What could be better than getting back to nature by helping community farmers? With WWOOF USA you can help out in your city or plan a trip as a WWOOFer this summer. You’ll enjoy the healing power of nature as a form of ecotherapy as you help others and get your hands dirty tending to plants or livestock.
WWOOF — Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms — connects organic farmers with people who want to learn more about ecological farming. WWOOF’s host farmers educate guests about organic farming and gardening, rural living, and sustainability.
Ecotherapy
Ecotherapy has no specific definition, but the idea is that outdoor activities help you feel better, both physically and spiritually. Structured activities connected to the great outdoors are usually led by therapists or trained professionals but they can be everyday people with special leadership skills. Ecotherapy occurs in a “green” environment where one can explore nature and either work alone or connect with other people.
Forms of Ecotherapy
Some kinds of ecotherapy focus on farming or gardening. But there are countless other forms –– farm animal care, arts and crafts, physical adventures (caving, rock climbing, rafting, etc.), horticulture, and environmental conservation, to name a few.
Health and Nature
Time in nature improves mental health and brain function. The American Psychological Association says green space, open waters, fresh air, and being nurtured by nature reduce stress, unclog our brains, and improve emotional well-being.
Organic Farming and Gardening
Food grown and processed without chemical fertilizers and pesticides are considered organic. For example, organic pesticides like neem oil and vinegar-based weed killers are used to protect fruits and vegetables from leaf-chewing bugs. Plants that repel mosquitoes have scented oils that are unpleasant to the little buggers. WWOOF hosts help their guests learn about organic and sustainable farming and gardening.
WWOOF is …
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms is a learning experience for folks to do a few hours of farm work each day — not for money, but in exchange for room, board, and the chance to be close to nature. WWOOF hosts teach about farming methods and the projects they’re working on. Participants will get their hands dirty, learn how to work the land in a sustainable but practical way, how to use organic methods, and why it matters to preserve the earth’s ecological biodiversity.
WWOOF as a Form of Ecotherapy
The healing power of nature is magical. Feeling the soil slip through your fingers, planting seeds, digging up intrusive weeds, and coaxing life from the earth is a satisfying endeavor. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms is an organization that helps to bring out the healing power of nature by offering fresh air, soft dirt, bright sunshine, and a positive outcome.
WWOOFer Basics
What to expect from WWOOF?
- Lodging depends on the farm itself. You maybe in a private room, camp tent or yurt, guest cabin, or sleeping in a barn setup. Wherever you sleep, it should be clean and safe.
- WWOOF hosts provide food for 3 meals a day, whether they’re shared, or you cook the food yourself. Discuss special dietary needs before coming to visit.
WWOOF Connections
WWOOF connections are simple. Those interested in communing with nature and learning farming skills can join the WWOOF community to learn what opportunities are in their area, throughout the United States, or in other parts of the world.
WWOOF host farmers and others who have rural spreads can trade knowledge, lodging, and food for help on their agricultural projects.
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms lets you feel eco-therapeutic healing power while using your hands and digging through the clean, green earth. Discover WWOOF’s unique learning program and let Mother Nature surround you.
Teri Silver is a journalist and outdoor enthusiast. She and her husband live on 5 acres with a vast lawn, three gardens, a farm, a pond, many trees, and a lot of yard work! The best parts of the year are summer and fall when home-grown veggies are on the dinner table.
