Elderly man visits Fanny Bay

I just spent 2 weeks Wwoofing for Barbara and Bryne Odegard at Ironwood Farm in Fanny Bay. It was a very rewarding time that will have an even more positive effect on me over time. Outdoors all day, lots of sun, picking, weeding and planting. I finished off most days with a run, a beer and an outdoor shower. We ate outside on the deck, the meals were abundant, the desserts amazing and the conversations with the hosts and other Wwoofers ranged from the silly to the sublime.

Over the 2 weeks, I shared space with people from New Zealand, B.C, Manitoba, Czech and Germany. Everyone had done quite a bit of travelling already in their lives and there were many great stories. Backpackers tend to be a positive, chill, resourceful crowd. Wwoofers are willing to work all day for room&board, so they will always have an interesting life story.

What makes Ironwood special is the hosts Barbara, Bryne (and Barbara's Mom, Oma, a life-force in her own right and the maker of desserts to die for). They have hosted 500-600 Wwoofers over the years, This means that every week or so they introduce another 3-4 people into the extended Ironwood family. People from all over the world, speaking many different languages, with different cultural backgrounds and life experiences. How cool is that? Barbara and Bryne work harder than anyone I have ever met and yet are also 2 of the coolest, accepting, attentive people I have met as well. Their organic farm may get smaller over the years, but I certainly hope that they continue to host Wwoofers for many years to come.

Being at Ironwood is really a life-changing experience. If you are a traveller, you are looking for something. You can find it at Ironwood.

Judy Norbury

I just finished my first week of Wwoofing. It was a very cool experience. Working outside all day, every day, eating healthy, basic food (some of it from the garden), meeting new people, adjusting to life on the road. The last time I did anything like this, I was in Israel working on a kibbutz. Same idea, you work for room&board. Of course, I was a lot younger then and didn't have so many habits. It is good to break out of the slowly hardening mold my life has been in the past few years.

I spent the last few months reading about Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Sahara and have just started getting into India (thinking I might just have to go there). Wouldn't you know it, Judy was born there and had written a book about it. Her mother had moved there with her husband and they had lived a magical life with a big house and quite a few servants. The book was a fascinating read. To be reading about someone's life as you live with them is a unique experience. Both Judy and Ross had been back to India a few times.

It was a great week. Judy celebrated her 60th birthday. Lots of family and friends visited. I joined Ross for his weekly peace rally in Courtenay and really enjoyed helping them work on their property.

The picture above says a lot. Ross is a bicycle designer, Judy is in a wheelchair. A very cool couple.