Advice for WWOOFing on your first organic farm
Let's face it, travel can be downright expensive. Especially, if you are planning to spend any amount of time in European destinations like England, Italy and France. For the budget travel, it is a constant struggle between staying on the road and indulging in the culture. To keep our travel finances in check, we had to eat a lot of pizza, bread, cheese and paninis, in other words Europe's version of fast food. This all changed, though, when we volunteered for two weeks on a biodynamic winery in Italy under the WWOOF (Worldwide Opportinities on Organic Farms) program. Woofing, similar to volunteer, enabled us to taste the Tuscan regions cuisine without blowing our budget, and more importantly WWOOFing allowed us to connect with the culture and people of Tuscany. Getting involved in the WWOOF program is pretty simple, if you follow the advice below, you will be on your first farm in no time at all.
After you decide you want to WWOOF, next you have to decide where you want to volunteer. Once you have made your decision, go ahead and visit the country's website; the easiest way is to Google: WWOOF Italy or WWOOF Thailand and apply for a yearly membership; currently, at WWOOF Italia the yearly membership costs $25. Now that you are a member, the WWOOF organization will provide you access to their updated farm list. Make sure you hold on to your card, because your farm host will require you to present your WWOOF membership card during your stay. If you are away from your permanent residence, then, at least with WWOOF Italia, you can have your membership card mailed your host's address to pick upon arrrival.
It is important that you are honest with yourself about what amenities you will need while volunteering. If you need Internet or Wifi, for example, make sure you verify with that your WWOOF host is able to provide it before accepting their invitation to volunteer at their farm. It's always important to remember that you are there to work. And, if you want to WWOOF at an Italian organic winery during its grape harvest in September, then you will work. Expect to spend 6 to 8 hours in the field or in the wine cellar helping to process grapes six days a week. Most farms are pretty good about giving detailed expectations on the WWOOF farm list, but if you have any questions, it's always good to send the WWOOF host an email to get further clarifications.
The most important part of WWOOFing is honoring your commitment. By canceling or skipping out on your host, you are fouling up the farmer's livelihood; most organic farms are small and have limited full-time workers; therefore, they depend on volunteers to keep the operations running. These are by no means large corporations; instead, they are family businesses and their commitment to organic farming revolves around like minded volunteers. If you have any doubts that you may not be able to meet your commitment to your WWOOF host, then do not accept their invitation to work.
The WWOOF program is an ideal solution for travelers looking to make their trip more meaningful. By working on the farms, you are not only supporting the farmer, but you are also giving back to the region; getting the chance to taste new cuisines; enabling farmers to work in healthier environments, and ultimately making a small impact in the world.
After you decide you want to WWOOF, next you have to decide where you want to volunteer. Once you have made your decision, go ahead and visit the country's website; the easiest way is to Google: WWOOF Italy or WWOOF Thailand and apply for a yearly membership; currently, at WWOOF Italia the yearly membership costs $25. Now that you are a member, the WWOOF organization will provide you access to their updated farm list. Make sure you hold on to your card, because your farm host will require you to present your WWOOF membership card during your stay. If you are away from your permanent residence, then, at least with WWOOF Italia, you can have your membership card mailed your host's address to pick upon arrrival.
It is important that you are honest with yourself about what amenities you will need while volunteering. If you need Internet or Wifi, for example, make sure you verify with that your WWOOF host is able to provide it before accepting their invitation to volunteer at their farm. It's always important to remember that you are there to work. And, if you want to WWOOF at an Italian organic winery during its grape harvest in September, then you will work. Expect to spend 6 to 8 hours in the field or in the wine cellar helping to process grapes six days a week. Most farms are pretty good about giving detailed expectations on the WWOOF farm list, but if you have any questions, it's always good to send the WWOOF host an email to get further clarifications.
The most important part of WWOOFing is honoring your commitment. By canceling or skipping out on your host, you are fouling up the farmer's livelihood; most organic farms are small and have limited full-time workers; therefore, they depend on volunteers to keep the operations running. These are by no means large corporations; instead, they are family businesses and their commitment to organic farming revolves around like minded volunteers. If you have any doubts that you may not be able to meet your commitment to your WWOOF host, then do not accept their invitation to work.
The WWOOF program is an ideal solution for travelers looking to make their trip more meaningful. By working on the farms, you are not only supporting the farmer, but you are also giving back to the region; getting the chance to taste new cuisines; enabling farmers to work in healthier environments, and ultimately making a small impact in the world.
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