North America
Humble Hill Farm is one of approximately 13,000 organic farms in the U.S. It is located in the scenic hills of the Finger Lakes in New York. The 170-acre farm grows clean, untreated fruits, vegetable, herbs and flowers taking the Northeastern Organic Farming Association Farmer Pledge commitment to upholding the strong standards of organic farming. The vision of the farm is simple: strive to grow high quality flavorful foods that nourish the body, mind and spirit. Humble Hill Farm recently opened an onsite lodge providing visitors the opportunity to stay on the farm and volunteer in the gardens. Rates begin at $85 per night with the availability of renting the entire house for $300/night. To book, travelers can call 607-589-6149.
Japan
Those interested in an agritourism experience in Japan are encouraged to visit Wwoofjapan and search for a family who suits your circumstances then contact them directly. The Japanese wwoof organizers liken finding an organic farm family to becoming pen pals. They’re catch phrase translated from Japanese is ‘friends just like family’. Your family will mirror the daily activities of the host family at no cost other than a nominal membership fee to the wwoofjapan organization. There are hundreds of hosts all over Japan representing a rich diversity of experiences and adventures, including organic farming, health and healing centers, pottery and arts, building and restoring traditional homesteads, organic restaurants, martial arts, dealing with animals, Japanese tea houses, pensions in ski fields area, eco villages, brewing and production of foods, fishing, bee keeping, nature guide centre, centers for the environment, sea kayaking, and more. Wwoofjapan organizers are a friendly bunch who encourage you to join their group even if you don’t want to wwoof but simply would like to network with people in Japan. To see what wwoofing in Japan looks like check out their most recent YouTube video.
Australia
Visitors have been wwoofing in Australia for the past 31 years. Another welcoming group are the staff of six at Wwoof Australia. They maintain a directory of over 2,500 host farms and properties all over the country for you and your family to explore. Check out the links page to see the hosts you may want to visit and contact them directly. Or if you would prefer the people at wwoof Australia will place a notice on their Host Forum asking Hosts to contact you directly. As many of the other Wwoof organizations espouse their hosts vary from biodynamic and/or permaculture farming, land care or wildlife preservation.
For more information on WWOOF, check out:
- our interview with WWOOF Founder Sue Coppard
- voluntourism spotlight on WWOOF UK
- Hidden Gems WWOOF adventures in Australia
- The Best Place to Visit Farmer’s Markets
By Kerri Zane for PeterGreenberg.com. Kerri Zane is a family travel expert and author of It Takes All 5: A Single Mom’s Guide to Finding the REAL One, on sale now, For more advice on health, beauty and travel, visit her on the Web at KerriZane.com.
