About GoodKaarma
GoodKaarma (GK) is a green business specializing in handmade organic soaps. The farm is also a popular visitor attraction during the summer months. GK offers public workshops in soap-making, and there is a gift-shop and a garden cafe. Please look around this blog to see photos and learn more.
WWOOFing - what to expect at GK
The work is quite varied, from gardening to helping in the gift-shop
and the garden cafe, to packing soaps and labeling bottles. We are not a
typical organic farm, and we do not teach WWOOFers about organic farming
practices. But here you can experience a real green business
specializing in organic non-food production. GK is
especially interesting for those interested in green enterprise/
entrepreneurship.
Accomodation
This wooden chalet is provided for WWOOFers. Please leave it clean and tidy for the next volunteer(s). Toilet & shower facilities are in the main farmhouse.
Summer 2008 schedule
GoodKaarma is not hosting WWOOFers from 23 June to 21 July.
GoodKaarma WWOOFers... please post your comments here.
Read about the experiences of our WWOOF volunteers.
"A soap farm in Estonia huh? What do you want to do that for?"
This was the usual response from most people, including my parents, when i told them where I was off to in August of this year.
It is true to say that GK is not a typical Wwoofing experience. But for someone who wants to learn about ethical business in a relaxed rural environment it is ideal.
It's difficult to sum up exactly the work that I did. The big project was the barefoot path, which I de-weeded and rebuilt back to its past glory (hope baby Boden likes it!) I also built some trellis, a little gardening and helped out in the shop. The work was not set in stone and very relaxed - for someone who had come from an office atmosphere to live and work in the countryside all day was awesome.
A personal highlight was just to learn about the soap-making process. And then there was the dry toilet, which is a truly back-to-basics experience with a great view of the forest!
The accommodation, or the shack as I called it, was grand. A double-bed, a couple of chairs and all the candles a man could need meant that most evenings I was content to sit and read in the open-air. I will be honest...there was a spider but he was nice enough and was an additional companion when darkness set in.
I was also really lucky in that the week I was there coincided with a whole host of parties. Apparently this is not a regular thing but it was great to meet the locals and ex-pats of Saaremaa, as they brought food and cooked up a feast, and realise that deep-down Estonians are really genuinely friendly people.
The same can be said of Steve and Ea, who were brilliant hosts. I learned a lot from them both, especially about organic living but also about other things, like how to cook rice (“Don’t f%%k with the rice” is a message for life!). They made me feel immediately at home, even though they had a young baby to care for.
The only negative point to say about GK is that it is secluded (about 3 km from the main road), which is a pain if you want to explore the island. A car is a must really and I was lucky to have been introduced to some other wwoofers from the Organic Restaurant on the island. The forest in the Northern part of the island was beautiful, and the craters just up the road are well worth a visit. For other details on where to go ask Ea; for where not to go ask Steve, who is very passionate on this subject!
Thanks for a great experience, Tim
Posted by: Tim Ridgway (UK) | 09 September 2008 at 02:45