Our Team

Julia Ilg
Communications and PR

Julia loves to tackle and develop new things. As a self-sufficiency specialist, she has a wide range of training and has been able to deepen her interest in agricultural topics. In addition, there is nothing more exciting for her than contact with different people and their stories. No wonder, because as a studied social pedagogue/social manager as well as systemic consultant, social topics are also close to her heart. The opportunity to build up the areas of public relations and communication at WWOOF came at just the right time. After many years in a management position at a university, Julia took some time off during which she could finally go wwoofing. And now she can combine her passion with her work. Feel free to contact her at pr@wwoof.de for any press inquiries – or if you want to tell your own personal WWOOF story.

Patricia Fuchs
Networking and host liasion

Patricia is a physiotherapist and CSA-starter and loves permacultural thinking and acting. In her free time, she loves to go wwoofing in Germany to get to know new farms and expand her agricultural knowledge.

Since 2022 she has been responsible for all host farms in Germany. In her work for WWOOF, she can act out her love of networking in an optimal way and she is always happy when she can build bridges between folk and farms.

Patricia loves to connect farms and people for a vibrant WWOOF world.

Laura Jousten
Cooperations, donations and projects

Laura particularly appreciates the social aspect of WWOOFing – people from the city and the countryside, different generations and different regions come together and learn from each other. She herself likes to learn new things, loves exercise in the fresh air and enjoys taking part in other everyday activities. Laura finds all of this at WWOOFing. For her, sustainability includes respect for the environment, prudent behavior and living together without discrimination.

She studied political and cultural sciences in Leipzig, Bordeaux, Berlin and Vienna and has worked in an association, at university and in an independent organic food store. In recent years, she has worked in several cultural projects on the topics of social movements and anti-discrimination. She now brings this diverse work experience to WWOOF Germany and helps to ensure that many people can continue to network through WWOOF.

Julia Ostermann
Chairwoman of the Board

Julia lives in Leipzig, but is also often on the road in rural Germany and spends a lot of time pursuing her great passions of movement/dance and nature. The absolute best thing is when she can combine the two (and WWOOF has done that a few times!). She studied non-profit management and works for a foundation that campaigns for the rights of girls and women. As a certified tree warden, she also prunes fruit trees, is active in food sharing and involved in wilderness education.
During her first WWOOFing in 2021, Julia realized that WWOOF is above all an connection. Since then, in addition to WWOOFing alone, she has also attended several project meetings in Germany. Julia is very touched by how different people open their farms and homes to guests in order to engage in mutual exchange. The same goes for the inclusive aspect: everyone can join in and find a place to work, learn and simply be.
How nice that she can now also support WWOOF structurally as Chair of the Board!

Martina Zienert
Treasurer & Board Member

Born as a border crosser in the former zonal border area of the Bavarian Rhön, Martina stopped off in what was then West Berlin and also briefly in Santiago de Chile.

When, in the middle oft he 90s, she stranded in the little village Karnitz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the concept of sustainable development, which was getting approved more and more at the time, made sense to her and renovating as well as setting up the old farm building in Karnitz went along with the idea of a sustainable lifestyle.

Together with her husband Joachim Borner and with many friends she runs the project as a culture-meets-nature space in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. You are welcome to come by: Projekthof Karnitz (external link)

Johannes Walter
Board Member

Johannes has been involved with WWOOF since 2022 and was enthusiastic about the idea from the very beginning. He regularly takes part in farm projects, which provide a great opportunity to meet new people, exchange experiences, and create something together.
Johannes especially values the chance to experience farming firsthand and help others connect with it. WWOOF creates a wonderful link between people, nature, and agriculture, while offering the opportunity to learn more about where our food comes from, how animals are cared for, and what life in the countryside is like. Having spent many years in England, Johannes also brings a strong passion for intercultural exchange. He is equally committed to preserving old buildings and finds it especially rewarding to help historic farms and buildings find new life while protecting their heritage.
With his open and approachable nature, his enjoyment of hands-on work, and his enthusiasm for vibrant farms, Johannes is committed to helping WWOOF continue to grow and develop.

Frank Mindermann
Event Management

WWOOF is Frank’s passion since 1987. This means he accompanied WWOOF-Germany for quite some years now and this has always been exciting and touching for him. His responsibilities have been various: At the moment his heart beats for the organization of WWOOF-meetings, every single one taking place at another host farm with individual projects. What is being created here, far beyond any monetary exchange, is impressing time and time again, he would say, or: “The atmosphere at our events is something you must have experienced.”