Helpx vs Wwoof

I often wonder what the Greyhound Bus driver thinks when he drops off all manner of foreign travellers at Nabiac...seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Nabiac isn't the Byron Bay of backpacker routes, but in the last few days we've hosted the United Nations at the farm in the form of Helpx travellers who swap a good day's work for food, accommodation and experiences as they travel around Australia. Some Helpx's stay for 3 days, some for 3 weeks, some for 3 months!

Helpx isn't as well known in Australia as WWOOF (willing workers on organic farms), but according to the travellers who stay with us, they prefer Helpx because it's internet based and allows hosts and helpers to leave feedback for eachother as well, thus helping them avoid nightmare placements and guiding them to where others have had a good time. Likewise for hosts, it's good to have an idea of who's coming and the skills and interests they bring so you can plan some jobs they'll really enjoy. We'll be in the wwoof book from next year, so it will be interesting to see what wwoof converts like best about that program. I think the concept of both is just fantastic.

In the last few days we've had a convergence of wonderful Helpx travellers, with Jade from the UK, Adele from Hong Kong, Ai & Liu from Szechuan province in China and Basile and Sophie from France...add them to our paying farmstay guests from Singapore - and it's been a wonderful few days, great conversation and lots of work (and play) getting done around the farm....oh yeh...and lots of eating!

For more on HelpX, visit: www.HelpX.net