WOOFERS (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) is a global movement of people who want to offer their labour on organic farms in return for lodging and sometimes board. Part of the WOOFING experience is learning new skills, meeting people from around the world and having an opportunity to live in a community or on a farm.
The Berg-en-Dal WOOFING program runs throughout the year except between 15 December to 15 January. Most of the work is of a physical nature such as gardening, building, and generally getting involved in the day to day running of the farm with the resident crew. This means that you will be involved in a wide variety of tasks and activities, some more strenuous than others, over the working week. With this in mind we do expect you to be fit and healthy in order to cope. WOOFERS stay in the farm self-catering cottage which is rustic but comfortable. There is no electricity and the toilets are outdoor squat pit systems. Water is heated by “fire bath” and hot pipe and the only food provided by the farm is what you find growing in the gardens. Berg-en-Dal is still very much in the pioneer phase of its development so your experience with us will be very grassroots and basic. Most of the activities at this point in our growth can be classed as “pioneering” so if you have such a spirit it is more than likely that you will enjoy your stay with us.
Conditions for WOOFING on Berg-en-Dal…
- Adherance to the rules of the farm and our constitution (provided electronically).
- WOOFING is done on a week by week basis, which means your status is reviewed at the end of a 7 day period.
- We prefer more than one WOOFER at a time on the farm so we will co-ordinate your visit with other volunteers.
- What food you don’t find in the gardens you will have to provide for yourself. You will eat with community members now and then when we have community meals. There are options to work for specific community members on their personal projects. If this option is available then the member concerned will provide you with lunch and dinner.
- Work happens from Monday to Friday. You have the weekends to yourself to do as you please.
- Work times are flexible and depend on the season. Summer we get up early and work untill midday then rest until evening when work begins again. In winter we work through the day.
- Before coming to WOOF you will need to fill in the WOOFing information form (which can be downloaded from this site) so we have some idea of what to expect from you.
- You take full responsiblity for yourself once you are on the farm, which means you enter entirely at your own risk and we take no responsibily for any loss, injury or damage sustained during your stay with us…
Working and living in a permaculture community is a dynamic experience and you will learn much about everything because permaculture living is holistic living.
Please email us on info@berg-en-dal.co.za or phone us on (028) 55 11 678. Ask for Tahir…
WWOOFers planting fruit trees