Several months ago, towards the beginning of October, my husband (Lenin) and I spent a long weekend deep in the mountains of Highlands, NC as first-time WWOOFers.
Let me pause right there…
A lot of people make a funny face when I say WWOOF in any kind of conversation (and trust me), I get it. If you’re among those people making a funny face, stick with me.
WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.
If you’re like us, you may not even know this existed and are probably thinking to yourself, “How cool is this?” and “Tell me more,” or “Why am I just now hearing about this?” Then again, If you’re not like us, you might still be staring blankly at the computer screen.
As stated on their website,
“WWOOFing is a global movement that aims to reconnect people to the land by having them voluntarily participate in organic farming. Volunteers (WWOOFers) visit small-scale farms where families and collectives (hosts) live and work. WWOOFers help with farm work while sharing in the daily routines of the hosts who offer them room and board.”
Now that you have the basic premise of what we were doing.. let’s get into the real story.
Our weekend was spent among a family of three who opened their arms and house to us for a brief few days — KwiYoung, David, and their incredibly smart son Zion who just about tortured us in a ruthless card game of his, but more on that later.
A day on the homestead typically looked like waking up early, getting a short stretch in on a purple yoga mat, making some hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, and coffee for me, and tea for Lenin. From there, we would start our mornings not only in the sun but also in the dirt. We would gear up in our straw sun hats we bought earlier that week and our light, airy clothing to work (quite literally) in the weeds. With a coffee in hand, our day would begin.
A walk up to the main cabin (from the dog house) and our tasks were underway. Our lunch and dinner meals consisted of produce from either what we picked that day or bulk stock of what KwiYoung had harvested in the past week, so each meal was a treat. We gathered with wine at dinner and heard stories of chickens, bobcats, and bears. We played card games that almost drove us crazy, and we even had the chance to teach KwiYoung and David some Latin dance moves.
I can’t help but think just how perfect the timing was, how the crisp fall air seamlessly paired with the serene mountain views. It was truly, in its own beautiful, gritty way — a haven. A place to not look at a screen or be surrounded by the internet, to immerse deeper into nature, into your being, and to find yourself becoming grounded once again; To break bread and share lessons with strangers who ended up family by the day we left. Truly, it was all of these glorious elements into one.
Here are ten gems we learned along the way that were just too good not to share:
No 1. (And for good reason). When staying anywhere in nature, near nature, or all the above, always shake out your towel when getting out of the shower… Although harmless, there may be a wolf spider waiting to say hello.
No 2. There is a crop planting technique called the 3 sisters that is a gem to use. It was derived from the native Americans who once inhabited those mountains on which we were tending; the technique involves planting corn, squash, and beans next to each other to balance out nutrients, sun exposure, and other elements ensuring that you produce all three in abundance. How miraculous is it to think that all three of these crops can work together, nourishing, and assisting each other in pursuit of life?
No 3. Although you plant garlic in October, it will be harvested in the spring. To plant, you must take seeds from a good, healthy bulb and plant them evenly (6 inches apart) into prepared soil mounds. The “seeds” should be pushed down into the soil, about 2–4 inches deep. Once planted, be sure to water heavily and lay mulch on top to keep moisture in for the colder winter months that will surely follow.
No 4. If you want to build a tiny home, off-grid home, or any of the above, you might as well start with a pre-made shed that you can easily insulate. And then, you will need a mentor to guide you through building these out.
No 5. Wild lettuce is a beast of a crop and will grow at a rapid rate if you allow it — The flowering white tops you see blowing in the wind like fairies are its seeds and although edible, it has somewhat of a bitter taste so it’s not preferred. Its abundance is based on your need for it.
No 6. You can eat sweet potatoes, and you can eat sweet potato greens; “greens” refers to the top of the sweet potato you pull out from the earth.
No 7. When the time comes to look for land to buy, the flatter land the better — with approximately one hill to put your house on top of, that way, you can overlook your land, crops, and any animals that decide to visit.
No 8. Find a wood-fired oven, windows, and cedar wood planks to make your own Swedish sauna, with temperatures up to 150 degrees.
No 9. Every cell of corn must be pollinated to get a full stalk of corn; What a golden miracle corn is.
No 10. As you may already know, manure is extremely important for healthy, flourishing soil. There are many different kinds of manure though — Horse being the better option over chicken due to the nitrogen levels. Chicken manure has a ton of nitrogen in it so when setting up chickens on land, ensure that they can move around the land somehow to naturally scratch and till into the soil.
We left this trip with full bellies, full hearts, overwhelming knowledge, and friends for life.
You can set out on an adventure yourself and find out more about WWOOFing here.
All my love,
V
