For a week and a half this past May, I had the opportunity to live and volunteer on an agroforestry and permaculture-focused farm near Zürich, Switzerland with a family and their two young children. I learned about local conservation initiatives from my knowledgeable hosts, ate produce directly from their garden, spent free time taking in the stunning views, and even attended a climate event in Zürich with one of the other workers. This opportunity reminded me how enriching and motivatin a cultural exchange can be, and I’m thankful that I can keep learning through these experiences with WWOOF!
Food:
We ate almost every meal together. In the morning, it was commonly bread with various spreads, some from their farm, and cheese. As well as yogurt and muesli (similar to granola for those who don’t know ?).
For lunch and dinner it varied, but it was usually some sort of pasta or rice dish with veggies and very delicious!
The family received leftover food products each week that a local grocery store couldn’t sell, so we were able to try some fun products like vegan eggs and tempeh.
I would often help with the food preparation (and could have made a full meal for them if I had any talent!), and helped clean up afterwards.
Accommodation:
I stayed in a loft above the kitchen of the family’s house. There was a mattress and plenty of room to put my belongings. The family lives in the top level of a beautiful house and has views of the lake right in their kitchen.
This farm also provided fast wifi and plently of time and space to do my remote job, including a few video calls that I had. That isn’t always the case with farms, so I’m very thankful for the flexibility they allowed!
Work Setup:
WWOOFers were required to work for four hours in the morning, 8am-12pm, Monday through Friday. This is one of the most relaxed requirements I’ve encountered on a farm before! I really appreciated the clear expectations, so I wasn’t wondering if I had done enough, or if I was really done for the day as I’ve experienced before on other farms.
While I was WWOOFing, it rained almost every morning that we worked, so a positive attitude was crucial, as well as a working raincoat and boots (which they provided).
Want $10 off a WWOOF-USA Membership? Use the code “SQUASHBUCKLERS“. ????
Type of Work:
- Creating compost pile using kitchen scraps, garden waste, sticks and woody material, and minerals sprinkled on top in layers
- Weeding in the vineyard to make space around the trunks
- Moving the ducks from the vineyard to the garden area
- Helping construct a new tomato house
- Preparing garden beds for planting by removing weeds and breaking up the soil
- Planting flowers, companion plants like cornflowers around brassicas, and covercrops for green manure like buckwheat
People:
Although I was the only WWOOFer there at the time, there were usually several other people helping out at the farm. I really enjoyed getting to work and talk with them and it reminded me how special WWOOFing is in quickly connecting an outsider to a community.
Outside Activities:
- When I wasn’t working, I had plenty of time to go for long walks in the forest above the farm that overlooked Lake Zürich, as well as go into town and enjoy the lakeside.
- I was invited to the climate strike in Zürich by one of the farm workers my age. For four hours in the rain hundreds of people marched and chanted around the city. It was full of music, Swiss German chants that were kindly translated to me (thanks Fabian!) and people of all ages making their voice heard.
Are you interested in WWOOFing in Switzerland?
The price of a Switzerland membership is 14 Swiss Francs (CH) for a single, or 20 CH for a double. You can find more info here!
Public transportation in Switzlerand is among the best in the world, so you won’t need a car to reach most of the available farms! I recommend downloading the SBB App which provides the exact transportation you need to take to reach any address.
If you plan to be in Switzerland a while and take a lot of public transportation, I also recommend purchasing a Half-Fare card, which allows you to purchase all transportation tickets at half-price for the year. If you’re under 25, this card will cost you just over $100. If you’re over 25, it will be about $200. You can purchase this in person with a passport photo (and you might need an address in Switzerland to send the card to). There is also the option to purchase Super Saver tickets on some routes if you plan ahead of time and take the exact bus/train you are purchasing.
