A brief history
Discover more about how WWOOF was started back in 1971, and the origins that shaped our community today.
How it all began
WWOOF started more than 50 years ago and has grown from a small group in the UK to a worldwide community of hundreds of thousands of people today. The founding idea back in 1971 was to allow everyone to learn how to grow their own food, in a sustainable way, through practical experience on a farm.
In a pre-internet era, when host directories came in the form of a booklet and letters were written to request a farm visit, national WWOOF groups grew gradually in more and more countries on a national basis. However, all of them shared a mission to educate people through hands-on and inspiring cultural exchanges and support local farmers.
After all these years, we are still bringing together people with an interest in organic food and regenerative agriculture. Times have changed, and our movement has grown with the times. However, our mission today is still based on those same founding principles.
These days, you can go WWOOFing in more than 130 countries around the world (and growing).
