If you think that WWOOF is the sound that a dog makes… well, you’re right. But it also stands for “Willing Workers On Organic Farms,” or “World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.” So keep your ears tuned in for that term, because the WWOOF movement is spreading globally – including right here in the Middle East.
Established in the UK in 1971 as a way to facilitate the interaction between organic farmers and willing volunteers, the international WWOOF network has now spread to over 35 countries, including Turkey and Israel.
The WWOOF experience is a good option for local residents interested in getting their hands dirty, learning about organic farming, and eating some fresh (and free) organic produce. And it’s also a good option for travelers looking to experience eco-tourism in a unique way.
So if you’re interested in WWOOFing Turkey, check out the following farms:
Knidia Farm: Located in the Datca Peninsula, the farm has simple facilities to house guests interested in enjoying an unperturbed environment. The 12 acre farm includes a vineyard and fruit trees, as well as carpentry facilities.
Pastoral Vadi: All the buildings on the Pastoral Vadi organic farm are constructed out of stone, wood, or mud brick. The main crop is the Valencia orange, but the farm also grows lemons, olives, pomegranates, and veggies such as artichokes, green beans, and eggplants.
Check out some of the WWOOF farms in Israel:
Farm 130: Visit a new ecological and artistic community in an old village close to Jerusalem where the residents need help building their homes out of mud, recycled wood, tents, and whatever else they find. They are also working on developing a permaculture garden.
Farm 117: Farm specializing in aromatic medicinal herbs, as well as a permaculture based eco-farm. The farm has already built water recycling systems, solar cookers, a solar outdoor shower, and composting toilets. Located in the northwest of the Negev desert, volunteers are housed in a comfortable building with a kosher kitchen, dining, and socializing areas.
Read more about organic farming::
Organic Goat Herding through WWOOF: The Podcast
Lebanon Celebrates Three Years of an Organic Farming Project
Eating CSA Organic Food in Israel at Reasonable Prices
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
we are dubai based foodstuff company have distributorship for organic products an we want to know more about your company
Hi. Thanks for the article. My girlfriend and I are traveling at the moment, and looking to head to Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt. Are you aware of any places we could WWOOF at that you would recommend?
Thank you very much-
You should contact WWOOF and get the updated list of farms.
If organic farming in Israel interests you – check out Eco Israel!
Eco-Israel, based on the Hava & Adam eco-educational farm between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, offers English-speaking Jewish young adults, ages 18-30, a 5 month professional apprenticeship and coursework in permaculture and sustainable living.
Eco-Israel is an intimate program that offers participants the opportunity to explore how Ecology, Judaism and Israel come together in a working model of a self-sustaining ecological community.
Applications for the fall and spring semesters are available at http://eco-israel.org