As someone who wants to travel on a budget, I scoured the web for ways to make that happen and a few years back, I stumbled upon WWOOFing.WWOOFing is an acronym for Worldwide Workers on Organic Farms; by becoming a member, one is able to connect to over thousands of organic host farms all over the world who in return for volunteer work give you a place to stay and food (although this varies on the farm).

I had my mind set on one particular farm in specific—Moon Valley Organics in Washington state. So, with only a deep interest in herbalism and nutrition and no experience in farming, I made plans with the host family a few months in advance and booked the flight.

For the next three weeks, I would learn the basic tasks of farming, live in a green VW camper, and soak up the magic of the evergreen state. It’s easy to romanticize it all when looking back, but the work was never easy. There were two other volunteers during my time there; our job consisted of planting, weeding and harvesting herbs that would later be used to create skincare products. We also tended to the communal garden where we’d pick the endless varieties of leafy greens for salads and plucked the raspberry bushes.

The first week was the hardest; my lower back constantly hurt from hunching over the calendula and chamomile fields and even though the weather was in the low 70’s every day when there wasn’t a breeze, the sun was grueling. But, over time, I got used to the discomfort and my muscles quickly got used to the demands of the day.

At times, the farm work turned into a meditative experience as my tangled thoughts were eased with the repetitive motions of my hands. Or the soft rustling of the wheat. Or the sound of cold, wet soil under my rain boots. It was in those small moments that are easily overlooked in the endless bustle of everyday life that I found a kind of peace I had never felt before.

I was also lucky enough to have had the chance to visit Seattle on one occasion in which I went exploring through the many nooks and crannies of the city, spontaneously got a tattoo of lavender, and even stumbled upon the Seafood Festival in Ballard.

But whether it was exploring the city or hiding in the shade and reading a book or hiking amongst the evergreen trees; I made the most of the three weeks I was able to spend in Washington.

I will always hold the memories I experienced at Moon Valley close to my heart: the heartwarming conversations and communal dinners, my hands buried in soft soil, the swallows that would always fly overhead in the evening, the lilac sunsets, the lush mountains that circled the valley, fireweed sprigs in my pockets, and the adventures I had with the other volunteers.

The last night I spent at the farm was one of my favorites. After a cozy campfire and the last goodbyes, I walked out of my camper and sat in the doorway and looked up into the night sky. I could see the edge of the milky way above me. A lone satellite drifting across. The thousands and thousands of clusters of stars that glimmered. It was endless.

And although I had a long bus ride ahead of me and a flight to catch, I wanted to stay up to soak up every last minute. Moments like that were what made the hard work worth it.