Post #6- WWOOF

                This summer, I was planning on studying abroad in New Zealand.  The program places an emphasis on sustainability and eco-tourism.  Due to the recent earthquake in Christchurch, the program has been moved to North Queensland, Australia.  I am still determined to travel to New Zealand, and to make that happen, I am planning on participating in WWOOF.

                WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.  WWOOF is a work exchange.  Volunteers can choose a farm practically anywhere in the world, and in exchange for working on the farm, the hosts provide food and accommodation.  WWOOFers usually work about 4 hours a day and can stay for a few days, or a few months.  Volunteering on a farm is a great way for people to learn about sustainable lifestyles and organic food production, as well as a way to travel to places for a cheap price.

WWOOF originally stood for Working Weekends on Organic Farms.  It began in England in 1971 with a woman named Sue Coppard.  She wanted to provide city people with opportunities in the country while supporting the organic movement.  People would go to Emerson College in Sussex for trial working weekends.  Eventually people started volunteering for longer periods of time, leading to the modern WWOOF organization.

One can WWOOF in practically any country (there are WWOOF hosts in 99 countries around the world).  To decide where you want to WWOOF, go to wwoof.org, and click on the region of the world you are interested in.  After you click on the region you are interested in, all the available countries to WWOOF in are listed.  Once you decide what country you want to visit, you can search a database of WWOOF hosts.  In the database, many hosts describe what kind of work you can participate in on their farms, and they provide pictures of their houses and farms.  You can also read reviews of the hosts to see what others have to say about their experience.

                If you’re looking for something to do over the summer, or a way to learn more about organic food production, then a WWOOF trip could be a perfect opportunity for you!