Anyone participate in WWOOF? (college, organic, living)

[friendlyfire2012]

Hi there. Today I joined WWOOF and curious if anyone else uses the program. It sounds great and I'm hoping to find a farm in CA by February. Though after checking out the forums, it's may be a while finding a place being California has high demand. I'm also considering applying for internships/apprenticeships though my resume isn't impressive. Also want to learn the basics first along with the option of traveling elsewhere so I'm starting with wwoof.

I'm just curious of other's experiences living on a farm.

Did you enjoy it? Learn skills/valuable information living a sustainability life? Did you feel isolated? Meet genuine people? How long did the process take? Any helpful tips?

Cheers

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Senno]

Originally Posted by friendlyfire2012

Hi there. Today I joined WWOOF and curious if anyone else uses the program. It sounds great and I'm hoping to find a farm in CA by February. Though after checking out the forums, it's may be a while finding a place being California has high demand. I'm also considering applying for internships/apprenticeships though my resume isn't impressive. Also want to learn the basics first along with the option of traveling elsewhere so I'm starting with wwoof.

I'm just curious of other's experiences living on a farm.

Did you enjoy it? Learn skills/valuable information living a sustainability life? Did you feel isolated? Meet genuine people? How long did the process take? Any helpful tips?

Cheers

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Well, my dads experience farming and baling hay convinced him he wanted to go to college.

If you want to farm go for it I say.

[.highnlite]

I know a fellow locally who had an organic farm and hosted interns and WWOOF, he went out of business. If your desire is to farm, go to Cal Poly, learn ag science. Remember that what you want to grow has little to do with farming. What the market wants, and when it wants it is, is what is important.

A minor factoid, last time I checked, if all farms in our country switched to organic, we would produce about 10% of the food we produce today.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

I know a fellow locally who had an organic farm and hosted interns and WWOOF, he went out of business. If your desire is to farm, go to Cal Poly, learn ag science. Remember that what you want to grow has little to do with farming. What the market wants, and when it wants it is, is what is important.

A minor factoid, last time I checked, if all farms in our country switched to organic, we would produce about 10% of the food we produce today.

Interesting stat. That seems awfully low. Either way, perhaps that's a good thing. (Here come the tomatoes.)

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

A minor factoid, last time I checked, if all farms in our country switched to organic, we would produce about 10% of the food we produce today.

But that 10% would be awfully good. Maybe we would have to move the monocrop junkies to Canada.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

But that 10% would be awfully good. Maybe we would have to move the monocrop junkies to Canada.

Crops are grown where they are grown because of the climate, as climate change continues we may be growing oranges in Alberta. In the meantime, "monocrop junkies" is an easy to say, but if you eat anything grown you are in large part eating monocrop products.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by friendlyfire2012

Hi there. Today I joined WWOOF and curious if anyone else uses the program. It sounds great and I'm hoping to find a farm in CA by February. Though after checking out the forums, it's may be a while finding a place being California has high demand. I'm also considering applying for internships/apprenticeships though my resume isn't impressive. Also want to learn the basics first along with the option of traveling elsewhere so I'm starting with wwoof.

I'm just curious of other's experiences living on a farm.

Did you enjoy it? Learn skills/valuable information living a sustainability life? Did you feel isolated? Meet genuine people? How long did the process take? Any helpful tips?

Cheers

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

I'd highly recommend WWOOFing based on my son's experience for a year in the program in New Zealand. He is not a college grad but is streetsmart. He had a great time, worked hard, and learned many skills. He did everything to planting and harvesting to building a small barn, etc. He met many great host families. You can see wwoofers' blogs on the WWOOFing website.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

In the meantime, "monocrop junkies" is an easy to say, but if you eat anything grown you are in large part eating monocrop products.

Maybe, but not from my garden, nor those that the participants in our day programs are growing. More people should.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Maybe, but not from my garden, nor those that the participants in our day programs are growing. More people should.

Yes they should, and everyone should live on 5 acres and be self sufficient as Jefferson promoted, but, that is not workable in the America of today.

[alexxiz]

Ah the myth "organic food can't feed us".... it's a good one. If you do your research you'll see how false that it.