Our adventure starts on 12^th February 2014 when we depart for the first leg to New York City! I’ve never been to New York before but in true Dean style we will be spending the bare minimum in the city before heading out in a Winnebago style motor home for our first wwoofing experience at New Vrindaban. It is a 1,200 acre organic farm producing heirloom vegetables and grain as well as milk from their cows to supply their self sufficient community of the Hare Krishna movement.

With it’s lacto-vegetarian diet and strict rules regarding proper dress (so as not to disturb the monks) it’s sure to be an interesting cultural experience for the feral Dean children and their Atheist parents! We will be working in the 6 acre garden at that time of year and helping inside with chores. I’m hoping to expand my vegetarian cooking skills and also hoping to improve my milking skills if the opportunity is available.

They have an impressive temple and regular programme of meditation and yoga which we can partake in as well as loads of surrounding countryside to explore.

Before we arrive at New Vrindaban we are also hoping to arrange some bushcraft lessons specific to North America to gain plant identification and wild food skills which will benefit us on our journey across the continent. The wildlife is completely different to the UK so we are hoping to be able to tune in to that aspect of the environment early on with some expert guidance.