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Notice ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.08 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 96
🍀Taking one step at a time🍀WWOOF Korea May Newsletter
WWOOF Korea May Newsletter   More
NewsLetter ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.05.13 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 80
Host of the Month: CN117 Park Jongbin & Noh Seunghee
We are conducting interview with a host every month. Who is the Host of the Month? Here we introduce promising young farmers from South Chungcheong province.     Q: When did you start farming, and what did you do before? A: We came to Hongseong in 2017 to learn farming and had our own farm in 2020. As I came to the countryside right after graduating school at 25, I haven’t worked before starting farming.   Q: What are the rewards and difficulties of practicing eco-friendly farming?  When I first started farming, I grew vegetables on the fields without covering up with soil. Naturally as I had a trouble in drainage, we poured rice husks, straws, green fertilizers and microorganisms into the soil. While doing it, the quality of the fields get improved and we’ve felt proud of it till these days.  The most difficult thing about farming is probably weeding. In eco-friendly farming, we spent half of the time in clearing away weeds. I think Most of WWOOFers might agree with me.   Q: How long have you been hosting WWOOFers? What are your impressions of hosting so far? A: I became a new host in 2023 and have...
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.05.10 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 26
WWOOFer of the month: Choi Seung-ahn from Seoul, Korea
Q: Could you briefly introduce yourself? Since my early twenties I’ve lived with the mindset of trying whatever stir up my curiosities. I like what I do and I live the way I want to. If possible, I worked and earned some money and then did what I wanted to experience. Lately I am taking a break time and working as a volunteer at WWOOF Korea.   Q: How did you find out about WWOOF and what make you to participate in?  I studied and thought a lot about how to eat healthy food. Naturally I got curious about the very first person to deal with food ingredients, and it led me to the life of a farmer. While looking for farmers who live in a healthier and sustainable way close to nature, I came across with WWOOF Korea.  I knew nothing about farming because I only grew up and lived in the city. I had no idea how all the food I ate got to me. I wanted to learn through hands-on experiences and then joined WWOOF.  Above all, I learned a lot while spending time and living with farmers close to nature. The biggest motivation for me is...
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.05.10 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 25
Ruminations from WWOOF Korea Secretariat: Opening the Sponsorship page…
On the first day of May 2024, we released a donation page on our website…A year after WWOOF Korea was certified as a designated donation organization. Or rather, 13 years after its designation as a non-profit corporation. The official income of our organization comes solely from the membership fees paid by the WWOOFers and the annual fees by the hosts. Since it hardly makes up the salary for one alone, I covered the operation cost at my own expense now and then. Even so, I hesitated to receive donations for a long time. As I wrote on my blog long ago, asking for donations felt like soliciting personal help. Because I acquired WWOOF Korea as a joint-stock company 25 years ago, I felt obliged to handle things alone. Even after its conversion into a non-profit corporation, I couldn't shake off that belief for a long time. Over the years, however, I gradually changed my mind. WWOOF Korea was no longer private - it had already become a proper association with a general assembly and board of directors, serving social and public welfare values. My task was to view it as a separate, independent entity and support its growth. I felt confident...
wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.05.10 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 21
[WWOOF Korea Survey] From Hosts to WWOOFers
From January to March, the WWOOF Korea Secretariat surveyed the experience of WWOOF Korea hosts and WWOOFers to provide a better WWOOF experience. Many of them responded with meaningful opinions on areas for mutual improvement. In this article, we will look into the replies of the hosts. If you intend to WWOOF in the future, their words will be helpful for effective preparation - shall we go check the results together?       What to prepare The secretariat asked the hosts if there were “things WWOOFers can bring for a better experience.” Let’s check out the comments left by the hosts.1. Hat, boots, work clothes, pajamas2. Personal items such as towels, water cups, etc.3. Efficient farming supplies4. Hobby supplies needed to spend leisure time on the farm First of all, the hosts suggest bringing personal tools. Equipment such as boots and work clothes depend on body size, and it would be better to work in clothes that fit oneself. They also mention that it would be a good idea to bring 'hobby supplies to spend leisure time with'. From their observation, WWOOFers who bring their hobby items - painting tools, musical instruments, and so forth - have worthwhile breaks and good WWOOFing experiences. Take these tips into account to experience more fruitful WWOOFing in...
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.05.08 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 37
WWOOFKorea Newsletter April 2024 (1)
WWOOFKorea Newsletter April 2024 More
NewsLetter ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.11 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 106
Farming Workshop
Hands-on Farming Workshop for English-speaking People in Korea WWOOF Korea is convening a workshop where you can learn about Korean traditional farming, its difference from current organic farming and other systems, and meet great new like-minded friends. Time: 9am to 6pm, Sat, Apr 27 Venue: Daeyami, Gunpo, Gyeonggido Facilitator: Rei Yoon A WWOOF Korea host Researched and experimented zero-budget natural farming for over 10 years Actively transferring farming knowledge in Africa and others Head of Ppuri People Power (www.ppuri.co)   Programs How soil gets rich, plant-animal balance and cycle The flourishing agribusiness (chemicals) and the poverty of farmers Genetically modified organisms vs. traditional natural seeds Comparing western organic farming with Korean traditional farming How farming can set people free! Case studies from Africa Hands-on farming   Schedule Morning: Introduction and lecture Lunch: Korean traditional food Afternoon: Hands-on practice on a farm   Tips For English-speakers (all programs conducted in English) Networking for Korea-residing foreigners and other like-minded friends   Others Students will be limited to around 10 people Fee: 50,000 Korean won Application: Google form   Application https://forms.gle/6nRkCbAgqgpazy6C7
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 938
Freedom for Country Dogs
Support our “Freedom for Country Dogs” Campaign   [Freedom for Country Dogs] In Korea’s countryside, many dogs are tied to a short 1-meter leash most of their lives. We started a campaign aiming to replace that with a leash that attaches to a wire over 3 meters long.  The idea was first conceived when foreign WWOOFers who stayed in Korean farms, saddened by the reality of many dogs being tied to such short leashes, suggested to us that WWOOF Korea play some kind of role in this matter.  We understand that the farmers need to keep the dogs tied to prevent damages to crops or even people. But we also wanted to let the dogs run around more freely. The solution suggested was “a long wire” that would be tied between two trees, so that the shorter leash would be hooked to that long wire. The dog can have a relatively spacious room to move around. This seemed to be the most realistic approach.    Your donation will go a long way. We need your help to purchase the wires and start installing them in one-hundred households that have applied. We will also create and print pamphlets to raise awareness. WWOOF...
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 121
A Look into WWOOF Korea with Statistics
A Look into WWOOF Korea with Statistics As we revamped the WWOOF Korea newsletter, we took the opportunity to analyze statistics about the WWOOFers and hosts who have participated in WWOOF Korea. For WWOOFers, we analyzed gender, age, and nationality based on data from 2023, while for hosts, we looked at region, duration of activity, and age based on current 2024 data.   WWOOFers: Gender distribution First, let's look at the gender distribution of WWOOFers. The ratio of females is 69%, while males make up 31%. This indicates a significantly higher participation of females, a trend observed not only in Korea but also internationally. When organizing group WWOOF events or observing activities of other organizations, it's evident that males have a lower level of social activity participation compared to females. There could be various reasons for this, but we need to collectively brainstorm ways to encourage more male participation in WWOOFing.       Age distribution In terms of age distribution, WWOOFers in their 20s and 30s primarily make up over 70% of participants. This statistic is for both Korean (domestic) and foreign (international) WWOOFers. For Koreans, those in their 20s and 30s make up around 60%. There's a gradual...
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 138
Farm the World!
This story comes from our host Rei Yoon who visited Africa to provide trainings on farming appropriate technology last winter.   Uganda, January 2022. Traffic in downtown Kampala was congested, and children came to the car and begged at every congested section. My friend said that “all” these children came from one area called Karamoja. When I asked why, he said it was a poor land where people would starve to death. He adds that ‘no one’ can solve the Karamoja problem. These children came to the city because they thought it would be better to beg. That’s when I decided to go to Karamoja. Karamoja is a traditional nomadic area, but not a single cow was seen. It is said that all cows are subject to theft, so if you own them, you will be targeted and lose your life. People had no choice but to abandon nomadism and adopt farming. However, the farming methods had several serious flaws. In other words, just changing a few things can dramatically increase productivity. Eradicate poverty through farming!   ​Nigeria, February 2023. Farmers-herders conflict is serious here. This conflict, which arises when nomads' cattle eat farmers' crops, often escalates into a tragedy...
WWOOFKorea News ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 103
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