Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Attention local residents and gardening lovers! Here's a new opportunity to get out of Puerto Vallarta for a day into the beautiful farm country just outside of Mezcales. Join us for a day of farm work, fun and food any Wednesday in May (May 4, 11, 18, 25), from 9 am until early afternoon (Adults only).

Tropical America, a 50 acre working palm and tropical plant ranch, needs volunteers to do numerous tasks around the farm. The International Palm Society will be visiting the ranch early next year, so we want to get the ranch in tip-top shape.

Included in the farm day will be a short presentation of the mission and reputation of the farm. A light vegetarian lunch of complimentary soup, bread, non-alcoholic drink and dessert from the bountiful gardens will be served if you want to stay. (Or you may bring your own lunch.) Our work will be done by 1:00 pm.

We will meet at the former Coca Cola bottling plant across the highway from the Farmacia Guadalajara in downtown Mezcales and will car pool to the ranch. If you are driving, let us know how many people you can take. If you are taking the bus, get off at main stop in town by Primera Plus and walk around the corner east to Coca Cola. We will leave here at 9:00 am and return there at 3:30 pm.

Volunteers are asked to wear old clothes: long-sleeved T-shirts and long pants, a sun hat, comfortable flat shoes. Be sure to bring sunscreen, insect repellant, gardening gloves, and a water bottle (the Palm Ranch can supply filtered drinking water).

If you would like to join the group, please email Carla at palmranchvolunteers(at)gmail.com, by the preceding Monday, 6:00 pm, so we'll know whom to meet and how many will be eating lunch.