Myths about WWOOF held by Hosts
| WWOOF Basics |
It is not only the WWOOFers who have myths about WWOOF; there are some hosts as well who have misunderstanding of this program.
Myths about WWOOF held by Hosts:
Myth: WWOOF is an excellent way of getting cheap labor
Clarification: Most of the WWOOFers are novice at organic farming and the help that you get is inexperienced and inefficient. If you have a genuine interest in spreading a word about organic farming and interacting with new people; then only you will benefit the most from WWOOF. Some WWOOFers do have some experience in organic farming and they are also willing to work for a pay. But you should not generalize this for every WWOOFer.
Myth: I can join the WWOOF program, even if I don’t practice organic farming
Clarification: There are some hosts who do not practice organic farming and join the WWOOF program. These people think that they will get cheap labor for their farm as the WWOOFer, after coming to their farm, will have no option but to work or to leave. But beware; you can no more carry on with this. WWOOF organizations are taking strict actions against inappropriate hosts by removing them from their list. So gone are the days when you could take the WWOOFers for a ride.
Myth: I can offer WWOOFers some money and make them work for 10-12 hours a day
Clarification: Most of the WWOOFers join the WWOOF program as it gives them an opportunity to learn organic farming and enjoy the countryside at the same time. Most of them don’t want to earn money through WWOOF; they have enough opportunities in their town or city for that. Of course there are some who are willing to work on pay; however, you should confirm if the WWOOFer is interested in paid work, when the WWOOFer contacts you for the first time.
Myth: All WWOOFers are easy to work with and I can select anybody who approaches me
Clarification: Though many WWOOFers are genuinely interested in the activity, there are some who are not familiar with the WWOOF concept properly and join WWOOF without any interest in organic farming. There are others who consider it as a means of cheap travel. Hence it is very necessary to select your WWOOFers properly.
Myth: WWOOFers have good knowledge about organic farming and can teach me some good techniques
Clarification: Most of the WWOOFers are new to organic farming and have little knowledge about it. Hence most of the help that you get from WWOOFers is inexperienced. This does not mean that you don’t learn anything from WWOOFers. Sometimes a WWOOFer might have seen a particular technique which is better than yours on another farm. They may also provide quality suggestions for managing your non-farming activities.
Is WWOOFing Always a Pleasant Experience?
|
|
| Discussion Board |
|
||
| Ask a question or share your views | |||
|
||||||||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
