Travel and Work on Farms

Traveling on the Path of the Sedentary–

In a Biblical sense, the act of farming was the great metaphor for sedentarization.

And thus man ceased wandering, took up the hoe, and walled himself into cities.

In a momentary expression of my new found — though ultimately, temporary — sendentarization, I took up work on an organic farm. I a sucker for the poetic oozing out into life.

Farm to travel around the world

Though through this experience, I know that I am learning skills that I can can take with me on the Road and ply all around the world. As the hobos of 1930’s America and migrant workers all over the planet have readily shown, working on farms is a very good way to earn your keep while traveling the world.

The joyful irony is that I have learned a sedentary trade in a sedentary context that may soon prove to make me even more mobile. The more trades and skills a traveler has under his belt, the farther he will be able to travel.

I have two friends who have been working their way around South America on farms for the past year. They often exchange a few hours of work a day for a bed and three meals. Having these two expenses axed, they have been able to wander long term on  few dimes and a couple scraps of shoe leather.

Organic farms often give food and a bed for work

Farms are everywhere in the world where people eat vegetables, and many of these farms need extra labor for the harvesting season. Thus being, it is very possible for a traveler to masquerade as a laborer and toil in the various soils of planet earth.

It is relatively easy to work the European fruit picking circuit if you can fend off the Eastern Europeans and North Africans — as well as being willing to work for their wages. A good round of the in the continent during the appropriate season would easily supply the travel funds to last out the rest of the year. The old hippie maxim is still viable: make up your bean money on the European fruit picking circuit in the summer then head over to Afghanistan, India, and Nepal for the rest of the year.

It is still possible.

Picking Jobs.com

The organic farming movement has also opened up a new path for travelers who are handy with the hoe. Many of these jobs are a few hours a day in exchange for a bed and a full belly. Though, as far as I am concerned, being able to save money when traveling is just as pertinent as making money.

WWOOF.org

It is my impression that it is very possible to work your way around the world farming: from vegetable field to orchard to dairy barn — from country to country, continent to continent, farms are everywhere.

Working in a foreign country also allows you to break through the tourism bubble with a solid fist, and gives you a straight forward path to meeting people and forming relationships beyond the “where are you from?” barrier.

Travel the world. Work on farms.

Vagabond Journey on funding travels through farming

• WWOOFing in Europe good way to travel
• Canadian Bicyclist trades farm work for free accommodation
• Farm Work for Travel Funds
• Diversity of Work Skills Important for World Travel
• Work abroad and travel employment

Additional resources

• WWOOF.org
• Picking Jobs.com
• Workstay.com.au
• Work Away.info
• Help Exchange