -We offer Yoga classes a couple times a week

    --We encourage Exploring. Ask Dervis (a local Cypriot) to be your tour guide. We also have an Idea Book for Volunteers

    ---Also see our page Things to Do in Cyprus for a ongoing list of our own Suggestions. 

    ----We are a near the sea and only a few kilometers from Sandy Beaches. 



How many people are on the farm?

    We usually have anywhere from 2-10 volunteers at a time. At the moment we can house up to 12+ volunteers inside.



What is the Visa Situation?

    The rules are different for Citizens of Specific Countries. Visitor Visas can range anywhere from 15-90 days.

     You receive your visitor visa upon arrival to North Cyprus. Please note how many days they write on your stamp.

    Visitor Visas can sometimes be extended. Please ask the managers to contact Derya to arrange this in advance.

    Those who stay over the limit are changed daily fines which add up quickly, so be aware of your visa status.



Is there Internet?

    YES 



Are there Animals?

    On the farm, yes. We have chickens, ducks, cats, dogs.
    There are NO animals living in the apartment or house though.



What are the rules on Smoking?

    Smokers Need Not Apply. Smoking is prohibited on the farm.

    --If you are a social smoker who might smoke a cigarette while at a bar, that's not a problem,

      because it does not effect the farm. But if you are a day smoker, this will be a problem.



​Other things to Note:

   -You must work the hours we agree to each week

   -Not showing up will not be tolerated and volunteers that need babysitting will be asked to LEAVE.

   -We have has a few bad experiences with volunteers, but 95% have been wonderful!



Transportation & Getting Here:

 

Will we pick you up?

     If you arrive from a Ferry terminal, we will pick you up if its less than an hour drive.

     Previously, we offered Volunteer pick-ups from Larnaca & Ercan airport, but we no longer offer this service.

     

     It is inexpensive and easy to reach GROL Garden using public transportation from all three airports in Cyprus. 

     Click the Airport Name for Links to Bus Information for Each Airport:

     ERCAN AIRPORT 

     LARNACA AIRPORT

     PAPHOS AIRPORT