Extraordinary Health Magazine Extraordinary Health Vol 21 | Page 27

If

you’ve ever dreamed of traveling to exotic locales
in Europe, Africa or Australia and getting immersed in
the local culture, a new work exchange trend called
WWOOFING might be for you. WWOOFING, or Worldwide
Opportunities On Organic Farms, matches people who
want to learn about organic farming with hosts all over the
world who need volunteer help. Volunteers, who are called
WWOOFERS, join the organization for a small fee and get
access to a database of thousands of organic farms and
sustainable properties in more than 100 countries. For Brett
Woodward and Laurel Maxwell, the program was so appealing
that they decided to sell all of their belongings so they could
work on a farm in Italy and visit cities throughout Europe.

Brett’s main concern is financing the trip, especially
since the couple may stay abroad for a year or longer.
Although host farms provide free lodging and meals,
volunteers must pay for airfare, personal items and
incidentals. Brett’s fire sale to raise funds included
putting his townhouse on the market, selling his truck
and looking for side jobs. Concerned they might not
be able to find their favorite whole food supplements
overseas, Brett was happy when Garden of Life® and
Guayaki Brand Yerba Maté agreed to sponsor their
trip by shipping free supplements to them.
“That’s one less thing we’ll have to worry about,
and we’re thrilled that Garden of Life and Guayaki
are helping us achieve our dream,” he said. “We know
from working in health food stores that Garden of
Life, in particular, is a big supporter of Certified USDA
Organic family farms, so perhaps we’ll get a chance to
work on one of their farms one day.”
The opportunity to see some of the
major tourist attractions in Europe is
exactly why Laurel, a 21-year-old college
student and avid music lover, sold her
beloved saxophone to help finance the trip.
“I love jazz, and all of my professors have
told me about how they traveled to places
such as France and Italy,” she said. “They said
their travels really shaped their perspectives
about music and culture, so I am looking
forward to it as well as working on the organic
farms. I really enjoy gardening, and I love being
outdoors, so farm work is fine with me!”
Like other WWOOFERS, the couple will work
four-to-six hours a day at a variety of tasks
that can include sowing seed, making compost,
gardening, weeding, planting, harvesting,
cutting wood, fencing, cheese-making or
working in a vineyard. Brett, who grew up on
his family’s farm in Illinois, is anxious to put his
skills to work and learn more about organic,
sustainable farming practices.

For more information on
volunteering on organic farms,
check out the website at:
www.wwoofinternational.org.

“I’m good with construction and can build
chicken coops or anything else on a farm.” he
said. “But we’re also ready to grab a Europass,
sleep on trains and do the whole sightseeing
thing. Best of all, I’ve managed to convince my
family that I’m not crazy for just picking up and
leaving everything to do this!”

Photos Courtesy of Christopher Barr Photography