Farm 1: A Retrospective

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food. Gen 3:19

I'm almost done at my first farm. Without really having a reference point, I would describe it as "a pretty good experience." There are a couple other volunteers here, and I spent most of my time with them. It's fun meeting fellow travellers.

The work can be a bit dull and a bit difficult - or, not the work itself, but the fact that you're doing it for eight hours a day in 30 degree heat. But there's a satisfaction in working up a sweat, seeing the fruits of your labours, and resting at the end of the day. I guess that's part of the appeal of WWOOFing - the opportunity for young middle class westerners to get a taste of the way our grandparents lived. (Although, admittedly, I do not get up half an hour before I go to bed.)

The Thai labourers present an interesting juxtaposition. We pretty much do the same work, with the difference being that they're here on a five-year contract, working 13 hours a day, 7 days a week. And of course they're migrant workers from a third world country working to support their families, whereas I'm a young college-educated western volunteer, here for some kind of labour tourism. I mean, I don't think what I'm doing is a bad thing. I'm helping out an organic farmer, learning how much work goes into the food I eat, traveling cheaply, meeting people and experiencing Israeli culture. Good deal all around. But ya, it feels weird sometimes.

So tomorrow is my last day of work on this farm. I'm spending the weekend (in Israel that's Friday - Saturday) in Haifa, a northern port city built around Mount Carmel. It's also the home of the Baha'i Faith - the other other other world religion of Israel. Apparently they have some sweet gardens.

And on Sunday I'm off to an Orthodox Jewish goat farm. Pretty exciting. Will I have internet access? Who knows! Stay tuned.