Want to learn about organic farming? Like to travel to new and different places? World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an international network that links volunteers with organic farms in order to share sustainable ways of living and to support the organic farming movement. WWOOF members pay a small annual fee and receive an online and hardcopy directory of participating organic farms at which they can choose to volunteer. The duration and workload agreement varies by farm but typically involves 30 hours per week in exchange for room and board. No money is exchanged between volunteer and host farm.
The goal of WWOOF is not merely to provide labor to organic farms through a work-exchange agreement. Rather, the program specifically aims to spread knowledge of organic farming and provide opportunities for people to learn a variety of skills for sustainable living. It gives city-dwellers an opportunity to experience and appreciate life on the farm and to build confidence in greater self-sufficiency. The existence of such a vast and functional network also facilitates greater communication and unity within the organic farming movement.
Started in 1971 in the UK, WWOOF was at first a weekend program called Working Weekends on Organic Farms, and then became an international movement, called Willing Working on Organic Farms before settling into its current title. WWOOF organizations in various countries and organizations operate independently and are accessible through the international homepage. These organizations currently operate in 28 countries. WWOOF USA has a directory of over 720 organic farms in all but a few U.S. states and territories. For cool articles on WWOOFers from around the world, check out WWOOF News.
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