WWOOF around the world - Part 1

I became disillusioned with Sydney. I had lost sight of why I was there and what I was doing. I was not learning a foreign language, my goal on OzBus had been to reach Sydney, to meet my Aussie family – all these things had been achieved. Long term goals were non existent – I had a year to kill before leaving on a boat for the States and I wasn't much interested in going backpacking up touristy coasts, all that costed money I didn't have. So I returned to familiar ground of WWOOFing.

Willing Workers On Organic Farms or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms was how I first landed in Spain back in April 2008. It is essentially a skills exchange organisation that allows organic projects (from personal smallholdings to commercial farms) much needed labour in exchange for shelter and food. No money pases hands (though I've found some host farms asking for food contributions and stipends available for long term WWOOFers, I tend to stay away from hosts involving money).

WWOOFing experiences vary – a lot. Where most of us live in a world constantly requiring a money-back guarantee, a set standard of quality, a regularity of income and that post-financial crisis golden grail; security, WWOOFing requires one to completely step out of that mentality. First WWOOFing experience will by no means set the standard for future ones. I was introduced to the agricultural methods of Permaculture on my first WWOOFing experience which was something that I carried with me to other experiences. However, no two experiences have ever been alike. I have cooked in outdoor kitchens, camped inside abandoned houses, washed in natural rivers, rued the day the shower had cold water again, built out of cob, weeded for the hundredth time, harvested heirloom tomatoes to make a fresh salad for lunch, eaten professionally prepared vegan food, fed chickens, dealt with a huge quantity of manure and all of these experiences have been worthwhile.

If this sounds to you like someone getting the benefit of you giving free labour then you're still thinking in the old way where everything has to come down to money. Learning and sharing skills more than makes up for any lack of pennies in your pocket. If you think that this is a sure way to get free accommodation and food and holiday then make sure you're prepared to put your hours in – it is a working holiday. The harmonious balance between host and WWOOFer relies on just the right amount of give and take. WWOOF hosts share their home and often, lives with relative strangers and are trusting that this won't be abused. If it is, they have every right to throw the WWOOFers out. WWOOFer in turn are putting their daily lives in the hands of strangers and are trusting that the work they do is a reasonable amount and more or less enjoyable. If it isn't, then WWOOFers have every right to leave whenever they want.

In my experience good WWOOFing experiences have come down to trust, good communication, good food and varied task. The best WWOOFing experience I ever had was in the south of Spain amongst a beautiful reclaimed Moorish valeyside village. What I loved there was the amazing variety of people I came across, the beautiful Spanish weather and countryside and ecological aim of the project I was contributing to. My worst WWOOFing experience where I had said I wanted to stay for a longish period of time but lasted 2 days was up near Lismore, NSW, Australia.

Each country has there own WWOOF organisation, none of them are officially affiliated with each other. To become a WWOOFer there is a one off fee for a year's membership. The membership gives you access to either an online directory or a printed one or both. WWOOFing in Australia requires you to sign up and pay for the WWOOF book. A printed publication detailing host farms in Australian State sections. I WWOOFed up near Lismore after my rent ran out on Valentine's day in Sydney. I was looking for a more long term, skill beneficial position near the Australian Permaculture Institute that was near by. I had been entertaining thoughts of doing a Permaculture Design Certificate course (PDC) there.