“I want to volunteer at a WWOOF farm during the holidays,” I once told a friend.
“A wolf farm ?!” came the incredulous reply. Despite its popularity in recent years, WWOOF is still far from a household name. The acronym stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and it allows travelers to experience life – and a lot of hard work – on a farm in one of hundreds of participating countries around the world. Volunteers exchange physical labor, usually five to six hours a day, five to six days a week, for meals and accommodation at their host farm, as well as practical education in farm life.
In their spare time, volunteers can explore their immediate surroundings (often remote rural areas), visit nearby towns and cities, or any other free-time activities in and around their host farm (as long as it doesn’t clash with the style of life and wishes of the hosts). Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and assist their hosts for the prescribed number of hours. In addition to these basic facts, it is difficult to summarize a WWOOF experience: each location, host farm, and a combination of personalities will produce a dramatically different experience.
How to connect with WWOOF host farms in the Netherlands
Some countries have their own national WWOOF organizations, but the Netherlands, with just 30 host farms, belongs to WWOOF Independents, a network of farms in 41 countries that lack a national organization. Prospective WWOOFers in the Netherlands can preview the host farm list on the WWOOF Independents website, but must become members (at a cost of £ 15 / $ 23 a year for individuals, £ 25 / $ 38 for couples) to access the farms’ contact details and submit inquiries. Not all farms accept volunteers year-round (winter is understandably a slow season for WWOOF activity); Also, farms have limited space and don’t always have vacancies, especially in the summer or on short notice.
Therefore, it is essential to contact potential hosts well in advance and not wait for the farm of your choice to have a vacancy; sometimes multiple farms need to be contacted before a WWOOFer can find a match.
Where WWOOF in the Netherlands
WWOOF farms are all over the Netherlands, mainly in the less densely populated areas outside of Randstad: the north, east and south have their share of farms, each of which has its own specialization, be it certain crops or animals, or other occupations. (Learn about the different characteristics of each of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands). Similarly, accommodations differ between farms, from a conventional dormitory to a caravan or tent; Whether the accommodations are shared or private also depends on the host.
These details are usually listed in the short description that each farm writes for itself on their WWOOF Independent profile, which potential WWOOFers are advised to double-check before submitting an inquiry.
