[Get Involved Tuesdays] The Wide World of WWOOFing

I lived here for free for 4 weeks

For those who don't know, WWOOF stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms. And if you don't know what it stands for, you're also missing out on a world of opportunity to learn how to milk goats.

Well, not just to milk goats. You're also missing out staying with families all over the world, taking care of their animals, plants, children, or whatever else you feel like doing, and learning about sustainability, farming, design, crafts, cooking, and secret recipes for Devonshire apple cake.

I WWOOFed my way around New Zealand for about 5 months, working four hours per day in exchange for a place to live and free meals. I stayed on the beach, near the mountains, and in the middle of nowhere and spent virtually no money.

Get involved in WWOOFing and give back to family farms who supply us with so much happiness with their wares at farmer's markets and specialty stores. It only costs about $40 to join each country's network (or join the US one because that's probably the best deal in terms of sheer volume of experiences) and that fee gets you access to all the farm resources you need.

WWOOFing tips and tricks after the break!

Some Tips from a Veteran WWOOFer on How to Maximize Your Experience

• Don't ever stay at a place that takes more than 3 WWOOFers at a time. More than 3 = bordering on factory farm hoping to get you signed up for slave labor
• Don't ever stay somewhere that does not provide all your food. 
• Do offer to cook every other night (or more). 
• Do open your mind to different types of people. I once stayed with a woman who was on a beetroot-only diet, but she lived next to an amazing surf beach and taught me how to make the best granola on earth. 
• Don't wait until the last minute to arrange your stay.
• Don't e-mail a year in advance to arrange your stay. People don't know what they're doing in a year. Two to three weeks is a good timeframe.
• Do stay with all kinds of families and people: single mothers, large families, an older couple, etc.
• Do say YES! when your hosts offer to take you places, introduce you to their friends and family, and when they teach you anything new.
• Don't feel like you have to stay in a situation that makes you uncomfortable. 
• Do enjoy yourself, learn, give back, and laugh at how messy you get.