Wwoofing stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms – it is a form of work exchange – work four hours a day in exchange for full board. Help Exchange is a similar network, but not focused solely on organic farms – see the links below for more, and read the two stories of wwoofing life in New Zealand
Its a great way to travel – staying with families, being a part of local communities, and all you need is maybe a car to get around. As a wwoof host at Waihoihoi Lodge we met the most fantastic travelling women, many of them remain our friends. They learnt about organic gardening and hosting guests, and we got some extra help. It was a win win situation. They especially loved learning to ride Freddie – the Quad bike which which used to move mulch around the property – the following was Rhian’s poem about her wwoofing stay.
Freddy the Quad Bike meets you at the door,
Rosemary and Danielle give you a tour.
The chickens in the garden are laying the eggs,
The washing of guests are hanging on pegs.
Fejoas are growing on many fruit trees,
The pathway to the house is covered with leaves.
Hilde and Luna will greet you with a friendly growl,
Fantail birds in the garden are having a prowl.
The house is welcoming and warm to guests,
The house has mouse traps as they are great pests.
Worms are lurking in the garbage bins,
The Wwoofers are putting chutney in tins.
The balcony is located on the second floor,
You can guarantee gardening is a chore.
The guest rooms all have unique names,
The dining room has a great view through huge window panes.
There’s paintings and statues dotted around the home,
Rosemary is talking to a guest through the phone.
Danielle is listening to Hildegard von Bignen,
But you can hear shes sneakily singing.
Ceri is talking to one of the guests,
Two wwoofers are playing a game of chess.
Luna is gobbling up all of her food,
Hilde is sniffing the bone she has chewed.
The garden has silver beet and plants galore,
The chickens are fighting over an apple core.
At the end of the week you will be relaxed and satisfied,
Except for when you give Freddy a ride!!!Rhian Lock,11 yrs old from Wales, UK Wwoofer Waihoihoi Lodge April 2008
More information on Wwoofing in New Zealand and around the World
- on visa issues and more Women Travel NZ
- WWoof NZ
- Wwoof International
- Help Exchange
Latest Posts on Wwoofing on Women Travel NZ
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