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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Matters
Ingredients
Recipe
Nutritional Information
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Recipes for Action
How to Volunteer on a Farm
it's all meonly free recipesmedium term

How to Volunteer on a Farm

Three smiling volunteers tend to the greenery on a farm.
Image credit: Queens Botanical Garden

Volunteering on a farm is a great way to get closer to nature and support local farmers.

Why this recipe matters

While larger, commercial livestock farming operations significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, small farms have a small carbon footprint and offer local communities access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Ingredients

Recipe

1. Consider how you can help.

  • Do you have experience with planting, weeding, harvesting, or composting? These are great skills to help you land a volunteer position on a farm.
  • Don’t worry if you have little-to-no experience, as there are likely opportunities to learn on the job or help out with various tasks.

2. Contact local farms.

  • Visit a farmer’s market, do some research online, or ask your local grocery store if they source vegetables from local farms.
  • The nonprofit organization Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) connects people with farms across the country and world for longer-term volunteer commitments. LocalHarvest is another resource for finding small farms and community gardens near you.

3. Inquire about volunteer opportunities.

  • Be cognizant of the time commitment that may be required for volunteering on a local farm. Some positions may require seasonal availability—such as during the summer—as well as early morning and/or weekend shifts.

4. Be consistent.

  • Before committing, make sure that both you and the farm have an idea of how long you plan on volunteering. For example, it may be helpful to commit to a trial run before agreeing to staff weekly farmers markets for a year.

Nutritional Information

How this recipe has nurtured a community

“I loved volunteering at GardenRipe last fall. It was so cool to learn about how composting works and pack the produce for CSA boxes every week.”

― Oliva C., Washington

Finishing Touch

Being around fresh produce can illuminate the importance of food access, and highlight why it’s so important for people to be able to grow their own food. If volunteering on a local farm inspires you to expand your newfound skill set, consider bringing your efforts home with you.

Invite your family members, neighbors, or apartment complex to start a garden in your community. Epicurious has a great guide for identifying what produce will grow well in your locale, as well as tips for testing soil safety. Just grab a few seed packets, your tools, and some helping hands to get started.