This page requires JavaScript be enabled in your browser to work properly!

interactive language learning
.
Working on organic farms

If you want to experience New Zealand life and would like an active holiday, why not work on a farm?

Wwoof, or Willing Workers on Organic Farms, is a group that started in Britain about 30 years ago. There are a lot of Wwoof farms in New Zealand.

People stay on these farms so that they can experience organic farming, or just to experience farm life if they live in a city. Visitors usually stay with the family and help with the daily jobs. People usually stay on a farm for at least five days. They sometimes stay for a few weeks. You are not paid to work on one of these farms, you go there for the experience.

If you want to stay on one of these farms, you need to be a member of Wwoof. If you want to do this, search the internet for their website on http://www.wwoof.co.nz. You can also find information about Wwoof on this site.

When I first arrived in New Zealand and wanted to experience a different way of life, I stayed on a Wwoof farm in the North Island. The farm was a long way from any towns or cities. To get there, we travelled first by car and boat, and then we had to walk five kilometres. There was no electricity or television. The children living on the farm didn't go to school; they studied by correspondence. When I was staying there I did a lot of different things. I worked in the vegetable garden, helped to repair a small bridge and learnt a little about keeping bees.

Some Wwoof farms are nearer cities or are very small. If you want to stay on a farm, you have to be happy to work. You also need to help with the jobs on the farm, or in the house where you are staying. For example you might help to cook dinner or do the washing up. You need to understand instructions in English and to have enough English to speak to the people you are staying with.

Of course, staying and working on a farm may not be the holiday you want. You may prefer to go camping or walking for an active holiday -- or maybe you would just like to relax near a beautiful beach!

Vocabulary

  • experience -- learn by doing something
  • willing -- ready and happy to do what is wanted
  • organic farming -- farming with no chemicals
  • member -- a person that belongs to a group or club
  • correspondence -- study by sending and receiving lessons by post
  • repair -- fix or mend something that is broken
  • bee -- a yellow and black insect that makes honey
  • camping -- go on holiday and stay in a tent

 
 
 
loading...
Please wait for loading ...
Please wait for loading ...
Please wait for loading ...
Please wait for loading ...