In February 2024, when WWOOF Canada became a non-profit organization, it also appointed its first-ever Board of Directors. These directors were selected from the WWOOF community and have helped to guide the organization during the past year and a half.
WWOOF Canada has begun a series profiling its board members. This article will profile Louise Hanavan, a former WWOOFer, current WWOOF host, and experienced farmer living near Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
Louise Hanavan (she/her) is President of WWOOF Canada’s founding Board of Directors. She lives and farms with family and friends in Nova Scotia (part of Mi’kma’ki). Louise grew up near Kalamazoo, Michigan (the land of the Council of the Three Fires – the Ojibwe, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi) and has called Mi’kma’ki home for the most recent half of her life.
Louise started her journey with WWOOF post-university as a WWOOFer in Italy and Ireland, where she had a focus on home dairying with goats. She loved the opportunity to connect with people and the land, while learning hands-on skills, anywhere in the world. In 2019, Louise did a stint working for WWOOF Canada as the Communications Manager, and this summer, she is excited to travel and WWOOF with her 11-year-old daughter and to host WWOOFers at her home farm, White Rock Farm.
White Rock Farm is a small-scale family farm with sheep, chickens (meat and eggs), fruit trees, and perennials. They rotationally graze chickens and sheep on their own land and a couple of neighbouring properties, with a focus on soil and animal health. They are not certified organic, but use organic methods and feed. Louise’s husband spends his full days farming, while Louise has an off-farm job supporting public engagement for Nova Scotia Health.
With a Master’s in Environmental Studies from Dalhousie University and over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector, Louise is excited to be part of working with the WWOOF community to imagine and bring to life new opportunities that promote regenerative farming and build lifelong friendships.