Wwoofer Profiles - Part 2
Matthew
Age: 23
Country: United States
Length of stay: 1 month
Responsibilities: Barn Boss, Fireguard, Sheep Manager, Cowboy
What brings you to Allmogegarden?
I'm studying sustainable agriculture.
What did you think it would be like?
I did not really have many expectations when I arrived. I knew they raised animals and grew crops in a semi-traditional way and I wanted to see what that was like.
What is it actually like?
I was pleasantly surprised with how forward thinking Bengt and Maria were and how much fun it was to work with both of them. Sometimes farmers are really not open to discussion or questions regarding their practices but they were very willing and even happy to discuss agriculture and its different approaches.
Have you ever worked on a farm before?
I've done WWOOFing in Japan for 3 months, worked on a CSA farm in NY, and currently work on the farm at my school in NC (USA).
What do you do in your downtime here?
I really enjoyed walking in the pastures on the weekend. I read a lot and played my mandolin a little bit. Mainly I slept so I would be well rested for a good day of work.
Best thing About WWOOFing at Allmogegarden?
I think the best thing for me about WWOOFing at Allmogegarden was to see what it was like to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. You would be hard pressed to meet such relaxed farmers in the dairy industry right now. With all of the politics surrounding farming, instead of trying to compete with factory farming and contributing to the degradation of the environment, they have chosen to remove themeselves in a big way from that system. The result is two happy farmers who eat healthier food than you can get in any store and enjoy the company of people from all over the world to share interesting perspectives and ideas.
Worst thing?
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Most memorable moment?
I think the best times for me were at the table. The food was always so good and getting to chat about whatever at the table, which was always full of laughter, were always the highlights of the day.
How do you think your Allmogegarden experience has changed you?
WWOOFing here really opened me up to the idea of subsistence farming myself. Seeing an alternative to being a small farmer in a big market is really refreshing.
Any advice for future Allmogegardeners?
Experiencing this kind of a life is something everyone can get something out of. Getting more connected with how we live and the food systems that are a part of that is never time poorly spent. Thanks for an amazing experience that I will not soon forget!
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