It’s official: I’m leaving my job at the end of June for a live/work exchange on an organic farming homestead!
Why did I choose this?
- Robin Easton’s Naked in Eden was the primary catalyst
- Jessica Reeder’s Uprooted project has always inspired me to do the same
- I hate the daily grind and the 40-hour work week
- I have trouble working for something for which I don’t care very much
- Simplicity and sustainability are a practice in progress that I would love to nurture into habit and expertise
- I want to spend less and save more money
- I want more time to write my e-book and prepare apps for graduate school, as well as work on my upcycled crafts.
- I want to hike a lot and re-connect with nature
Some other great reasons to do this:
- Learn self-sufficiency skills in simple living, natural building, organic farming, rainwater harvesting, etc.
- Become a part of the food movement
- Reduce your ecological impact
- Meet really awesome new people
- Stop working a 9-5 and start saving money
I found my farm through an organization called WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms, WWOOF, an international directory of farms in need of both short and long-term interns. I paid $30 for a membership subscription to WWOOF-USA, giving me access to their listings.
If you’re tired of your day job, WWOOF is a really great alternative. You can learn new skills, meet new open-hearted people, and you don’t have to pay for food and housing. Jessica Reeder, editor of Love and Trash, spent a year hopping from farm to farm, traveling across the US. She blogged the whole adventure at Uprooted. Read about her experience for more details.
How it works:
For most farms, you agree to a one-week trial period where neither party is bound to the other. If it works out after a week, then you are free to stay for as long or short as you like. Many farms also offer weekend volunteer stays.
The work schedule varies from farm to farm, depending on whether it’s a commercial farm or a private homestead. At commercial farms, you can expect to work a full 40 hours each week. On private homesteads, the schedule varies from 4-7 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. Most farms have a travel trailer, cabin, yurt, or campsite for interns to stay. Most meals are shared, though you can prepare your own meals in some places.
I chose private homesteads that asked for 4-6 hours of work per day, so that would leave me enough free time to write and explore nature. At the same time, I’ll be learning more about the fruits and travails of organic farming and sustainable living.
My Plan
At the end of June, I’ll be moving out of my apartment in San Francisco. I hope to sell or donate as much of my stuff as possible.
I’m taking two weeks off to visit with family and friends, then I’m off to Aquarius Ranch in the Mojave Desert. After a month there, I’ll be headed to Merlin’s Perch in Carmel, where I plan to stay indefinitely, up to one year. I’ll be blogging about my adventures the entire time.
Some of you might remember I tried applying to grad school last year in soil science. Unfortunately, while every professor I e-mailed expressed sincere interest and hope in my potential, no one had funding for me. I decided to hold off another year.
As summer begins, it will soon turn to fall, when the application cycle begins anew. This year, I still want to apply, because I know how beneficial a postgraduate degree in research can be. It teaches me how to think for myself, analyze critically, solve problems efficiently, see the big picture, and pay meticulous attention to detail. It can open many doors for me afterwards, in whichever direction I choose to take my career.
A few months ago, in my survey, one of my readers asked what role science has to play in my pursuit of sustainability. My answer is a little long, so I’ll be expanding on it in depth in next week’s post.
Updates at Upcycled Love
The topics I’ve written about have evolved a bit since I wrote my first entry last year, but I will focus more on food and farming in the near future as my life will be fully entrenched in the movement. Expect more science, but I hope to write it in an understandable way.
Since I’m soon losing my full-time income, I’m starting a little business with my blog. My own Smalltopia, you could say. I’m now offering design services for the very reasonable rate of $25/hour. I do e-books, headers, blog themes, and logos. No coding, though. Exchange offers are welcome. I’ve also started looking into freelance writing opportunities. If you need an environmental writer, please let me know!
I’m working on a full-length, universally accessible e-book that will hopefully be finished within two months, designed for the aspiring changemaker to begin and maintain his/her journey. Get excited! 
If you want advance word of the e-book, sign up for my e-mail list below. Thanks!
Photo by Earl-Wilkerson
Lynn, I’m so excited for you! I’ve heard great things about WWOOF and know two wonderful people who had incredible experiences here in Canada and all the way over in Australia. Good luck, but most importantly, have fun.
Thanks, Andrea! I hope to have lots of fun! You should do it too, whenever you get a break from school.
Best wishes on your new adventure. How wonderful that you were the fertile ground, and that Robin’s reflections were the seeds of a new way of looking at your life! A leap of faith for sure, but as long as you keep your eye and heart open to the wonders of life, you’ll do very well!!
Thanks, Jeffrey! I’ve done a short WWOOF stay before and have been intrigued by a long-term stay for a long time. Robin’s book was truly a catalyst for me to take that leap of faith.
I love all of what you stand for. This is truly beautiful. I do not need to wish you success, you are making the right decision, you are following your heart and spirit.
Enjoy!!! Life is truly beautiful. Peace and love ……………Marghanita
Thanks so much, Marghanita! Peace and love to you too.
Dearest Lynn, I am moved to tears by you and this post. After you read my book, and then told me in your email (way back) that you were going to move to a farm and work, I was SO excited for you, and ***extremely*** proud of you. In fact so much so that I called my husband and told him. You just moved us both deeply.
You truly are living your “talk”. I have thought of you SO many times and I really can’t express how YOU are effecting ME. Sometimes we do/write/or say something and we really have no idea if it is touching another soul. But your story in that email just inspired me so greatly that I’ve not felt the same since. You not only inspire me to continue to be ME, but you inspire me to be MORE me. I love you for that and so much more.
No matter what happens on this new journey or adventure, always remember, that you are LIVING!! You are daring to take risks, daring to really live. What you are doing is such a creative way to start all this. It took thought and courage.
My husband and I are REALLY examining our own life, a LOT lately, to see what other choices, options, ideas, creative ways of living that we might like to undertake. I am really questioning and reevaluating everything in my life. You are a great inspiration for me, my dear friend. Probably more than you know. Much love to you. You shine so brightly.
Thanks so much, Robin! I’m glad to have influenced you in such profound and positive ways. I’m incredibly excited to get started, I only wish I could be there right at this instant! I wish you luck in finding your new direction.
Lynn,
What a beautiful new adventure you are embarking upon! And what a life change. I can sense that you will deeply love every moment of it. I live very simply, and am currently doing a work trade living arrangement. I can only imagine how different it will be from living in San Fran. Wow!
There is something so magical about growing your own food. This will be a great opportunity for you to learn the nuances of nurturing a plant from start to harvest. Not only will you learn how to nurture plants, it will also teach you how to nurture your soul in new ways!
I am excited for you on your new journey, and I look forward to hearing about all of your experiences!
Hi Stacey, I definitely hope to learn how to nurture my soul in new ways! It will be a huge change from SF, but I’ve been craving it too. I’m super excited to get going! I look forward to sharing insights and stories with you.
This is all such exciting news! I am so happy for you and can’t wait to hear all about your experiences. I am planning my own smalltopia and freelance writing as well, so you will be my mentor from afar. What a great opportunity to connect with others and Mother Earth too. I am sure you will also gain a new relationship and respect for food. Thanks so much for sharing all of this.
Light and love to you!
Dawn
Hi Dawn, Thanks for your kind words! That’s great you’re starting your own venture as well – I’d love to hear more about it. I’m totally excited about new connections with people and nature! It’ll be a lot of fun, and I hope to blog a lot about food.
Much love to you.
How awesome!
First the Mojave Desert and then Carmel . . . what great environments for learning, etc.
Enjoy the journey as the path unfolds before you.
Thank you! I hope to enjoy every moment of it
It feels great doesn’t it! Today was my last day “work” . Good luck with your adventure and enjoy life as I plan to feel the freedom in organic gardening and sustainability in New Mexico.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all”. – Oscar Wilde
I am glad we can both live now.
Wonderful! What’s funny is that yesterday, a day after you left the comment, was also my last day at work! Where will you be doing organic gardening and sustainability? I hope you have a great time! I too am glad we can both live now
Lynn,
You are so courageous! This is a huge leap. I hope it will be a very rewarding one for you. I love the Mojave Desert and Carmel seems like an ideal place to be for the longer stint. May you be well and happy in your new adventure. I also wish you the best with your design services. I love what I’ve seen so far!
Thanks so much, Sandra! I think it will be incredibly rewarding. I’ll definitely post pictures
Hey Lynn,
Wishing you all the best on this new adventure of organic farming! I volunteered through WWOOF on a farm in Andalucia, Spain eight years ago, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.
Can’t wait to read all about it…
Hi Matt, Wow, that sounds beautiful! Thanks for the well-wishing!
Hi Lynn,
This whole adventure sounds beautifully exciting! I await all the updates of this new phase of your life…and what fun we get to learn from all you experience.
Thank you for being such a brave soul…you DO inspire beyond words.
So Much Love,
Z~
Hi Zeenat, Thanks for your beautiful and kind words! Much love to you too.
!!! Lynn, I’m so excited for you! Thank you so much for the kind words, too. If there’s anything I can do to help you out, just let me know. Have fun and get lots of blisters!
Thanks, Jess! I’ll be sure to send my questions your way.
Come and see us sometime on your journeys. Have a blast! Judi
Thanks, Judi! I will if I’m nearby. Best wishes
I am so excited for you Lynn. I can hear the passion and excitement for your new adventure coming through loud and clear in your writing. I am so happy that you will be blogging about this journey so we can all be with you. How about writing a book? I wish you all the best-you are an amazing person and I’m so glad to have connected with you.
Thanks, Lori! I don’t know if I will be writing a book anytime soon, though I would really love to in the future. What would I write about? Why farming is a better alternative to a corporate job? I’m so glad to have connected with you too!
I am so excited for you and also very interested in doing this too. I had no idea this was even out there. What an awesome experience. I can’t wait to hear all about it. I am going to do some research now on this. Farming would be so FUN! You are great for doing this.
Thanks, Meg! You should totally look into it, it would be fun!
Hi Lynn,
That’s awesome what you’re doing. I hope you have a great time and learn heaps! Good luck! Looking forward to hearing of your experiences.
Thank you, Max! I hope to learn a ton! Best wishes to you
This is awesome news! Congratulations! I have been intrigued by WWOOFing ever since I heard about it 2 months ago–when I ran across some happy WOOFers in Nicaragua. I am definitely looking forward to reading your adventures. I am not ready to totally pick up like you are doing, but I’m interested in using some vacation time at work and doing a short WWOOF trip. All the best!
Thanks, Michelle! I did that once before – I took 5 days off from work and spent that time WWOOFing. I wasn’t ready to take the plunge either, so that route worked out pretty well. It’s taken me 2 years since then to decide to try a longer term stay. So take your time! You’ll be ready when the time is right
Best wishes to you!
Good for you for having the courage to follow your passion and purpose. It is so easy to remain in the same job, doing the same thing, for comfort and security. You are very inspiring!
I look forward to hearing about your adventures, and also about your e-book!
Thanks so much, Sherry! I hope to have some free time soon to work on the e-book! I’ve been super busy showing the apartment, packing, and cleaning up the place. So I haven’t been as focused on writing as much as I’d like to be. I really appreciate your support and friendship. Best wishes to you!
So excited for you to pursue this new path in life!!! I’m really interested to read about your experiences and how they will shape your life even more. I’ve thought of volunteering on farms, but hadn’t considered living/working on one. Will be looking into that, perhaps. Best wishes for you on your adventure!
Very cool! I’m so excited for you. I know your experience is going to be amazing!