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I am about to start traveling and working on various farms. What is a fair exchange of time and labor for housing? I have read that some farms ask for full-time labor in exchange for room and board. This seems excessive tand even exploitative to me. What do others think?
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North Carolina
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Re: Question About Working On Farms
Mon, December 1, 2008 - 11:07 PMYes, it is excessive. Most farms ask 20-30 hours per week, which seems normal, but make sure that they stick to that. Some will try to get all the work from you that they can. I went to a farm that asked for 20 before I went, and ended up demanding 40-52 hrs per week. We worked 8, sometimes 9 or 10, hours per day...free labor for a windowless, paint-less room and food if they remembered to buy it. Not worth it.
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Re: Question About Working On Farms
Sat, December 6, 2008 - 9:28 PMIt's not just exchange for room and board, it's exchange for the learning opportunity as well. I just graduated from a farm apprenticeship where I paid tuition to farm around fifty hours a week (that said, I plan to give this a go professionally and start my own farm in a few more seasons- see some of you WWOOFers there?). Likewise, WWOOF is primarily an educational experience and I expected to work a full workweek along with the farmers.
There are some other really awesome ways to travel for free- check out the couch surfing tribe, and squattheplanet.com- to boot there's plenty of farms that would be happy to have your volunteer labor one day a week, and will probably even give you produce and maybe even a place to camp to boot for helping with harvest!
i don't mean to be harsh- I think WWOOF is great, and I know that I got the most out of my experiences where I worked full time side by side with the farmers, it gave me my start in scheming to go into farming full time for myself !
cheers! -
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Re: Question About Working On Farms
Tue, June 16, 2009 - 10:32 PMI liked your post and it sounds like you have had positive experiences. I have heard friends' stories who have given great feedback and yes, I think the experience should be about learning. I have interest in organic farming myself and possibly might follow your similar route by taking some classes soon. If you have any helpful information I would appreciate it. Did you ever end up getting your own farm and had wwoofers like in your post? Also, do you have any information of any farms on Oahu. Seems like a stretch I know, people, I think would be fighting to go to such a paradise. My interest isn't about traveling or having a roof over my head or squatting. I have all that. I just need some learning experience and Oahu is a good choice because I have alternatives if it does not work out. If you would mind giving me a brief description of your experience since you decided to apprenticeship etc. I would appreciate it greatly! Good luck and Thanks
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Re: Question About Working On Farms
Fri, January 23, 2009 - 10:05 PMWell, Its a fair exchange for priceless hands-on farming education.. 4 to 7 hrs per day, 4 to 6 days per week seems about right - "Half a day" as WWOOF says. Read it all VERY VERY carefully and talk it out ahead of time. We mostly worked from 830am till 4pm with 1 1/2 hrs off for lunch or something like that. Great meals too. So, dont let em starve ya. "All the Veggies you can eat" seems fare to me in this economy, and a day off to do your own thing, but being willing workers for 5 to 6 days a week seems fair for a *FREE PLACE TO LIVE*. ya know. That's so rare. some peoples parents are charging em rent nowadays, and the world don't owe us a living, we owe the world our life...
good luck and have fun out there! its so great!
