Have you ever wwooft?
No, it's not about dogs.
Getting to know the country and its people while working on an organic farm in exchange for board and lodging - that's wwoofen in a nutshell. The idea of London secretary Sue Coppard gave rise to a worldwide movement. Australia, Japan, Nepal - wwoofing can be found in more than 130 countries on over 12,000 farms worldwide.
There are more than 550 farms in Germany and over 300 in Austria in the wwoof network. The helpers work on a voluntary basis, from one day to several weeks or even months - depending on the needs of the farm and the wishes of the helpers.
Who is wwoofen suitable for?
There is no age limit for wwoofing. Whether as a sabbatical from your job or studies or straight after finishing school, wwoofing is a great way to do something practical, gain experience abroad and get to know the job description of a farmer better. Wwoofing allows you to move from farm to farm and try out lots of different things. No special knowledge is required, but you should be open to new things and enjoy physical work.
Open to new ideas
More important than physical fitness are communication skills, says Patrick Tuppel, CEO of WWOOF Germany: "I think it's very important to be interested in meeting new people and getting involved in a completely different everyday life. This includes being open, not only to people, but also to tasks that you never thought you would do. In my case, that was milking goats by hand.
What to consider
Volunteers are not insured through WWOOF Germany. Some insurance companies have basic health, accident and liability cover for stays on WWOOF farms.
Patrick Truppel, WWOOF Germany, advises: "Before setting off, adventurers should think about what they expect from their stay and why they want to go to a particular farm. Ideally, they should tell the farm people straight away."
Wwoofen is unconditionally voluntary and there is no employment contract. It is best to discuss important questions and expectations with the farmers in advance so that the stay is fruitful for both sides.
Two villages away, there is an organic farm that hosted wwoofers for the first time this year. The farmer was delighted with the Wwoofer's willingness to work and enjoyed the enrichment of the farm through new people, their life stories and attitudes. In the best-case scenario like this, a real WIN-WIN situation for everyone involved!
Our conclusion: WWoofen offers people of all ages the chance to immerse themselves in a different way of life. Instead of "consuming" a country like normal tourists, you can make real contacts, get to know ways of life and experience a country in a completely new way. For the farms, this offers the opportunity to have additional helpers at their disposal without paying wages and also to maintain a lively exchange with people from all over the world.
Left:
Germany https://wwoof.de
Austria https://www.wwoof.at/
Global network https://wwoof.net/
