Always remember that
you are staying in someone else's home - help with household
chores and cooking is always appreciated and is often a very
sociable part of the day.This is by no means a "how to WWOOF" guide as such a thing would be impossible - so much depends on the individuals and circumstances - just a few basic and essentially commonsense tips to get you started.
Always remember that
you are staying in someone else's home - help with household
chores and cooking is always appreciated and is often a very
sociable part of the day.
If you're not going solo, choose
your WWOOFing companion/s with care! You should have a similar
work ethic and discomfort tolerances - always make your
relationship clear to your WWOOF hosts before you arrive. Never
WWOOF with someone who isn't as enthusiastic about it as yourself
as this can be unfair to you and your hosts.
ASK before you arrive about
anything that concerns you
- the hours/ physical requirements of the work
- accommodation and facilities
- dietary requirements: let hosts know if you are veggie/vegan and bear in mind that dairy products may be unpasteurised (but v. tasty!)
Be prepared for several hours of
tedious and often lonely work - the novelty value of weeding the
tatties or bashing bracken soon wears off but take the
opportunity to "switch off" and enjoy the satisfaction
of a job well done.
If you think you'd like to WWOOF
for a longer period at one farm think about suggesting an initial
stay of one to two weeks with a possibility of extension. This
gives both you and the hosts a get-out clause if necessary.
Check out the WWOOFing week with
each host as time off varies and it is important to make sure you
get to explore and relax as well as working. Also...just because
you've had a day off doesn't mean you can't do the washing up!
Be flexible - farming is
unpredictable and you'll often end up doing unexpected tasks...
Ask questions, make suggestions
(tactfully!), learn and enjoy!