My name is Zoe DeWitt and I am a junior at the Evergreen State College. The entirety of my second year at Evergreen was focused on herb garden care and maintenance paired with community herbalism which is an area of focus that I became quite interested in and inspired by. To continue my learning and work with herbs through the summer of 2022, I decided to embark on a WWOOF opportunity at Moon Valley Organics, an herbal body care company with an organic farm located in Deming, WA, 30 minutes away from Bellingham. This website highlights everything I learned through my experience at Moon Valley.
What is WWOOF?
WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is a worldwide effort to promote organic agriculture, sustainable living, and agricultural education. Through WWOOF, interested visitors are able to link up with organic farmers from around the world and work on their farms in exchange for education, room, and board. WWOOF hopes that these experiences provide individuals with the following opportunities (as listed on their website):
- gain practical skills in organic farming and gardening
- experience rural living while sharing in the everyday life of your host
- further the organic and sustainability movement
- participate in a cultural exchange
Interested in learning more? Visit the WWOOF website here!
Moon Valley Organics
Moon Valley Organics is a farm with a simple mission: “Expand pollinator habitat and work towards a pesticide-free future.” Located in Deming, WA, they specialize in the creation of herbal body care products that are nourishing for the skin as well as protective of pollinators. Other ways that Moon Valley fulfills their mission include education and activism, along with a 10% donation of all their profits to help protect pollinators.
I chose Moon Valley Organics as my first ever WWOOF destination because I wanted to gain more experience working with herbs on a commercial level. I had worked in a very small herb garden on the Evergreen campus but wanted exposure to a larger-scale herbal operation to further explore what aspects of herbalism I am most drawn to. The reviews and overview of the farm on the WWOOF website also created a very inviting feeling around this farm; I knew I wanted to be a part of a WWOOF community for the summer instead of working solo and it sounded like Moon Valley could provide exactly that. Finally, the farm’s location was also not too far from my home, so I felt comfortable that if I needed a weekend away with my family or if the experience didn’t end up working for me, it wouldn’t be a hassle to return home for however long I needed. Moon Valley has proven to be a wonderful introduction WWOOF destination, I am extremely happy with my choice to spend my summer here.
Interested in Moon Valley products? Visit their website here for more information!
Have questions about my experience? Email me at: zoe.dewitt@evergreen.edu
*All photos taken by Zoe DeWitt unless otherwise stated*