Last year, I went WWOOFing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms ) at a beautiful organic farm in La
Reunion. With WWOOFing, volunteers exchange their time and work for food and accommodation. I slept
in a cabin in the woods with hedgehogs digging about in the bushes, all different coloured birds
singing in the morning and endless rows of palm trees offering shade from the sun.
For me, one of the best ways to get to know a new place is to work with the land, live with the locals
and share meals together. This is why I absolutely love WWOOFing. It has got to be one of the best ways
to travel. It is a mutually beneficial exchange where everyone involved prioritises people and environment
above profit. You get the time and space to deepen a connection with local communities and nature.
There is a lot to learn and each farm has its own unique way of doing things, depending on the
environment, climate and soil. At the farm in La Reunion we planted palm trees to harvest the core of the
trunk which can be eaten in salads. Before staying with the farm I had only eaten heart of palm from cans
which were nothing in comparison to the real thing, fresh from the ground. When potting up the very
beginnings of the palm trees, I felt grateful to be a part of the start of the trees’ cycle. I was filled with awe
that something so small could grow into something so big and strong.
We also did lots of weeding, which helped me to get to know all kinds of different plants, to be able to
identify which ones we could use as herbs/medicine/in salads and which were seen as uneatable. I also got
to harvest pineapples and guava fruit to make jams which will be sold at the local market.
Of course, not everyone is able to travel far away into the field. The great thing about the skill-share
philosophy behind WWOOFing is that it’s something we can all do from our own backyard. The focus
shifts from money to how we can best support each other in our communities. A fair exchange can make a
big difference in the world.
31. WWOOFing enables volunteers to .
A. get food and shelter for their work
B. travel around La Reunion for free
C. tell the differences between various birds
D. have close contact with wild animals
32. The author found his farm life in La Reunion quite .
A. awful B. rewarding C. comfortable D. difficult
33. The author did all of the following on the organic farm EXCEPT .
A. removing weeds B. planting palm trees
C. harvesting fruits D. collecting vegetables
34. The philosophy of WWOOFing is to .
A. improve local environment
B. make locals live better
C. unite different communities
D. advocate a fair exchange
35. This passage is mainly about .
A. the development of WWOOFing
B. a local WWOOFing community
C. a charming WWOOFing experience
D. the system of WWOOFing