Student uses travel site to learn organic farming methods

Travel is something that appeals to many people, especially students, but sometimes financial limitations can make that difficult.

Helpx.net is a website setup to link together those interested in volunteer work in exchange or housing accommodations and food.

Host sites are typically made up of smaller, organic homesteads and family farms in need of workers for harvesting, planting, etc.

Anna Nickels, an ETSU Sophomore, worked on an organic berry farm in Idaho for a few weeks during the summer by using the Helpx website.

"It's a good way for students looking to cut back on travel expenses, but you still have to worry about getting there in most cases," Nickels said. "You set up a profile and look at host profiles, it has a wide variety of places to go which even include out of the country; it is definitely legitimate, but you still should communicate thoroughly with your host to make sure you are compatible with them.

The site allows people to learn agricultural strategies and practices that they may find valuable in their future endeavors.

For Nickels, the slower pace of life while she was on the farm was refreshing and renewing.

"I woke up with the sun and ate breakfast, then I went to the farm, picked weeds, mulched, picked so many berries, took care of chickens, and learned how to build a fence," Nickels said.

The combination of being able to travel across the country, or even out of the country, and working on what is left of the organic farms and homesteads in the country yields memorable experiences and lessons.

"Like the guy I worked for said... 'You can either build a farm out of poison or out of love,'... I choose love because I believe that what you put into life is what you get out," Nickels said. "This doesn't mean someone has to be a farmer to enjoy producing his or her own food, but an experience like that allowed me to really connect with our basics for living."

Working with agriculture or gardening may not appeal to everyone, but Nickels encourages more people to give it a try before they shut down the idea.

"I think others would find it appealing to pull weeds once they realized how good of therapy it is," she said. "I've taken away so many skills from this...I can grow organic strawberries anywhere now, and  the fact that I know how to build a fence is cool. All of that combined with interacting with new people made for a great learning experience."

Source: Student uses travel site to learn organic farming methods