Meet WWOOFer Luke Butler
My name is Luke, I am 27 and grew up in south-east England. I wasn’t raised on a farm but in a busy rural area near London where my folks had about 6 acres. As an adult I’ve spent most of my time living in and out of cities & moving around a fair bit. I studied history at university. I have done a variety of different jobs but have yet to settle on a career or lifestyle.
I joined WWOOF as it’s been a fantastic way for me in the past to travel, gain work experience, meet great people, and have a bit of fun. I have previous experience undertaking independent travel and volunteering through WWOOF in the UK, Europe, and New Zealand. It’s my preferred way to travel and a great way to keep active & spend time out in the country whilst also seeing how different people make a living, I have been travelling now for 29 months!
WWOOFing affords more learning opportunities than just hands-on practical matters though so I also look forward to learning about hosts’ hobbies, life experiences, spirituality, philosophies, art, jokes, and whatever else they care to share. In the past hobbies I have enjoyed include rugby, skiing, karate, boxing, and football. Nowadays I don’t have many hobbies due to my unstructured life whilst travelling and tend to take things a bit slower. I like to stay active and get outdoors. I enjoy interesting conversation with hosts, bushwalking, and reading. I am aspiring to get stronger and fitter whilst learning more about the outdoors.
What have you learnt to date WWOOFing?
I have learnt about native ecology, birds, trees, composting, mulching, importance of healthy soils, organic farming, cell grazing, firewood harvesting & processing, basic building techniques, basic animal husbandry, country living, local places & culture… the list could go on
What have you learnt about yourself?
Have learn’t to live, work, and talk with a wide variety of people with different opinions and ways of living – made me more social as a person and appreciative of how many ways there are to live, do things, and see the world. Have done some physically demanding work in adverse weather, hot & cold, and learnt that your limits exist in your head most of the time. Hard work and humour, together with good company, means you can get a lot of satisfying, exciting projects off(on) the ground!
Are you travelling by yourself and have you met any other WWOOFers on your travels?
I am travelling by myself but have been privileged to meet & work with some great people and fellow WWOOFers, ranging in age from 18 to over 60. Been great fun and enriched the experience.
What states are you going to travel to and where have you been?
I have spent a large portion of my time in Tasmania but have also made it up to Queensland. Plan to go to Victoria and Western Australia too at this stage.
Would you recommend WWOOFing to your friends and why?
Absolutely. Get outdoors doing fun, physical work in the open air. Stay with all sorts of people to broaden your perspective. Be humbled by the generosity of your hosts. Save money and earn things money can’t buy. See the areas off the beaten track. Stumble upon opportunities you didn’t know were there. You hear of some people who fall in love while WWOOFing….
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