This year is a special milestone for our organization. 2025 marks 40 years of existence for WWOOF Canada. That’s a long life for any organization, let alone one as small and modest as our own. We’re an elder statement compared to many entrenched organizations, such as Google (27 years old) and Facebook (21 years old). Heck, Chat GPT is barely two and a half years old! Marking 40 years, we see this milestone as a testament to WWOOF’s lasting relevance across generations.
But how is WWOOF Canada celebrating? Along with the stories we are telling about the origin of WWOOF, we are running a few small contests where you can get your hands on free WWOOF SWAG. Find more details on our Instagram page, HERE.
As John Vanden Heuvel (Canada’s first Director) writes in his story about our founding, WWOOF Canada operated before the internet became widely available. That’s strange to think about because the web lends itself so well to WWOOFing, but the original host directory was a physical booklet. To sign up, interested WWOOFers would mail their membership fee to the organization, and in return, they would receive the booklet. This booklet contained all the information needed about WWOOF Canada’s hosts, including a description, photos, and their mailing address and phone number.
Thanks to the hard work of Becky Young( Canada’s second Director) in the 2010s, these days, WWOOFers contact hosts online! In fact, this year, WWOOF Canada will be launching its first-ever phone app! No, we may not be on the bleeding edge (we haven’t even thought about building our own WWOOFing AI yet – haha), but we can still look back proudly on the progress that we’ve made in the past 40 years.
But progress has not only been made in how we use technology. Over the years, WWOOF has done more and more to improve the lives of its members and to achieve its mission. A quick way to see the impact we have made is by reviewing the “Experiences” section on the WWOOF Canada home page, where you’ll find countless positive reviews from our WWOOFers.
Yet, WWOOF is about more than just a good time; it’s about growing the next generation of ecological farmers. Through our internal tracking, WWOOF Canada found that out of the hosts who purchased a membership in the past year, 17% were a WWOOFer at some point in the past. In other words, 17% of the hosts who are now sharing knowledge with a new generation about ecological growing and sustainable living started their journey with us.
Through the decades, we’ve nurtured a vibrant community that has only grown stronger with time, actively raising awareness and inspiring others to live more sustainably. What began years ago has blossomed into a powerful, ever-growing community. We are so appreciative of all of our members who have made it possible! Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.