What's a WWOOFer?
| Auteur | Gilbert, Alorie |
| Fonction | NEWS FEATURE |
WWOOF stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and a WWOOFer is someone who works for four to six hours a day on a 'host' farm in exchange for accommodation and meals.
The concept began 35 years ago on an organic farm in Sussex, England, where a London woman by the name of Sue Coppard and three friends spent a weekend as volunteer farmhands. The idea was, and still is, to engage the public in the organic movement through enriching, personal experiences while providing cash-strapped organic farmers with a few extra helping hands.
Since its inception, the organisation has expanded into more than 70 countries and enlisted tens of thousands of volunteers on thousands of farms. The bottom line? In a world where more and more of us live in big cities, it seems we crave a connection to nature. WWOOF representative Craig Priestley elaborates on the trend.
Alorie Gilbert, Swiss News: Why do you think WWOOFing has caught on like it has over the past 35 years?
Craig Priestley: Sue Coppard, the founder, really seems to have tapped into a need people have to get out of the city and participate in the life of the countryside. Also, with the growth of international travel, WWOOF has become an interesting way to travel because you actually meet people in the country you go to. It gives you a way into the local culture and the life of the area you visit.
Is the movement still growing?
The number of host farms is increasing. WWOOF New Zealand, for instance, just passed the 1,000 host-farm mark. The number of WWOOFers signed up with WWOOF Independents (a branch with farms in about 50 countries) grows by about nine to ten per cent every year. There are new national WWOOF organisations starting all the time. We expect Costa Rice, Portugal, Spain and France will soon have their own national groups.
How can a WWOOFer get the most out of his or her experience?
As a WWOOFer myself, I find it important not to have a lot of expectations. You read...
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