I now have a whole new appreciation for farmers, gardeners and WWOOFers. Before arriving in Australia I thought that I'd be cut out for hard, physical labor. And I welcomed the idea of tilling the earth and sweating profusely and going to bed sore and tired. But after less than a week of working in the garden...weeding and painting and mowing and picking vegetables/fruit, I've come to realize that it's not as easy or simple as I thought it would be. In fact, I found myself counting down the hours till I could stop. (Lunch breaks were sweet times.)
Since staying with two host families I've learned that there are some WWOOFers who WWOOF across Australia and stay as long as 2 months with a family. I cannot imagine how they do it! And though I respect them for being able to endure the hot sun and manual work, I don't think I'd last.
So, whether it be at a farmer's market or at the grocery store, I know I won't ever look at fruits or vegetables the same way again. Because I know that somewhere someone worked long and hard to plant and grow those crops and it's because of their toiling that I can happily consume some amazing food.
Shout out to all the farmers, gardeners, and WWOOFers who are making our agricultural world go round. Thank you!!
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