Twin sisters who swapped army uniforms for muddy wellies and shovels
By Hannah Kirkham.
Our why
After a busy summer leaving our jobs, house renovations, juggled with completing a master’s degree, and many car boot sales to clear out the house (oh, the fun and stress!), we drove down to Cornwall in September 2024.
The opportunity to WWOOF was not taken on a whim. As the door on our house closed one last time, that was it – we had officially moved out. It was a strange but welcome feeling. I still remember vividly, even through the (slight) sleep deprivation, smiling as we crossed into the County of Cornwall, with the sun shining and surfboards strapped down tight on top (because the famous Cornish waves were calling!)
This drive didn’t just mark the start of our two month farm venture, but signified an important crossroads in our lives. The farm work would be a two month transition out of employment, but also a springboard into global travel afterwards. We had taken a risky decision to leave stable and purposeful jobs in the British Army, and felt that WWOOFing would soften the transition, as we would still have a sense of structure in a voluntary role. Plus, what better way to humble yourself than doing some muddy, hands-on farm work before exploring the world!?!
The farms
Knowing how scenic and beautiful Cornwall is, we decided to WWOOF at two separate farms in different parts of Cornwall. We were fortunate to confirm stays at each that lined up seamlessly, one after the other. After video calling the owners a couple of months prior, it was clear we would get along and shared similar interests. This was only affirmed when we arrived at the farms, with them welcoming us with open arms and cups of tea!
In terms of what I expected of a Cornish farmhouse, Treganoon House B&B fit the bill perfectly. A magnificent, grey stoned house with a grand entrance, surrounded by leafy greenery, with the sun rebounding off it, it was picturesque in itself.
Alongside the B&B, the family had a fruit and vegetable farm. The sustainable practices Treganoon House adopts to run itself and the farm are impressive. Firstly, the farming for the fruit and vegetables is fully organic with traditional and non-chemical methods to protect the plants. Dinner was always a colourful spread of food on the table that was handpicked that same day. In the garden there is a natural spring that provides all of the running water in the house. Accompanied by solar panels for renewable electricity and a septic tank for household waste, this had to be one of the most sustainable homes I had lived in!
Food production at Treganoon House
The working days consisted of harvesting, gardening, landscaping, dog walking – with a bit of baking, cooking and house chores thrown in for good measure. But before long, our time here was up.
Cornish Lavender Farm again gave quite the first impression. With the proudly standing farmhouse surrounded by fields of purple lavender, and fields with lively sheep, rams, ducks and chickens; it was a countryside haven. Not forgetting the two dogs, Misty and Maverick who would always come to visit me and Holly wherever we were on the grounds – rest assured they’d always bound over with tails wagging. Their favourite part of the day were the morning dog walks on Perranporth beach, running after their toys and into the sea. I have to say it was a highlight of ours too. We also enjoyed exploring the quintessential seaside town of Perranporth and took advantage of the location to surf regularly, ensuring we had our winter wetsuits to hand, as the mornings could get bitterly cold (frost in the air kind of cold!)
Our morning chores consisted of feeding all the animals, and Holly and I normally split this, one feeding the ducks, chickens and dogs, and the other feeding the sheep and rams. For the rest of the time we found ourselves gardening, fulfilling animal management duties (mainly untangling sheep from brambles), planting lavender and aiding the lavender product making process.
What we took from this experience
Farming is hard, it requires a strong work ethic, but is so very rewarding. On both farms, it was eye opening to see the tenacity, teamwork and efficiency required. I like to think we helped with this. By tending to the gardens every day, we gave the owners capacity to focus on their businesses, and helped get those lingering projects in the gardens finally sorted.
It was enlightening to play a part in the farming process, starting with cultivation from the ground, to a product, whether it was food on the table or lavender essence in a bottle. It was also educational to see what sustainable and organic practices made this happen. Holly and I have always been outdoorsy people, so we appreciate being close with nature, and farming allowed exactly that. The sense of community we also gained was heart warming, we bonded with the animals but also the families at each farm. We cherished the family meals we were a part of, and returned the generosity in playing our part in the house.
This experience was enriching, in more ways than I can explain. I will highlight one more point, and that is how inspiring it was to witness such kindness and openness in each household. Complete strangers to begin with, the owners accepted us into their families for an extended period of time; demonstrating trust and generosity I had not seen before. I would like to thank Sara and Kevin from Treganoon House B&B and Tina from Cornish Lavender, for their unbounded hospitality. The values we took from our WWOOF experience broadened our perspectives, helped us transition out of military employment and undoubtedly set us up well for our world travels.
We’d like to give a big thank you to Hannah for writing this article especially for us. We could feel that fresh Cornish sea air blowing as we read it! Hannah and Holly are now 4 months into their world travels, currently in Southeast Asia. If you’d like to follow their journey you can find them on Instagram: @the.travelling.kirk.twins
Photos by Hannah Kirkham
Explore our list of host farms and plan your own WWOOFing adventure here.
Disclaimer: It should be noted that hosts receive guests solely as part of an immersive learning experience, in line with WWOOF UK’s educational charitable aims. Visitors participate in the host’s lifestyle, in order to learn. There is no formalised or contractual agreement and the residential visitors (WWOOFers) are free to come and go at will, so are not considered workers. WWOOFers are absolutely not a substitute for paid labour. Any mention of the words ‘work’ or ‘exchange’ in reviews, articles and other content created by our membership is language chosen by the author and not sanctioned by WWOOF.
