Comments on: 4 Questions to Ask Before WWOOFing http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:34:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Marieke http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-7662 Marieke Fri, 28 May 2010 18:46:59 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-7662 The bad place was in Italy, but myself and the other wwoofer both reported it to the country coordinator and it was taken off the list. So you don't have to fear ending up there. An awesome place was the Garn Farm in Herefordshire, England. Amazing family and gorgeous location. The bad place was in Italy, but myself and the other wwoofer both reported it to the country coordinator and it was taken off the list. So you don’t have to fear ending up there.
An awesome place was the Garn Farm in Herefordshire, England. Amazing family and gorgeous location.

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]]> By: A non http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-7558 A non Tue, 18 May 2010 03:50:05 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-7558 "If you have a laptop, you are welcome to use the connection In moderation" and "our phone is not really part of the deal" are two phrases that would cause me to run far, far away from your listing. Also, if your perception of somebody's performance influences how you feel about their use of your communications devices- presumably the only ones that a wwoofer would have access to- then that is an ugly can of worms, indeed. “If you have a laptop, you are welcome to use the connection In moderation” and “our phone is not really part of the deal” are two phrases that would cause me to run far, far away from your listing.

Also, if your perception of somebody’s performance influences how you feel about their use of your communications devices- presumably the only ones that a wwoofer would have access to- then that is an ugly can of worms, indeed.

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]]> By: A non http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-7557 A non Tue, 18 May 2010 03:40:27 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-7557 Those questions are absolutely the right ones to ask, and a great start, but so many things are impossible to know or predict before actually arriving at a site. Jobs change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, some hosts simply aren't very honest with themselves about their expectations of wwoofers, and there will inevitably be hosts that you simply don't get along with, for one reason or another. Thus, you should ALWAYS have a plan for leaving a location at any time, and not feeling bad about it. If you have a decent, straightforward reason for leaving (e.g., the particular work you are doing is boring and unrewarding), then your hosts should understand. If you don't, then that's ok, too. If you don't feel comfortable talking to your hosts about why you want to leave, then that is a clear sign that you should go. While it is important to work hard and appreciate the hospitality you receive at a site, you should never feel obligated to stay for any reason. After all, you are ultimately the one subordinating your habits and lifestyle to mesh with theirs. There are so many great hosts out there that there is no reason to waste time in an uncomfortable situation. Those questions are absolutely the right ones to ask, and a great start, but so many things are impossible to know or predict before actually arriving at a site. Jobs change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, some hosts simply aren’t very honest with themselves about their expectations of wwoofers, and there will inevitably be hosts that you simply don’t get along with, for one reason or another.

Thus, you should ALWAYS have a plan for leaving a location at any time, and not feeling bad about it. If you have a decent, straightforward reason for leaving (e.g., the particular work you are doing is boring and unrewarding), then your hosts should understand. If you don’t, then that’s ok, too. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your hosts about why you want to leave, then that is a clear sign that you should go.

While it is important to work hard and appreciate the hospitality you receive at a site, you should never feel obligated to stay for any reason. After all, you are ultimately the one subordinating your habits and lifestyle to mesh with theirs. There are so many great hosts out there that there is no reason to waste time in an uncomfortable situation.

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]]> By: Corinna http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-7166 Corinna Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:37:17 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-7166 Hey! my husband and I are checking out WWOOFing options in South Africa for June. I'd love to know more about your opportunity. Hey! my husband and I are checking out WWOOFing options in South Africa for June. I’d love to know more about your opportunity.

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]]> By: Bill Page http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-7033 Bill Page Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:25:06 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-7033 From the perspective of a small garlic farm in northern New Mexico that has hosted lots of Wwoofers for the last 10 years or so: 1. How many hours per day? I have almost always described what I am offering as a place to stay (very small one room adobe with electricity, drinking water frost free hydrant 35 feet away, outhouse) in return for three 8 hour work days per week with a $100 per week stipend. 2. What kind of work? Depends a lot on the season: For example(s) in February and early March, mostly ditch digging/cleanup on the field ditches or main acequia; April/May first weeding, lifting the mulch, raking out elk tracks, irrigating (flood and sprinklers), raking and chicken composting leaves, the first weeding, spraying fish emulsion; June weeding and irrigating; July harvesting, cleaning, sizing, hanging garlic bundles, weeding; August/September irrigating, weeding, stacking alfalfa and grass hay; October planting garlic: discing, furrowing; November putting it all to bed and cleaning up for the winter; January fence repair. 3. Mostly English but we both speak Spanish pretty well and I am fluent in French. 4. Internet use: we have airport express in the main house. If you have a laptop, you are welcome to use the connection in moderation. We do sometimes resent when a wwoofer begins serious internet use looking for the next place to go before they have learned how to use, return to their place and take care of the tools after saying that they would be here for at least a month. Especially when they begin to ask to use the phone 3-4 times a day! Our phone is not really part of the deal. Maybe that is a viewpoint you can use? From the perspective of a small garlic farm in northern New Mexico that has hosted lots of Wwoofers for the last 10 years or so:
1. How many hours per day? I have almost always described what I am offering as a place to stay (very small one room adobe with electricity, drinking water frost free hydrant 35 feet away, outhouse) in return for three 8 hour work days per week with a $100 per week stipend.
2. What kind of work? Depends a lot on the season: For example(s) in February and early March, mostly ditch digging/cleanup on the field ditches or main acequia; April/May first weeding, lifting the mulch, raking out elk tracks, irrigating (flood and sprinklers), raking and chicken composting leaves, the first weeding, spraying fish emulsion; June weeding and irrigating; July harvesting, cleaning, sizing, hanging garlic bundles, weeding; August/September irrigating, weeding, stacking alfalfa and grass hay; October planting garlic: discing, furrowing; November putting it all to bed and cleaning up for the winter; January fence repair.
3. Mostly English but we both speak Spanish pretty well and I am fluent in French.
4. Internet use: we have airport express in the main house. If you have a laptop, you are welcome to use the connection in moderation. We do sometimes resent when a wwoofer begins serious internet use looking for the next place to go before they have learned how to use, return to their place and take care of the tools after saying that they would be here for at least a month. Especially when they begin to ask to use the phone 3-4 times a day! Our phone is not really part of the deal.

Maybe that is a viewpoint you can use?

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]]> By: ilie http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-6979 ilie Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:13:24 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-6979 Verry good article for all future WWOOFer! Can you tell me in wich place you had a bad experience and don't recomend us to go. And maybe a place where you liked. Thank you. Verry good article for all future WWOOFer! Can you tell me in wich place you had a bad experience and don’t recomend us to go. And maybe a place where you liked. Thank you.

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]]> By: Kathy http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-6782 Kathy Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:22:58 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-6782 I agree with all of the above. It's really important to share your thoughts with your country Wwoof coordinator - I had a really bad experience in Puglia - basically left on my own in a very isolated place for a couple of days. I contacted the coordinator who checked it out and the place was removed from the list. I like Help X because you can read about other people's experiences and you can also leave feedback for others. I think that would improve the Wwoof experience. Having said all of that my suggestions are: remember that you are in someone else's home/space; be flexible, take advantage of the great opportunities presented. There was one place that didn't have electricity - but it was one of the best experiences, there was another place where we worked long days but I made a very good friend. So think of it as swings and roundabouts. Oh how I miss it! I agree with all of the above. It’s really important to share your thoughts with your country Wwoof coordinator – I had a really bad experience in Puglia – basically left on my own in a very isolated place for a couple of days.
I contacted the coordinator who checked it out and the place was removed from the list.

I like Help X because you can read about other people’s experiences and you can also leave feedback for others. I think that would improve the Wwoof experience.

Having said all of that my suggestions are: remember that you are in someone else’s home/space; be flexible, take advantage of the great opportunities presented.

There was one place that didn’t have electricity – but it was one of the best experiences, there was another place where we worked long days but I made a very good friend. So think of it as swings and roundabouts.

Oh how I miss it!

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]]> By: Julie Schwietert http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-6499 Julie Schwietert Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:12:25 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-6499 Jrad- Sweet- thanks for sharing your experiences and validating the advice in this article. Looking forward to checking out your photos! Jrad- Sweet- thanks for sharing your experiences and validating the advice in this article. Looking forward to checking out your photos!

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]]> By: Jrad http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-6498 Jrad Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:53:26 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-6498 The wife and I just completed a 3.5 month stint on an amazing garden farm in Maui, Haleakuagardenfarm.com and these tips are dead on. We also had NVC classes in Non-Violent Communication, extra cleaning duties, shopping trips and work related meetings to add to our schedule... so do ask questions before you go! We also started out camping in tents there and were upgraded to a room once the major rains started here, so ask if indoor accomodations are available too. Food is an issue so do make sure you can harvest from the farm or have a weekly budget for food bought in local markets. Enjoy and check out my Wwoof'ing pictures at http://www.jradimages.com Mahalo, Jared The wife and I just completed a 3.5 month stint on an amazing garden farm in Maui, Haleakuagardenfarm.com and these tips are dead on. We also had NVC classes in Non-Violent Communication, extra cleaning duties, shopping trips and work related meetings to add to our schedule… so do ask questions before you go! We also started out camping in tents there and were upgraded to a room once the major rains started here, so ask if indoor accomodations are available too.
Food is an issue so do make sure you can harvest from the farm or have a weekly budget for food bought in local markets. Enjoy and check out my Wwoof’ing pictures at http://www.jradimages.com
Mahalo,
Jared

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]]> By: bronson naude http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing/comment-page-1#comment-3921 bronson naude Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:11:05 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=813#comment-3921 all valid points! i am buzy setting up to receive wwoofers, i have an awsome spot in south africa kzn, 5min from the beach, that covers all the bases. loads to do in the area. all wwoofers welcome! we grow aloes veg, mushrooms, an loads of others. see you all soon an keep it organic! all valid points! i am buzy setting up to receive wwoofers, i have an awsome spot in south africa kzn, 5min from the beach, that covers all the bases. loads to do in the area. all wwoofers welcome! we grow aloes veg, mushrooms, an loads of others. see you all soon an keep it organic!

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