As a German student Edward came to Eulenhof as part of his Year Abroad (2014), developing his language skills and becoming better acquainted with German culture. After a long year sat at my desk at university, I thought spending some time spent on a farm in Germany with Edward would be a refreshing break. It is safe to say, however, that neither of us expected to learn and gain so much in just one month away from home.
The work itself was interesting, varied and pleasantly challenging. The sheer range of vegetables grown at Eulenhof meant that there were plants we had never seen and foodstuffs of which we had never heard, which made the whole experience something of a horticultural education in itself. What is more, working on the farm gave us a chance to experience hard graft (although not too hard – Markus and Ulrike were kind to us!) and a satisfying fatigue in the muscles that was a welcome change from the sedentary activity we were both so used to. I, being a keen sportsperson, was pleasantly surprised by the holistic work-out that was farm life, and I certainly slept well at night!
There were some tasks that proved more difficult – Edward didn’t make friends with the chickens straight away – but overcoming this hurdle was invaluable, and filling a cart with 400 fresh free-range eggs at the end of the day left us with a great sense of achievement.
WWOOFing at Eulenhof was a truly enjoyable experience from start to finish. We were incorporated into a family, a team and a community and we always felt valued for our contributions to the farm. Markus and Ulrike have been the most accommodating hosts we could have hoped for. Everyone at Eulenhof enriched the experience in their own way and I am so pleased to have met them all – Chrissi, Clara, Anna, Andreas, Ihlena and Finn the dog, as well as our fellow WWOOFers from France and America.
Watching Germany win the World Cup at the “Public Viewing” (that’s the German for “Big Screen”) in Waldshut, playing volleyball on Thursdays and jogging on Sundays with the local hero Udo Gabele and the people of Dogern, drinking beer, eating chocolate, trips to the Sauna, driving through the Black Forest, taking trains to Zürich, Basel, Bern and Konstanz, swimming in the Rhein, cycling to Switzerland and back in the evenings, the fantastic breakfasts at the house and the amazing lunches at Sedus, the Dogern Fest, working in the farm shop and at the market, driving the tractor, sitting by the barbecue at night, learning to throw axes with Chrissi etc. etc. etc. und und und, und so weiter – all these things made our month at Eulenhof unforgettable. Try it for yourself!