The September story winner of our #MyWWOOFCanadaStory contest, this story from Ian Messum tells about his experience leaving behind his normal life to go WWOOFing. Ian found that by reconnecting with nature he was able to battle his depression and learn a whole host of new things about himself.
Today marks the final day of working on a farm and the start of a new mini #VanLife chapter for myself. I’ve kept the experience pretty quiet on social media as it can add unnecessary pressure and I wanted to ensure I do this for myself, not just for ‘likes’.
After being made redundant in June due to COVID, I made the decision to do what I’ve been wanting to do for years but haven’t had the courage. I bought a car, packed my things up and moved to a farm on a remote island. As you do. 5 weeks later and the experience has left me feeling recharged, refreshed, with a new sense of perspective on how I need to make changes in my life to live a more fulfilling one.
I’ve always had a thing for nature, the wooded scent of forest walks, salty air breezes strolling along the coast, the sound of nothing but birdsong filling your eardrums with beautiful melodies. Any time my depression decided to rear its ugly head, or when an anxiety attack would fixate my body to the bed, I’d always turn to nature to help heal me. This was the main reason I knew that the redundancy was the perfect time to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty, literally.
I’ve tended to chickens and horses, cut vegetables I’d never even heard of, helped kill said chickens for food, and watched in awe as the seeds I planted grew and began taking shape, all while eating the most delicious, farm-fresh meals. I can’t tell you the joy of picking warm eggs from the barn and having them sunny-side up on some homemade sourdough bread, or picking some greens from the field for a fresh and nutritious salad. It’s been one of the most fulfilling and exhilarating experiences of my life.
I’ve challenged myself in ways that I never thought I could and I’m now even more independent. The next month will be spent utilising the air mattress and flat-folding rear seats in my SUV, as I move on to my next bucket list item of what’s it’s like to #VanLife. Judging my tonight’s view, I think I could get used to this.
In summary. If you’ve ever had the pull to reconnect with nature and you see an opportunity to do so, go for it! There’s so little to lose and so much to gain.