What is WWOOFing and why are you doing it?

WWOOF is pronounced “woof” like the sound a dog makes. Not like the ancestor of the dog - “wolf,” like one of us can't seem to break the habit of saying.

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an independent, global network that connects organic farmers and people interested in learning about the trade and lifestyle through hands-on experience. The organization is self-regulated. Both farmers and workers (usually referred to as “woofers”) agree to certain principles as guidelines for their conduct as hosts and volunteers.

Like most things nowadays, the network primarily functions online. After paying a nominal membership fee, a woofer gains access to the network and contacts a host farm to inquire about the work and conditions. The interview process is determined by the farmer and if farmer/wwoofer decided they are a good match, arrangements are made for the woofers to come work on the farm. woofers stay on a farm for at least a month, but it seems that the average stay is 2-3 months. WWOOF operates all over the world, but it seems to have taken off more in English speaking countries than elsewhere.

Each woofer is issued a number so farms can check their work history. There are extensive message boards where woofers dish on various farms and farm scenes. This seems to work pretty well to keep everybody honest, though there have been reports of isolated cases of exploitation.

Hawai'i has a very active WWOOFing scene. It is a popular destination for volunteers and the organic farming culture is growing steadily for several reasons. Despite having loads of sun and wind, Hawai'i imports over 90% of their energy in the form of foreign oil. HI has a history as a commercial agriculture producer largely focused on the export of pineapples and sugarcane rather than sustenance. As the population of HI grown in recent decades, it has become more dependent on imported food. This makes for very high prices (8 bucks for a gallon of milk!) and very poor food security. While people all over the world are increasing interested in sustainability and local organic farming, its becoming a necessity for the people of Hawai'i. It's a topic that comes up here regularly in the papers and in casual conversation, especially in the wake of the recent oil spill.

We, as individuals and as a couple, are very concerned with these issues. We constructed our lives in MI to have a low-carbon footprint – we didn't own cars or drive very often, bought organic and local food with little or no packaging, consumed as little as possible and repurposed whenever we could. We wanted to come to a place where we could live and do some serious agricultural learning on a scale beyond what our small plots in community gardens taught us.

There seems to be growing awareness and social interest in these concerns. Farmers markets are up over the nation, many of our friends work on or with CSAs, and urban chicken movements are cropping up all over the place, even in our hometown of Ypsilanti.

There were personal reasons as well. Our lives were in a period of transition and we were dissatisfied with office work. We were also coming to HI for an important family gathering, so we figured we'd find a way to stay for a while, and make the plane trip worth the effort and energy. So, here we are, WWOOFing in Honaunau, Hawai'i!