I am really excited to tell you about WWOOF - Willing Workers on Organic Farms. Before coming to Australia, I decided I really wanted to experience and learn a lot about an industry completely different from speech therapy. Pam and I looked up some information on WWOOF and decided it is the perfect organization for us to be a part of so we could learn about an area of interest we both are passionate about - FOOD.
I love all kinds of food, cooking new dishes, and learning how to help preserve the environment and can't wait to learn more about the farming principles here. There are farms all over the country focusing on organic principles, biodynamics, and permaculture.
What is biodynamics? Wikipedia tells me biodynamics is a form of organic farming that emphasizes the use of composts and excludes the use of artificial chemicals on soil and plants.
Permaculture is a branch of ecological engineering which develops sustainable human settlements and self-maintained agriculture systems modeled from natural ecosystems.
So, we would be helping people on their personal farms in exchange for meals and accommodations. When you register for WWOOF, you get a book filled with hundreds of people looking for help weeding, gardening, planting, harvesting, and doing odds and ends jobs around their homes, bed 'n breakfasts, and even some yoga resorts. You can stay for a week or 2, maybe longer if it is a good fit in beautiful locations all around Australia. There is some labor involved (the say you need to have an average fitness level - perfect :)) and you are expected to work for 4- 6 hours a day. It seems like such an amazing way to learn about the Australian culture and about how our food gets to the table! After glancing at our WWOOF book, some types of farms that caught my eye in Queensland include strawberry, citrus fruit, olive, and garlic. We're hoping to start in a week or so after our time in Byron Bay! Check it out http://www.wwoof.com.au/.
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