📝 By Ylva Lundin from Östängs Gård
This blogpost is inspired by a blog post originally published (in Swedish) on Ylva’s website about what it’s like to be a WWOOF host. Ylva has been a WWOOF host since 2016 and is also a board member of WWOOF Sweden.
We think this (translated and adapted) version gives you a good example of what WWOOFing can be like, as well as an insight into what WWOOFers and hosts alike ideally should consider when requesting and accepting stays.
Background
We’ve been welcoming volunteers known as WWOOFers to our farm since 2016.
WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.
It originally began as Working Weekends On Organic Farms, with the idea that city dwellers would get more contact with nearby farms — to learn, among other things, how food is produced.
With globalisation and increased travel, it became more common to WWOOF in countries other than one’s own, and so the name was changed.
Hosts accept WWOOFers at different times (and for different lengths of stays) depending on a variety of reasons.
We accept WWOOFers from May through September. Every host decides for themselves when to receive volunteers and fills in the calendar on the WWOOF website, which then becomes visible to those looking.
In the beginning, we welcomed WWOOFers who stayed anywhere from a week and up, but nowadays we only say yes to those who can stay at least three weeks. Starting this year, we have a video call with everyone who applies, and we decide after that.
Hosts may decide to only cater for vegans, vegetarians, or omnivores, depending on their own diet or what’s available at their farm.
We cook with what we produce ourselves as much as possible. In the beginning, we adapted meals to our guests and have even had a few vegans. But our experience was that it led to buying more store-bought food, often industrially produced in other countries, so now we’ve specified on our WWOOF page that we only host omnivores.
At our farm, we eat fika* and lunch together on weekdays. WWOOFers prepare their own breakfast and dinner, as well as all meals during the weekend, but we buy the groceries they want. They are also welcome to harvest what they feel like, for example, eggs and honey. I cook all the lunches because I enjoy it, and because I’m quick and can cook with whatever we happen to have plenty of.
Fika is a beloved Swedish tradition — it’s more than just a coffee break. It’s a moment to slow down, connect with others, and enjoy something sweet (often homemade) alongside a cup of coffee or tea.
On many farms, fika is a daily ritual — a chance to pause from work, sit together, chat, and recharge. It’s often one of the most appreciated parts of the day, both by WWOOFers and hosts!
WWOOFers are offered various kinds of accommodation depending on the farm
Hosts decide where WWOOFers will stay — whether it’s a room in their house, a guesthouse, a caravan, or even a tent. Ideally the accommodation is clearly described in their profile so that no one is disappointed upon arrival. If no description is given, it’s smart to ask all relevant questions!
At our place, WWOOFers stay in a small house on the farm we call the WWOOF House, or in a caravan. The WWOOF House has a shower and toilet, and a shared kitchen for everyone, no matter where they sleep. We don’t get involved in who sleeps where — we expect WWOOFers to work this out themselves.
Working hours and tasks vary depending on the farm and the season, of course. But WWOOFers should never be treated as free labor—workdays should be no longer than six hours. Ideally, this kind of information is also included in the host’s profile. If not, be sure to ask and clarify before confirming your stay.
We start every weekday with a gathering in the yard at 8 a.m. We check in with everyone — how they’re feeling, if there are any issues, and what we’re doing that day. After that, the WWOOFers take care of the animals while my husband Jonas and I prepare the morning’s task.
We usually begin with physical work like carrying firewood, using a broadfork, fencing, digging, or something else active. We do that only until fika at 10.
After fika and until lunch, we work in the garden: weeding, sowing, planting, or harvesting. After lunch, the WWOOFers work on different projects depending on the weather and what’s needed. That means each day includes at least three different tasks. We think that works well since many are not used to physical work and wouldn’t manage doing the same task all day.
What do hosts get out of welcoming volunteers?
We feel we learn a lot about other countries by having WWOOFers here. Sometimes it feels like we’ve learned more from hosting than we did when we traveled ourselves. There are many hours of conversation while working together, or over fika and lunch. We think it’s very rewarding to meet people from other cultures, especially now that we don’t travel as much.
PS: Ylva has filled all her WWOOF spots for 2025, but maybe you want to save her profile for next year?
👉 Curious to WWOOF in Sweden?
Start by visiting wwoof.se and browse the host profiles! Each one will have different living conditions, food styles, and seasonal tasks — read carefully and feel free to ask questions before applying.
