By Randy Kalp | SDUN Travel Writer

The ghostly fog breaks mid morning, warm sun gently emerging to dry the damp, Tuscan grape vines. The scene is bucolic. But the work is tough. Beth and I are among six other volunteers working at a 200-year-old vineyard in Fattoria Cerreto Libri, in Pontassieve, Italy. From dawn ’til dusk, we labor in the vineyard.

But while the work is arduous and monotonous, it’s satisfying—in part because we are contributing to the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms organization (WWOOF). Started in 1971 by a London secretary who wanted to support organic farms in the English countryside, WWOOF now operates in more than 50 countries. The organization gives volunteers the chance to work and to learn about biodynamic farming from hosts who produce a variety of organic products, including wine, cheese and jam. In return, hosts provide them with free room and board and pass on their knowledge about their respective farming practices.

For budget travelers, WWOOF is an excellent way to extend your travels, especially in more expensive areas like Italy and France. It also provides an ideal opportunity to eat regional, homemade cuisine. At Fattoria Cerreto Libri, for example, each lunch is like a holiday feast. Wine and conversation flow freely throughout three-course meals, each meal finishing with coffee and an occasional homemade dessert before we head back to work. In the evening, more of the farm’s delicious table wine—a blend of canaiolo and sangiovese grapes—is uncorked, as we (the WWOOFers) take turns cooking dinners with fresh produce from the estate’s garden.

Prior to the farm, Beth and I had eaten a lot of pizza and panini—basically any cheap staple food we could find. Occasionally, we splurged on more expensive dinners, but even then we’d never felt the quality justified the price. Nor had such meals best represented regional cuisine. But WWOOFing made us feel like we were tasting Italy, as our host, Valentina Baldini Libri, was an amazing cook.
Getting involved with WWOOF is easy. Once you figure out where you want to volunteer, you can sign up through that country’s website for a yearly membership. For WWOOF Italy, a membership costs approximately $30 (there are no additional fees to volunteer at the farms). If you want to volunteer in multiple countries, you will need a WWOOF membership card for each one. Not only does your membership give you access to the country’s online farm list, it is also required by participating hosts. And while we did not have a problem finding a WWOOF farm, other volunteers at Fattoria Cerreto Libri said several farms that were already full had turned them down.

Admittedly, WWOOFing was more work than we expected. Before arriving, we had illusions of weekend trips to Sienna and Florence. And while we did manage a day trip to Florence (the city was only 20 minutes away by train), we realized quickly that picking the vineyard clean and getting the grapes processed took precedence over everything else; after all, our host’s livelihood depended on it.

In the end, WWOOFing is what you make it. Sure we worked hard, but we also laughed hard and forged friendships with others from all over the world. Best of all, for two weeks, we got to wine and dine like Anthony Bourdain.

Know before you go
• It is imperative that if you commit to a host, you follow through. By flaking or canceling (without a good reason), you are messing with the farmer’s livelihood. These are not large corporations; they are family businesses, and their commitment to organic farming depends on volunteers. So if you have any doubts about fulfilling your commitment, then do not agree to work.

• Remember that you are there to work. If want to volunteer during a grape harvest in Italy, be prepared to work six to eight hours Monday through Saturday. Most farms on the WWOOF list give a detailed explanation of your duties, but if you have any questions or are unsure, just send the potential host an email asking for their expectations of volunteers.

• Be realistic about what you need to make your stay work for you. For example, if you need an Internet connection to do work in your down time, make sure you ask your hosts prior to accepting their invitation whether one is available.