groundspring network

If you are intrigued by a career working on the land in a sustainable way, but lack the experience to enroll on a course or apprenticeship, then volunteering is the cheapest and most diverse way to get skills and references you may need to start out.

WWOOF

WWOOF stands for WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and that's exactly what it offers. A global volunteer scheme, each member country has a directory of farms and smallholders who welcome inexperienced helping hands in exchange for room and board. The number of hours of work they expect a week, the duration of the stay, and the number of "wwoofers" on site at any one time varies between hosts, as does the quality of supervision and support they give and the knowledge they have. 

Access to contact details for hosts on the WWOOF UK directory costs around £20 a year, but you can view the farms' blurbs about the work their wwoofers get to do without signing up. Hosts tend to get booked up early in summer and around special events like lambing so make your enquiries in advance. Other international work-for-keep directories like helpx and workaway have been created with hosts that include, but are not specific to, land-work, and also the free directory POOSH exists for sustainable building projects. 

If you've worked out what kind of work you'd like to concentrate on, and want to step up your skills and experience in that area, then consider staying with one host for a prolonged period of time, for example a whole growing season on one of the commercial farms in the listings. Some listings offer longer-term trainee placements on their farms and holdings. It helps to have a discussion with your potential host so you are both clear about what you want to get from a longer commitment. 
 

LOCAL LAND WORKERS

Go and have a chat with your local farmer! Approach them on the farm drive, at farmers' markets or over the web. They might welcome you on to the farm to learn by helping, or could point you in the right direction for local support groups and networks. 

CSA's and CITY FARMS 
Many urban areas now host small farms on unused land in, or on the edges of, towns and cities. They are also often host to CSA's - Community Supported Agriculture projects where the local community get involved through "ownership or investment in the farm or business, sharing the costs of production, accepting a share in the harvest or providing labour". You can find a list of your local CSA's here, and a list of your local city farms and community gardens here.