Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (WWOOF-USA®) is part of a worldwide effort to link visitors and students with organic farmers, promote an educational exchange, and build a global community conscious of ecological farming practices.
Interns, or student ‘WWOOFers’, spend about half of each day helping out on a host farm, learn about organic farming and sustainable agriculture, and receive room and board during their visit – with no money exchanged between hosts and WWOOFers.
Internship opportunities are available year-round for varying lengths of time on host farms across the USA. All internships and credit for courses must be arranged directly with the individual host farmer, and then can be registered with WWOOF-USA to receive a certificate upon completion. See the membership fees attached.
The WWOOF-USA® Host Farm Directory lists close to 1,700 organic farms, ranches, gardens, homesteads and sustainable communities across all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. WWOOF farms offer a variety of educational opportunities, including organic farming, animal husbandry, renewable energy, sustainable building, forestry, land management, business administration, cooking and food preservation, non-profit administration and more. Internship objectives and learning opportunities will vary and be specific to a particular host site.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
To learn about ecological farming and ranching practices through participatory education in organic agriculture and sustainable living practices. To be fully immersed in an agricultural community and lifestyle. Additional outcomes include valuable hands-on experience, resume building, and gaining skills tailored towards a future degree and/or career goals.