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Conor · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Lost in suburbia

Many of us here are acquainted with the WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) organization, and I believe it deserves it's own thread. For those who don't know of it, here is the link: http://www.wwoof.org/
There simply is no better way for aspiring smallholders get their hands dirty learning about...well, farming. Whatever that means.

I'll start:

I took six weeks WWOOFing in Ireland this past summer, and the experience was unforgettable. How I convinced my Ma to let me do it, I'll never know.

My first experience took place in Sligo, where I had the excellent fortune (nay, the privilege!), to spend a number of weeks in the good company of the patriarch of our new forum, Blowin. The hospitality that I enjoyed in his household was immeasurable.

My goal was to learn. I quickly found that "farming" is everything and anything but just crop and animal maintenance. A smallholding is in a perpetual state of construction, destruction, maintenance endless, discovery and not just a wee bit of humor amongst it all. There is never a dull moment - and if there is, it means you've likely forgotten something. Luckily for me, there were no floggings, for Blowin was rather patient with my slip-ups various.

Ah, but there is order in chaos. Rolling Eyes

I quickly took after my host, learning to consult a mug of hot tea and a bag of chocolate biscuits when necessary.

As I mentioned, discovery finds it's way into the work (if you let it), and I think that is something you won't really find in the rat race. Something as dreary as digging out the pond would turn into a pyrotechnics experiment (use your imagination). Clearing brush from the stream would become a gold prospecting expedition. A walk to the woods to hack down a tree was never too important to halt the work, take in the world around, and discuss, say, the wildlife of the forest.

I spent some time shortly thereafter at a goat farm on Clear Island, down on Cape Clear. This experience came to be a remarkable example of the trust that is involved with the WWOOFing concept: My host, who I had only met a few days before, suddenly left me in charge of the entire goat farm for two weeks when he took a trip to the mainland. I didn't get to know this host as well as I got to know Blowin. I instead got a feel for the helm of the smallholding, this being most unexpected and an adventure in itself. Returning home was difficult.

Truly, a stupendous experience, one that I find myself looking back on with nothing but fondness. It certainly wont be the last...

Regale us with your tales of WWOOFing!

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"Why is trying to be poor turning out to be so expensive?"

blowin · Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:12 am Post subject:

Now you've made me blush ! Laughing

. Great article that , Conor Very Happy

. I hope there will be many more like it .
I'll drop in a few of my own sometime but it would be nice to hear from some-one else too . Anyone care to take the stand ?
On a serious note , since we are all human and total strangers are involved it is inevitable that not all host / volunteer relationships turn out as well as ours did with Conor . If you do refer to a less fortunate episode please ensure that you do not reveal any specific details of names , location , whatever , on this public forum .
But please don't be put off making a post tho' , or from checking out the WWOOF organisation . We have been hosts for 2 years now and I have just renewed my subscription . Good luck . Very Happy

Moonwaves · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 80 Location: Dusseldorf

I had started a similar thread around the same time but it probably makes more sense to keep it to one so I'm copying my post over to here. Admin: could you delete the thread I started in "from the land", please?

==============================
It's been mentioned a couple of times so here's a thread for it. You're right blowin, difficult to choose a forum for this one!

I recently signed up with WWOOF - won't post a detailed description here, please check out this link: http://www.wwoof.org/

I signed up with WWOOF independents as that covers Ireland and France. My sister lives in France and I'm always threatening to move over there so there's a good chance I will try to volunteer over there as well to see how it all works in a different country (and the chance to speak French would be good too as I'm not very fluent and am very lazy if I know there's someone around who speaks English!).

I plan to join WWOOF Germany next year as I'll be hopefully over there for a couple of weeks in September.

Unfortunately as I work full time in an office I don't have a huge amount of time to offer. I only recently got my book of addresses to look through but the flick through I've had seems to indicate that a lot of people want someone to stay for an entire season. As I only get 22 days holidays each year I can't really commit to much more than two weeks or so. I was thinking of offering a few weekends in a row if I could find somewhere within a couple of hours of Dublin (going down on Friday evening and coming back on Sunday). Blowin, do you reckon this would be acceptable to some people?

I'd love to hear about your experiences as a host. I'm not terribly fit and more enthusiastic than skilled so I worry that I'd be more of a hindrance than a help. On the other hand I have to learn somehow I suppose...
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blowin · Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:49 am Post subject:

Hi Moonwaves , sorry about the delay in reply ! I will be happy to recount a few of my experiences as a host but I'll do this when things quieten down a little if that's ok . I am also trying to track down one or two of the volunteers who have been wwoofers with us . Conor has said some vey kind words but there are one or two who might not be so generous . These are the ones I am trying to invite Shocked

. The story from their perspective would be educational to say the least . There was never any serious animosity , I hasten to add, and with one notable exception we always parted as friends . The "problems " were all down to everyday assumptions and preconceived ideas . Not a question of fault or blame , just background and language . I have a distinct sense of deja vue ......... Laughing

blowin · Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:28 am Post subject:

bernie · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Tasmania

Hi all,

Just ion case anyone is travelling - there is an Australian wwoofing organisation too - http://www.wwoof.com.au/
Here it's called Willing Workers on Organic Farms and they have hosts all over Oz.

Bernie[/url]

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Welcome to the forum Bernie. Thanks for the info.

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