Came across a website for World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOF, it seems to be a great resource for information on work exchange programs for people looking to learn more about Organic Farming.
For a small membership fee (WWOOFUSA.org) you get access to list of farms "Hosting" internships or work-exchange programs. Either way most programs offer "Hands-on" Education and Room & Board in exchange for your time and labor.
I have just started previewing their list of farms, but already have found a wide range of farms looking for help. Some "farms" are people just starting out and others are large, multi-generation, family owned businesses.
The website claims to have over 1200 farms listed in their directory and from what I have seen so far, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of farms in most states. Like most of the people on WWOOFUSA.org, and WWOOF.org, I too believe in hands-on learning and in this case you really do get to roll up your selves and get your hands dirty!
The Host Farms ask for help for lengths of time from a couple of days to many months. Most seem to ask for at least one week to a couple of months. It seems pretty common for the host farms to ask for a trial period of one week and then extend the stay after a review.
The amount of hours you are asked to work seems to very as much as the type of farms that are available. The "average" I see is around 30 - 40 hours per week in exchange for food and a room. Some farms offer hours as little as 20 hours per week, while others ask for as much as 100 hours per week during harvest time, then reward you with only 20 hours per week afterwards.
All "Room & Boards" are not created equal!!! So far I have seen a range from "bring your own tent and use our outhouse & solar shower" to a private room and bath in a house. The same seems to go for food / diet needs. Some "Host" farms offer full meals, 3 times a day, with meat included, while others offer "what's out in the garden", or the type of diet the "Host" is use to. Some offer Veggi or Vegan diets, so WWOOF'ers beware!
Some of the main questions I would ask, are;
How many hours per week am I expected to work?
What kind of accommodations are available?
What kind of diet can I expect?
If the Host family are Veggi's or Vegans, will they provide or have a problem with meat being cooked/eaten in the house?
What religion does the Host family practice and what is expected of me?
These are just some of the questions that came to mind while previewing some of the Bio's of the Host Farms. Each person is different and so is the Host Farm, but either way it would be wise to ask as many questions before you go, instead of going and being let down or letting down the host farm.
Remember, on average, each Farm only "host" one or two people at a time, so by not asking questions you might be setting yourself up to have a bad experience, while taking a chance away from someone else to have a good experience.
Happy WWOOF'ing!
