WWOOFing to Date

So as I was responding to e-mails just now I realize I haven't really done a review of what I think about this whole experience to date.

In general, I have really been enjoying myself. Although some of the tasks have been hard (hauling hay) or somewhat boring (weeding the vineyard) it is really rewarding to sit down for a nice home cooked meal after a hard day's work. I never felt this way working in the corporate world - or at least not in the same way. I spend my days outside in the beautiful outdoors and am tired every night when I go to bed. Although the tasks are hard, it never feels like "work" - I know I'm contradicting myself from a few sentences ago but I guess I feel both of these ways simultaneously. I hope I haven't lost you yet.

My favorite part so far has been working with the goats. They are extremely friendly and cute as can be. It is also a new experience for me to care for an animal. I never had pets growing up so this is really my first true experience being the caregiver to another living thing. It is so nice to walk into the barn and see how excited the goats are to see you. And knowing that if I didn't show up they wouldn't eat, it's rewarding to know I'm helping another animal live a good life. It's also cool how they provide me with something in return  - milk (and cheese). These goats won't be slaughter for meat but could be eaten if needed. I'm sure that would be sad as I've started to learn the individual goats but I'm sure that would be a whole new level of appreciation for your food - something I'm hoping to experience before my world tour/WWOOFing is over. I really think this is something everyone should try!

In which case, I'm not sure if my enjoyment is because these are all still novel experiences or because this may actually be a way of life for me to consider. Either way, I would like to try WWOOFing for a while to see if I can burn myself out or if doing more gardening/animal care is something I may want to do in my future.

Specifically with this WWOOFing experience, my experience with Mary and Doug at Kara Kahl farm has been amazing! Mary is a fantastic cook and makes great meals for us to eat every evening. Doug is very knowledgable on gardening and animal care and doesn't seem to get annoyed with my constant (and usually random) questions about anything farm related. They also have a nice home with all the creature comforts I am accustomed to and unwilling to give up. If anyone is interested in WWOOFing, this is not a bad place to start!