Sunday, January 13, 2013

WWOOFing 101 - The Good, The Bad, and The Weird


Hello Friends!

It's been a few months since my last update, I apologize for that. Things have been a little hectic and I've been waiting for the dust to settle. At the end of October we left Bebo's Kona Coffee farm and moved up the road a few miles. We're nicely settled in at the Sanctuary of Mana Ke'a Gardens and life is sweet.

WWOOFing has been a learning experience, to say the least. There's something primal and satisfying about building a fire pit and frying up some eggs and sourdough pan bread for breakfast. The work we do is varied and not overly taxing. Both Tony and I are showing signs of increased strength and muscle tone. I haven't looked in a mirror in over two months, but my shadow is appearing less doughy as the days go by.

A few folks have asked me to describe the experience, even point them in the right direction so they can get involved as well. This makes me tremendously happy, because that's the whole point of my keeping this blog and providing updates. Not everything is sunshine and candy canes, however, so before you dive in and volunteer to help a stranger for several months out of your life, be sure to consider these valuable points.

The Good
  • The Scenery is Amazing! Okay, so it's Hawaii, gonna be hard pressed to find a truly ugly spot. I keep promising pictures.  It's going to happen soon, as in the next few days type of soon.
  • The Weather is Awesome! - Every day has been spring-like and beautiful. Even when it rains it's pleasant.  I have yet to experience what I would consider a truly crappy day.  Check out this video I made for my mom as proof (filmed at Bebo's).
  • Aloha is Everywhere! - I have met some truly amazing and resourceful people here in Hawaii, people that have inspired me in ways I can't even begin to describe.  Somehow I've become quite a social butterfly.  My friends back home would be surprised to hear that I often trek down the hill to visit neighbors and attend potlucks.
  • Beauty Abounds! -  Seriously, wherever I look there's some gorgeous tropical flower growing on some lush green thing that just makes me wish I had a camera handy. I'm surrounded by so much green goodness it's hard to believe I'm normally bedridden with debilitating asthma around this time of year.
  • Growing food is fun! - I get a special thrill watching little sproutlings grow into tasty edibles. Besides, walking up to an orange tree, plucking a fruit and eating it while it's still warm from the sun is magical in its own right.
  • There is Always Something to Do!  Hawaii is so picturesque, and hitchhiking is acceptable so even folks who walk everywhere are mobile. When you have time off, you should certainly take advantage of the hiking, sunshine and local color. There's always some sort of community event taking place and admission is almost always free. If you can get there, you should make a point of going.
  • Food Falls From Trees – Avocado, citrus fruits, passion fruits, guavas, bananas, you name it. It falls from the trees. It is very difficult to go hungry in Hawaii.


The Bad
  • Not All Hosts Are Created Equal – We were asked to leave Bebo's place rather suddenly, and though we did not depart on bad terms, we were certainly thankful to leave before things had a chance to get any more uncomfortable. When researching farms, do take the time to develop a relationship with your potential host first.
  • Free Time, Ha! - In addition to any agreed upon work hours per day, expect to be asked to take part in additional chores around the farm. This may range from babysitting pets, and organizing garages, to building your own dwelling and tending your own personal garden bed. Failure to take part in self-motivated additional chores beyond the scope of work trade often results in a surly host who will be happy to hint at your perceived laziness.
  • There's Always Something to Do! The work is never-ending, and no matter how much you may accomplish during your work/trade hours, your host will always have a running list of all the work yet to be done.
  • Food Falls From Trees – Make sure well in advance that you have permission to eat the excess produce growing at your host farm. Much of what's growing is slated for the market and though you're surrounded by delicious fruits and veggies it may not be meant for you. Come prepared to purchase your own food and you can't go wrong. This can get expensive though, you're not on the mainland anymore!
  • Not Everyone Shares the Aloha Spirit - I really haven't met anyone that has rubbed me the wrong way.  Okay, except maybe Bebo, and I had even been warned of what to expect. Long before we ever arrived on the Big Island we found a very candid blog kept by one of Bebo's first WWOOFers.  I'm grateful to have been made aware of his version of BS early, I just hadn't expected it to be so pronounced and so persistent.

The Weird
  • Volunteers are from Venus, Hosts are from Mars – Expect a lot of “do as I say, not as I do” from your host farmer. Many of these folks are very busy with other matters and the farmers that actually spend time in their fields are few and far between. Yes, you will learn a great deal about tending to the land and some gardening techniques, but you must actively seek this information on your own, no farmer is going to magically fill in the blanks for you. If you're expecting your host farmer to be right out there beside you toiling in the fields, don't hold your breath.
  • Mold Grows Everywhere! - Come equipped with a spray bottle filled with vinegar and be prepared to spray down your bedding frequently. The humidity in the air creates an environment ripe for mold and mildew. I've taken to storing everything in plastic bags and plastic bins, this includes food and garments. I sometimes even store my camera in a bag of rice to reduce excess moisture that would otherwise kill my electronics.
  • Grow Your Own, At Your Own Risk - Many hosts will encourage you to start your own garden, the average work/stay arrangement lasts about two months, pretty much anything other than lettuce takes three months to grow to harvest, even lettuce takes 45 days.  You do the math. 


With all this being said, would I trade it all in and go back to my corporate gig? Eff no! I love this non-normal lifestyle. I earn enough to get by doing freelance projects on the side, and I'm making some amazing friends. Plus I feel myself growing stronger and healthier by the day. The bottom line is, WWOOFing is all about find a balance between between work and play. No, it's not a vacation, but it's certainly not a soul-crushing grind by any stretch.    

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