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It took an entire week for us to master the tricky and somewhat dangerous task of feeding two greedy 200-pound hogs. The skill came with quite a learning curve! Preparing their slop was remarkably easy, even on days when the grain was hard to find and our hosts were uncontactable.
However, the real challenge lay in jumping over an electric fence and wading through a pool of mud and urine, scrambling to reach the troughs while trying to avoid being mauled by the pigs.
Throughout my life, I had a sweet image of pigs, thinking them to be charming, underappreciated creatures—and perhaps they can be, depending on how they are raised. But these massive farm hogs were a different story; they seemed solely designed to bite the hand that feeds them and scream at ear-piercing levels.
Yet, in moments of madness, I found their adorable snorts somewhat endearing, and their filthy snouts made my heart flutter. They had an uncanny ability to entice me, much like the sirens in Homer’s Odyssey, though I knew they could tear me apart given the chance.
This was exactly what I had signed up for: spending two weeks on a small farm in rural Italy while the owners went on vacation. My task was to care for five cats (three of which were kittens), one dog, two horses, five chickens (soon to be four), and of course, the two hogs. What could possibly go wrong?
First of All, What is Workaway?
Workaway is possibly one of the most innovative concepts in budget travel. When I first stumbled across it, I was ecstatic for weeks, spending countless hours exploring the variety of volunteer opportunities available worldwide—some even come with compensation!
Similar to a work exchange program, Workaway is a vast resource that connects hosts with volunteers. Each host family specifies their offerings, the type of help they need, and other important details. Typically, hosts offer accommodation and meals in exchange for 4-5 hours of work each day.
The database is user-friendly, allowing searches by location, duration of stay, internet availability, and various other filters. They even have options for digital nomads, enabling you to work remotely during your stay.
The best part? Most opportunities are entirely free, although it’s worth mentioning that Workaway does require an annual subscription fee (more on that later).
You can choose to volunteer solo, find options that let you meet other Workawayers, or bring your loved ones along. I managed to convince my boyfriend to join me on my adventure in Italy, providing him a glimpse into my somewhat chaotic world—which he handled remarkably well.
My Workaway Experience
Having volunteered on family farms before, I wanted my first Workaway experience to focus on farming. Despite my tendency to idealize various jobs, I believed I could manage because of my love for animals and my previous experience spending hours alone tending grapevines in a Michigan vineyard.
The farm in question was located a mere 50 minutes outside of Rome, in a charming little town called Toffia. It was a picturesque escape, featuring stunning mountains adorned with olive trees and lush vegetation. We arrived two days before the owners left, giving us time to learn the ropes and get settled. The farmhouse was cozy and quaint, offering beautiful views of the valleys below.
Our hosts, Francesco and Bijaya, treated us to fresh pasta made from grains they cultivated, complemented by vegetables harvested from their garden.
I cherished the Italian culture’s emphasis on fresh, high-quality food. Francesco primarily sold grains and olive oil products to nearby towns, and during our first two days, we helped bottle olive oil—an endeavor at which we were hilariously inept, spilling oil like it was water. Our forgetfulness also shone through when we occasionally left the hoses running a bit too long, giving our hosts a reason to worry.
Finally, once we got the hang of everything, the hosts departed, leaving us to manage the farm all on our own.
The Early Days
On our very first day, my boyfriend, Jimmy, brewing coffee, stepped out to feed the animals. I woke twenty minutes later to the awful scent of burning plastic and smoke filling the house.
To my dismay, the plastic parts of the coffee maker had melted onto the stove, and the coffee was destroyed—though thankfully, we were unharmed. I hurried to fetch Jimmy, who felt guilty, and our plan was to hunt down a replacement in Toffia.
It turned out to be a 45-minute walk uphill both ways to the town, which likely sees only one tourist per year. Toffia was a quaint spot with no restaurants, just a small bar and a grocery store—a store that was closed every time we visited, which was frustrating. This left us mostly eating Francesco’s potatoes and whatever vegetables we could scavenge from the garden; we devoured a whole bag of potatoes during our stay simply out of necessity.
To add to our challenges, two needy animals were determined to accompany us on our trip to the market, a dilemma that took us an hour to sort out. Jimmy and I recreated a scene from Mission Impossible, racing to herd the dog and cat into the garage just as I closed the door to keep them inside.
And after all that effort, the grocery store ended up being closed that day, leaving us empty-handed for a coffee pot.
Our Main Task: Feeding the Animals
Our primary responsibility was to feed 15 animals every morning and evening—something we thought would be easy but were sadly mistaken.
During our time there, one particularly impatient pig managed to break through the electric fence when its hunger struck. With a bit of crafty maneuvering, we managed to lure it back inside with some slop and grass, but the pigs were undoubtedly the most challenging creatures to care for.
The cats were the second most demanding, mainly because of their incessant affection-seeking. They followed us around, meowing constantly, especially the kittens, who craved extra attention. They were lovely little furballs that rarely scratched or bit unlike Yoda, the dog.
Feeding them proved to be tricky as some cats would receive more food than others, and we had to constantly fend off Yoda from eating their meals. We also spent considerable time trying to keep these cats out of the house—as they were not allowed inside!
Chickens Are the Toughest to Wrangle
The farm had four chickens and one rooster, all confined to a coop. The rooster was a recent addition and had a nasty, domineering attitude. We never once witnessed him treat the other chickens with respect, a sight that became increasingly hard to bear.
A few days into our stay, we discovered a pile of feathers in the corner of the coop, which we soon realized was from a chicken that had been pecked to death by the rooster. This was not the type of news we wanted to report back to our hosts.
Knowing we had to act, our hosts advised us to dispose of the dead chicken in the woods for the foxes and coyotes and to let the aggressive rooster roam free. They mentioned it was normal for him to find his way to a neighboring coop on his own come nightfall. Thankfully, they weren’t upset about the chicken’s demise; such incidents are commonplace in farming life.
The next task at hand was to release the rooster without letting all the chickens escape—a mission we failed miserably. Two chickens seized the opportunity to bolt outside, triggering a frantic chase that lasted a couple of hours.
In a twist of fate, the rooster never returned to the coop as expected, prompting another extensive search around the property. As evening fell and our frustration mounted, we stumbled upon him perched in the highest tree on the property, right next to the house. How he managed to get up there would remain a mystery.
Other Delightful Obstacles
Before leaving us, Francesco and Bijaya briefly mentioned the wild boars known to roam the area. Having read about their dangers, I couldn’t help but feel worried, especially after dealing with the chaos of our so-called “domesticated” pigs.
Every evening, Jimmy and I took turns taking the trash out and washing the dishes. The trash system in Italy felt quite complicated to us—divided into a myriad of categories (cardboard, glass, paper, metal, plastic, regular trash, etc.), each designated for different days of the week, which meant frequent trips.
One evening, while Jimmy was taking out the trash, he encountered a herd of 20-30 wild boars nearby, grunting away. Terrified, he had no choice but to slowly retreat back to the house, alongside Yoda’s protective presence. In that situation, I would have probably climbed a tree and hovered there for the night!
Our Final Day
When Francesco and Bijaya returned, we confessed our misadventures, including the coffee pot disaster. As a final twist, when Francesco led us to the train station, we found the trash that Jimmy had taken out completely ravaged by the boars.
It’s also noteworthy that they don’t have a proper dumpster; you simply leave bags on a ledge. A secure dumpster lid might mitigate such animal disruptions, but what do I know?
We parted ways with our host family on good terms, despite introducing a fair amount of chaos to their farm. What I learned from this experience is that farms are inherently chaotic, and while they are undoubtedly challenging, they also bring great rewards. I’ll forever miss the animals I cared for there.
Would I ever want to own a farm? No, not at all. However, I would gladly volunteer again just for the unique experiences. One of the greatest advantages of Workaway is the opportunity to explore different experiences without the need for long-term commitments.
The Many Redeeming Moments
During our free time, we enjoyed soaking up the sun, carefully extracting ticks from the kittens (a task my boyfriend was particularly good at), and cooking delicious meals using fresh ingredients from the garden—all thanks to my handy boyfriend.
I also got plenty of work done during our stay, proving that it is indeed possible to be a digital nomad while participating in Workaway adventures. Our bond grew stronger as a couple, and we were fortunate to explore an exquisite piece of Italy that we might never have experienced otherwise.
So at the End of the Day – Would I Recommend Workaway?
Without a doubt! I’ve already planned two more adventures, this time with a close friend. Workaway is undoubtedly the best way to travel affordably and gain experiences you wouldn’t typically encounter.
Reasons to Try Workaway
The reasons to give Workaway a try are truly countless. Beyond being a fantastic experience, it offers exceptional opportunities for cultural exchange.
- Amazing Cultural Exchange: While visiting a country and hitting all the tourist attractions is fun, nothing beats the immersive experience of living with locals and discovering their way of life.
- Budget Travel: Other than our transportation costs to Rome and a few other grocery purchases, we spent next to nothing during our two weeks in Toffia. You can travel extensively on a budget by stacking up a series of volunteer opportunities like this.
- Learning Opportunity: No matter which Workaway opportunity you choose, I assure you will come away with something new—whether it’s a skill, insight into a new culture, or an entirely new lifestyle, learning is guaranteed when you engage with Workaway.
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Isabella Miller is a travel journalist and editor at Go World Travel Magazine. A passionate explorer, she cherishes the wide spectrum of human experiences. She yearns to live it all—from camping in the Great Sand Dunes to relaxing in a saltwater geothermal pool in the Italian Alps. She adores the blend of urban and natural settings, festivities and tranquility, adventure and relaxation. The ideal trip allows for all of these elements to coexist harmoniously. This intricate world is filled with countless stories waiting to be told, and she takes pride in sharing her discoveries with others.
