You may not have heard of this, or only vaguely heard something about it but not known what it is, but “WWOOFing” (pronounced “woofing”) may be one of the most unique and exciting travel experiences you could possibly have. (And it’s not new, it’s been around since the seventies.)
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an international program that matches participants with organic farmer hosts around the world. In exchange for working on a farm, program participants — WWOOFers — receive free housing on the farm, meals, and the chance to learn about different cultures. But you have to work! No free lunches in this life…
Founded in 1971 in the United Kingdom, part of WWOOF’s mission, besides the obvious cultural exchanges and traveling to new places bit, is to advance the sustainability movement, and impart organic farming skills. WWOOF offers placement in over 130 countries worldwide, with options in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Approximately 12,000 hosts, varying from small family farms to collective communities, open up their farms, where activities include planting, harvesting, composting, caring for animals, and assisting with eco-construction work.
I mean, let’s be honest, it’s free labor for the farms, and a very authentic experience for you, if any of that is your cup of tea.
European countries are popular destinations and have the longest WWOOF history. New Zealand and Hawaii are also common destinations. WWOOFers can access obscure farms through WWOOF Independents, an organization that manages host sites in countries with too few farms to have their own WWOOF group. You can find destinations near major cities like Paris or Buenos Aires, or farms in more remote places, such as Norway or Mauritius.
One of the most obscure destinations in the program is Malenge Island, a Togian Island off the coast of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The island covers less than ten square miles. There is also a horse ranch in remote northern Iceland, where the work strays from farmwork and instead consists of riding and caring for 13 horses. You can even visit the unique destination of the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan and teach local women in the village how to garden and care for animals.
WWOOFers determine the length of their stays with their hosts. Some hosts, but not all, require a minimum length of stay that can range from one week to a full growing season.
All types of people can be WWOOFers. They can be 18 to 80+ years old, new to farms or experienced farmers looking to explore agriculture in other places.
Part of the appeal is that participants stay somewhere exotic inexpensively, as they don’t spend on accommodations or food, although they do literally work for their supper. But mostly it has to be the uniqueness of the experience, something they would most probably never do otherwise, and the camaraderie.
Jenna Pollard, the membership program manager at WWOOF-USA, told me: “You pay for your flight and your in-country travel, but at a host farm your meals and accommodations are taken care of. This makes it possible to stay in a country longer.”
Accommodations may be private or shared, depending on the farm. WWOOFers can find themselves sleeping in traditional bedrooms, RVs, campsites, yurts, or cabins. They can request omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan meals, and even specify a farm operated by women, veterans, BIPOC, or members of the LGTBQ+ community. For meals, WWOOFers have the option to eat local cuisine family-style with their host or spend their own money on food from outside. The dining experience is usually in the style of the area’s culture.
Jenna has visited host farms in Denmark, Thailand, New Zealand, Cambodia, and Canada. Her international WWOOFing work ranged from building with bamboo and clay, tasting apples on an apple cider farm, and being involved in a permaculture community. She said most farms require WWOOFers to put in five half days of work per week, though schedules vary on each farm based on activities and weather. When not working, WWOOFers have plenty of time to explore their surroundings.
Laura Gerber is a 22-year-old WWOOFer from South Bend, Indiana, currently stationed on a regenerative fruit and flower farm in Dundee, Michigan —she didn’t stray too far from home.
“WWOOF has given me a better appreciation of the Midwest,” she says. “I learned it has tight-knit rural communities made up of young, progressive people, which I didn’t expect in such strong pockets.”
“Many of the connections members make through the program result in lifelong friendships,” Jenna says. “I’m still friends with many of the WWOOFers I met along the way.”
“It’s so intimate,” says Laura. “I’m constantly around my host and the other people in the program, because we’re working and living together. It’s a relationship I don’t even have with my parents.”
According to Pollard, people learn new skills, become more comfortable outdoors, make friends, and discover more about themselves through their experience.
It’s up to you to secure the correct visa independently. Most countries have strict labor and immigration laws that require a specific visa, so it’s important that WWOOFers do their research.
WWOOF also requires proper insurance, such as travel medical insurance. In the US, WWOOFers have the option to buy travel insurance when they register. Some groups automatically include you in their insurance policy when you join. WWOOF Italia, WWOOF Portugal, WWOOF Spain, and WWOOF USA enroll WWOOFers in liability insurance, personal accident insurance, or both. Some farms may request proof of insurance upon arrival.
WWOOF does not require vaccinations, but individual host farms may have their own requirements, displayed openly on their profile.
Might WWOOF be the next study abroad experience for college students? It just might be.
“We will probably see the development of a WWOOF app for smartphone users, and the possibility of a multi-country or global membership,” Jenna predicts, and adds that the Future Farmer Program, which awards grants to fund WWOOFers’ one-month visits in the USA, is in its fourth year and is doubling the number of participants next summer.
To learn more about WWOOF, visit https://wwoof.net/.