Some weeks ago, I was planning a trip in Uruguay and I felt it was the time. I decided I wanted to become one of those wwoofers, so I signed up and looked for a farm.

Some days ago, I left the farm where I spent last two weeks. My first wwoofing experience had made it to its end, and I couldn't believe how much I learnt.

I ‘wwoofed' for two weeks in ‘La Estancia Don Miguel' (an ‘estancia' is a kind of traditional farm in the Uruguayan and Argentinian pampa), in the southeast of Uruguay. Milking cows, making cheese, baking all kinds of bread, making soap, riding a horse, taking care of the animals (cows, pigs, goats, hens, etc.) and the vegetable garden are only some of the things I learnt there.

There are two things that I find especially important in WWOOF:

First of all, money is not involved at all. The wwoofing experience works as an exchange. An exchange between the wwoofer, who gives her or his time and willingness to learn and help, and the people of the farm that give accommodation, food and their time and patience (I promise it takes patience) to teach and share their local knowledge. For sure wwoofers learn plenty of things that they didn't know before, but they also share what they know and the people of the farm learn from wwoofers as well. Every wwoofer is unique and leaves her or his own footprint in the farm.

Moreover, WWOOF shows us that it is possible to live, work and produce in alternative ways. It gives volunteers (generally coming from urban contexts) the space and time to learn and live in a different setting from what they are used to. A place where there are no cars, advertisement, supermarkets, or pollution. Instead, wwoofers have the opportunity to understand and take part in the whole cycle of food production, from planting the seeds to harvesting the vegetables that they will cook and eat, all the way to collecting the seeds for next year. A place where there are no apartment blocks, noises, fast food or rush. Instead, wwoofers have the time to learn how to take care of the animals and the plants using ecological and organic techniques that respect the environment and the community. A place where you can learn how to live together with other people, animals, plants and the whole environment with harmony, love and respect.

Now, a few years after I first heard about WWOOF, I am the one that enjoys telling people how great it is, and how great my experience was.

Hernán Fioravanti

Become a WWOOFer in: www.wwoof.org