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Notice ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.08 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 705

[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 741

WWOOFKorea Newsletter April 2024 (1)

WWOOFKorea Newsletter April 2024 More

NewsLetter ㆍ wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.11 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 735

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 1655

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 782

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 748

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 1024

This Month’s WWOOFer

A life rooted in my ground We are conducting interviews with a host every month. Who is the Host of the Month? Here we introduce Mr. Kang from South Gyeongsang province. Linda Choi from Seoul, Korea Q: Could you briefly introduce yourself? A: I was born in the US and had a chance to run a small Kimchi business in Australia and England. As Kimchi was highly favored as healthy fermented food back then, I saw the market potential and had a great experience to challenge myself. In Korea, I mainly worked on business strategy side at IT start-up companies. My curious and audacious personality led me to diverse culture and work experience. Then in my early 30s, I wanted to take a root in my ground and decided to stay in Korea. Q: How did you find out about WWOOF? A: Certainly my enthusiastic personality led me to diverse experience. On the other hand I didn’t know how to look inward as I was so busy spending my energy externally. Two years ago, I got sick physically and got serious influence on my mental health. It gave me a whole new perspective on life and I...

wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 519

This Month's Host

We are conducting interviews with a host every month. Who is the Host of the Month? Here we introduce Mr. Kang from GN_102 GN_102 Kang Chang-guk Host Q: When did you start farming, and what did you do before? A: I moved to Seoul in the 4th grade of elementary school to study and graduated from university. After graduating, I worked at a land appraisal office in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do until 1991, and then I returned to Changwon, my hometown. This sudden change was due to my father being involved in a traffic accident, which resulted in me having to take care of my grandmother, mother, and blind elder sister. Consequently, I quit my job abruptly and started cultivating persimmons. Q: What are the rewards and difficulties of practicing organic farming? A: In the beginning, I had almost no income from farming for about five years. The main reason was that I lacked agricultural knowledge. Initially, I struggled to produce organic pesticide-free persimmons, and my income for a year was less than 3 million won. Therefore, from 1994, I acquired manuals and techniques for persimmon farming through the Persimmon Research Institute. In 2004, I began supplying persimmons to the organic...

wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 526

Farming Begins for 2024

Farming Begins for 2024 Pope Francis said, "God always forgives, humans sometimes forgive, but nature never forgives." We seek forgiveness from unforgiving nature. We are grateful to all who are with WWOOF Korea. We thank the sky, land, water, wind, sunshine, insects, and microorganisms living in the soil, And to all living beings, we give our thanks as we begin to farm this year. Originally, God gave humans antennae called wisdom. These antennae were meant to feel nature and care for all things. However, human greed and poison of this civilization unsensitized our antennae. Still, as we cultivate the soil, our antennae grow back little by little. When it rains after a long drought, our bodies feel refreshed and cool, like a plant. This is the moment when our antennae come alive, in harmony with nature. As we farm, we restore these antennae. We awake to the preciousness of all life. Through the creativity of love, we seek an ecological life, Viewing the world from the perspective of life. Art breaks boundaries, farming embraces boundaries. Art changes the world, farming saves the world. With art, we farm. With farming, we build peace. Farmers and WWOOFers pray...

wwoofkorea ㆍ 2024.04.09 ㆍ Votes 0 ㆍ Views 574