• WWOOFing is a program which matches volunteers with host farms who provide room and board in exchange for work.• The program is an excellent way to travel the world on a budget while learning about sustainability and exploring alternative lifestyles.• Anyone over 18 years of age can apply without prior experience.• Sign-up includes a membership fee for each country you plan to visit.• WWOOF Canada is a great way to see the nation by hopping from farm to farm.
WWOOFing, short for “Willing Workers on Organic Farms”, has been around for decades. But its popularity has spiked in recent years as an inexpensive way to travel the world while exploring an alternative lifestyle.
The basic premise of the program is that you have the opportunity to trade your time and labour while travelling for meals and a free place to stay. Money is not involved on a day-to-day basis.
Since you are on vacation, you can arrange to work some days and take others for sightseeing. Between your fellow WWOOFers and your host, you will meet all kinds of remarkable people who you otherwise would have never come into contact with.
About WWOOF
The organization itself is a loose group of organic farms all over the world who need farm hands and are willing to teach anyone who wants to learn. Woofers generally stay on each farm for about a month, but the organization is fluid and flexible.
Each host has different expectations, and each woofer can tailor the experience to his or her own needs. Hosts generally give their woofers 4 to 6 hours of work per day for 5 to 5½ days per week. Some people prefer to work longer days and have more days off, which can be arranged in some cases.
Who Can Become a WWOOFer?
Wwoofing is for the free-spirited, the curious, the adventurous, or those who don’t mind working for a place to stay on vacation. Wwoofing is a particularly good option as a gap year activity for recent high school or college graduates. The program accepts just about anyone over the age of 18. You do not need any prior experience to start.
How to Sign Up
To sign up, go to the website and browse the participating countries. For each country that you want to wwoof in, you will need to apply to that country’s program and pay a membership fee before you can see a list of that country’s host farms.
The fee for most countries is in the ballpark of $30-50 CAD. Once you are a member, make sure to pay attention to the individual host farm descriptions when making your choice. You can then compare prices with Skyscanner to find the cheapest way to reach your chosen farm!
Don’t be afraid to ask the host for details about day-to-day life on the farm. The experience you will have largely depends on the farm you choose because there is a wide range of options. Most woofers find that the majority of hosts are excellent. And once you’ve reached a farm, you are always free to leave and move on to another.
WWOOFing in Canada
The fee for WWOOF Canada is $50 CAD for a single membership and $65 CAD for a joint membership. Each membership plan lasts for two years. The minimum age for members is 19 years. Canada is one of the oldest members of the WWOOFing program, and it is one of the best choices for WWOOFers. The country has over 900 host farms, most of which need extra help during the summer. With minimal planning, you can easily travel all across Canada. Most farms will accept new volunteers on a week’s notice.
