First Woofing

A day on Norman's farm.

7:00 AM wake up, first feed the sheep, then the chickens, and with the animals taken care of, it’s time to relax for a bit. After that, back to bed and breakfast. At 9:00 AM, it’s time to get to work, which recently involved sanding and painting window frames, digging up and weeding the garden, and chopping firewood. At 12:00 PM, there’s a lunch break, usually just a small snack like muesli or yogurt with fruit. Then back to work again. At 4:00 PM, it's time to feed the chickens again, refill the water, and collect the eggs. Done for the day. Around 7:00 PM, we cook together and catch up on the latest news in front of the TV. Then we eat together, and of course, a story about previous woofers (farm workers like me) is a must. Norman loves to tell us about the guests he has hosted and how helpful or less helpful they have been. These anecdotes are part of our daily routine. At 9:00 PM, we wash the dishes together, and then it's bedtime.

The last few days have been exciting and very pleasant and relaxing. Out in the countryside, one can indeed find some peace. However, Norman also showed us his favorite burger place, pubs, as well as the surroundings. Together, we visited the “Waitomo Glowworm Caves” at night – a truly remarkable experience.

The cycle on a farm.

Even after just one day, I noticed the routine on a farm, and it impresses me a lot. You feed the chickens with leftover food, shells, or weeds. In return, the chickens provide eggs and nutrient-rich soil. This soil is dug out and used as fertilizer for the vegetable garden and fruit trees. The sheep are taken to the neighbor’s, and in exchange, you receive meat. In the evening, everyone sits together at the dining table and enjoys vegetables from the own garden, eggs from the chickens, and meat from the neighbor. All shells or leftovers end up in a bucket for the chickens the next morning. This way, one can be completely independent of a supermarket and appreciate food even more than usual.

When everyone participates, the cycle of a farm is like two interlocking gears.

I look forward to the coming days and hope it will get a little warmer.