March 22nd 2002

I get a lot of calls about work on organic farms and I usually refer them to WWOOF sources. But increasingly I'm being asked for information on conventional farms. This week I've included some contacts in Ireland and the UK for seasonal work with non-organic businesses. Would be glad to hear of more job opportunities. See Jobs/Contacts page.

I am glad to post notices regarding employment but I recommend that you also contact the organisation, Willing Workers on Organic Farms at,  www.wwoof.org. The Republic of Ireland does not have its own national WWOOF but if you go to www.wwoof.org/join.html you can join WWOOF Independents. Currently, March 2002, there are 28 hosts in Ireland. You can preview this list on, www.wwoof.org/wlist.html - click on Republic of Ireland.

A web site that lists work on farms in Australia, New Zealand and Europe in exchange for accommodation and food is called Help Exchange and it's free for both hosts and helpers to join online. Find them at: www.helpx.net . There are four Irish hosts. 

For organic farm work in the US contact, www.organicvolunteers.com . 

If you are looking for work on conventional farms in Ireland look up the Irish Farmer's Journal and consider placing a small, Classified Advertisement. www.farmersjournal.ie and email, web@farmersjournal.ie 

Oakfield Gardens, Oughterard, County Galway is looking for a biodynamic farmer to set up a 2.5 acre vegetable garden for a local 'box scheme'. E-mail: juliaschuit@hotmail.com or telephone after 6 pm 091 550202. Ask for Julia. March 2002.

Work Wanted - Oganic farms

American woman, Nora DeMuth, already here in Ireland (March 2002) wants to work on organic farms from late March until August. Energetic and enthusiastic, she would like immediate offers. nora_hamilton@hotmail.com 

Simone Witzel of Rostock, Germany, studying Agricultural Ecology would like to do the practical side of her training on an Irish organic farm. Would be available from January, 2003 for three to four months. Contact, rote.zora267@gmx.de .

Paul Glodowski from Poland would like to work on an organic farm in Ireland from June this year. Email; buli@interia.pl .

Also from Poland, student Joan Matuszyk wants to work on an Irish organic farm from June. Last year she worked on Keeling's Fruit Farm. Email; poziamka7@poczta.fm . 

Feb. 14th 2002. A German girl wants to work on an organic farm in Ireland for four weeks starting this March, 2002. Contact her directly, email; rosina@gmx.le 

Non-organic farms

Ballybin Fruit Farm, Co. Meath, Ireland. Apple picking, 12 miles from Dublin. E-mail: michael.mackle@mackleapple.com. Tel: 01 8256344.

Large strawberry farm in Perthshire in Scotland offers good wages and facilities at harvest time. E-mail: euan@wpbruceco.uk. 

Allanhill Farm on Scotland's east coast can be contacted at, jma@btconnecdt.com. They have 40 acres of strawberries and employ up to 120 workers.  See also, www.allanhill.co.uk. There is 

Withers Fruit Farm, Herts., England.
E-mail: withers.fruit.farm@farming.co.uk. 

The UK has a scheme, Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme - SAWS -  whereby students from Eastern European universities are found work in the summer months. Enquire at www.defra.gov.uk . Also go to Northern Ireland, Dept Agriculture, www.dardni.gov.uk .

 

March, 2002

I've fallen behind in my weekly updates mostly because of  family matters that had to be tended to. Some of these took me out of the country (No. Not to the Cayman Islands!) and I had hundreds of emails to answer when I got back. My apologies to those I haven't answered yet..
I had problems also with Microsoft Front Page - seriously corrupted files - and thought I would have to abandon ship for, what others say is a much more reliable, versatile and creative programme, Dreamweaver. Soon I shall be moving house to a redesigned website, and possibly then the Dreamweaver environment, but in the meantime, problems having been largely solved, I am happy enough to stick with the devil I know. For those of you that have to have your organic news-fix, pay the ante - less than a Euro a week, and get the newsletter from www.organicts.com. For the finest activist information on GM issues with occasional organic stuff, go also to my inexhaustible friends at,  www.ngin.org.uk . 
In the meantime keep coming to the site as changes will be constantly made; I will, for example, honour the promises I made in the current issue of Organic Matters and catch up on various other commitments. If you miss my slings-and-barbs style journalism (that's how one recent emailer described it) use the search yoke above to cruise the back issues. For instructive entertainment try searching for Prof Trewavas or Chicken Shit.