Volunteer Experience Report at Finca Noah (Naira)

From the moment I arrived, I could see how well-maintained the entire farm was. Not a leaf or stone was out of place. We pulled up to the property by taxi and were welcomed by around 10 dogs. They jumped around the car and we were greeted warmly and with plenty of barking.

The little "Casa de jannine" is a charming, well-appointed apartment with everything you could need. The toilet is next to it, on the property.

After arriving, my first thing was to take a walk around and meet all the animals. Except for 2-3 exceptions, the animals are tame, which really impressed me. But what stayed with me most were the stories of each individual animal and how they ended up on the farm.

You'll find dogs, cats of all kinds, birds, rabbits, pigs, horses, ponies, sheep, donkeys, and even a deer. These animals are so grateful to their humans, and you can't imagine a more beautiful life for them than the one they have on this farm.

Now to the work. My first day is a memory that stayed with me, especially in my knees and my back.

The day started at 8:00 a.m. and I began the morning round with the other hard-working helpers. Each person had a task. I started in the cat enclosures. First, we clean up the cat litter, then wash and refill the food bowls. After that, we clean and mop the entire enclosure from cat blankets to scratching posts. The wildcats have their own feeding station too. We work right down to the last detail—you can see the precise order and structure. The same goes for the rabbit enclosure and the large sheep enclosure. Even with the horses, every last straw is picked up and no stone lies loose. Farah's words stayed with me strongly. A harmless stone can trip a horse, and with a broken leg it has to be put down. These are mistakes no animal welfare advocate should make.

Farah's cleaning obsession and her precision can be very exhausting, and she takes it extremely seriously. Nothing happens on the farm without Farah knowing about it. Every broom is washed after each use and put back according to color. Every food and water bowl is washed by hand every single day. All handmade stone decorations are straightened every day. Every straw or fallen leaf is picked up and disposed of. Every object has its place. Everything has a routine.

After the morning round with the animals, a task for the day is determined. On my first day, we cleared a piece of land for four hours. Every single stone was collected and with them we filled a hole. The whole area was full and it seemed endless. But in the end, we made it. The land looked like the rest of the farm and can now finally be used. You could see the satisfaction on Farah's face with her big smile. At 3:00 p.m. it was finally time for lunch.

The evening round was my favorite part. The animals are only fed and everything is quickly cleaned up again. Farah's words: "Every straw we pick up today is one less we have to pick up tomorrow."

In the evening, you have more time for the animals and you can also cuddle a bit. I personally went into every enclosure after the evening round and spent time with the cats and dogs. They are extremely trusting and love being petted.

Now for the other tasks on the farm. Poop rounds are done every day all over the farm. You get to go for walks with the dogs, but you have to be very careful and watch closely what's happening around you. Some dogs would eat every chicken they see.

On my last day, the gardeners came and we used our lunch break to load all the branches and leaves into a van and dispose of them.

At Finca Noah, you can't be afraid to get dirty, to ruin your clothes, to squat on the ground, to clean a lot, to spend lots of time with animals, or to struggle with an annoying task that's physically exhausting (like spending four hours collecting stones). On my return trip, I had blisters on my hands.

But if you embrace it and understand why all of this is necessary, you get so much back.

The farm has to be this clean because the animals don't know what it means to clean something up or take care of things. That's our job. We also want a clean bed, fresh plates, and no worry about disease and infection. The aesthetic aspect has a reason too. Farah wants to give the animals back what was taken from them. Their dignity, their honor, love, and security.

Thanks to this experience, I was able to learn and take so much away with me. How grateful I get to be able to help. To give something back to the world that others have broken. To catch the souls of the animals and show them what it means to be loved.

Farah is the strongest woman I have ever met. Beyond the countless hours she spends on the farm, she works 100% and runs her own club in Mallorca to finance the farm. Every day she handles 200 emails and 150 calls. Every last penny is invested. Instead of buying a new jacket, she needs the money to spay 10 cats. That's why every broom and every tool is handled with care.

Farah is very strict and a very direct person. You have to be able to handle that. All her love goes to the animals. Every single animal is taken into her heart and she suffers with her animals. Her passion drives her and only through her can the farm continue to live.

Thank you for the beautiful moments. Thank you for the new experiences. Thank you for the stories. I'm counting the days until I can come back.