This is my first time to join WWOOF; I was very excited about it and got a little bit nervous when I got ready to come from Taiwan to here. The best plan was which I can stay in Taiyo Bokujo. 
I will always remember that the milking cows were so huge when I saw them on my first working day. I didn’t know how to approach them at the beginning since I thought they might hurt me. Actually they won’t. I had not had a chance to be with animals or even dogs in Taiwan, which is why I was scared. After staying with them longer, I found how adorable and friendly these cows and Cinnamon are. I have enjoyed taking care of and playing with them very much. It always had interesting things happened here, like a cow escaped and I run after her. Therefore I don’t feel tired at all.
At free time, I tried to make some desserts or special cuisine and Katsu san always helped us to find out the tools… I also like to see Katsu san make desserts and he is glad to share his recipes to me, such as delicious jams, ice cream and yogurt…
In fact, I always expected to eat bread with Katsu’s jam for breakfast everyday.
They are all so yummy. Then if the weather is nice, I will ride the bicycle which Katsu san lent me. Here is suitable for biking and adventure somewhere.
I also appreciated Katsu san very much even if we didn’t talk much. I have realized more about him from my sister and WWOOFer’s notebooks. I felt he always treated WWOOFers as his family and was glad to share everything to us. The thing which makes me most impressed is that I always can hear his laugh, which sounds very loud and natural, haw haw haw… Recently, every day had new issues, which made you become very busy, such as cows’ sickness, something wrong with the milking machine, new baby cows… However you were still optimistic as usual. You are a good weather person like the sun, and you affect everyone who comes here. They get happy easily. I am really grateful for living and staying here.
Thank you for giving me the great memory of Taiyo Bokujo. I will miss you, Cinnamon and the cows. Please take care!

　　日本語は下手ですので、言いたい気持ちを伝えれない、まず中国語で感想を書きます。
毎日太陽牧場でwwoofをして楽しくて仕方がない、言葉ができないです。 牛を世話したり、勝さんとwwooferと喋たり、料理を作たり、沢さんデザートを食べたり、買い物をしたり、観光します。太ってたけど、幸せになりました。ここは絶対来る場所で、とてもおすすめです。もう一度来たいです。ちなみに、台湾wwooferへ，勝さんは『月餅』が大好きので、台湾からお土産にしてよかったと思ってます。勝さん、いろいろありがとうございます。
☆★ 不容錯過的wwoof好地方-太陽牧場 ☆★
再一個月就要結束我在日本九個月的旅行了。這個期間，我待在大阪語言學校一個月，在京都的guest house換宿一個半月，之後的wwoof活動待過愛知縣、長野縣、靜岡縣、山梨縣、東京、北海道的札幌，體驗各式各樣的工作性質包括農業、水果園、小餐廳、小民宿、稻米種植、幼兒保育及家事清潔，而讓我最留戀的就是這裡-北海道紋別市，感謝勝さん讓我在即將結尾的日本之行有幸在此wwoof。
　　我認為在分享心得之前必須要先頒發『host模範生獎』給勝さん。為何這樣說呢！？
在這裡，我感受到如家一般的自由及輕鬆，先說說關於勝さん的事情吧！勝さん對待wwoofer極為關心及體貼，如同父親般的照顧大家，因為勝さん是真心打從心底對來自各方的wwoofer抱有感恩的心情，勝さん是一位很可愛的父親，除了有自己的想法，也能夠尊重他人的意見，即使發生小事情也能夠笑得很開懷，永遠傾聽wwoofer想說的話，也給予最認真的回應，想做的事很多，想學習的事很多，這就是活到老學到老的精神吧！！
雖然有些wwoofer可能會覺得三段式的工作時間感覺拖掉了一整天，但不知道為什麼來到這裡每天工作不覺得累，因為每天和牛兒相處和大家相處很開心，我想這和host有很大的關係吧！在太陽牧場常常都有新鮮事，像牛兒生病了、機器壞掉了、牛兒發情了、迎接新生命的誕生、工作人員來幫牛兒修撿指甲…等等。
最開心的事就是料理活動，勝さん常常會製作甜點給我們吃，像是果醬類(牛奶糖、南瓜、紅莓)、優格、起司、冰淇淋(綠茶、紅莓、香草)..超級好吃的、還有親子飯..等一堆拿手好菜。除此之外，還有來自香港、美國wwoofer的料理，大家彼此分享美食，開心得不得了。
另外，在空閒之餘~勝さん也會盡力帶wwoofer去附近觀光，這期間我們去了溫泉、電視塔、體驗零下20度、看了殘餘流冰、去了流冰科學館、看了海獺…等等，這些地方勝さん即使去了很多次，但為了wwoofer還是一去再去。
我渡過了難以忘懷的一個月wwoof生活，即將要離開太陽牧場非常的捨不得，我希望有一天我還能夠再度回到這裡。
ＦＲＯＭ　ＴＡＩＷＡＮ　林婉裕　ＬＩＮ　２０１２．４．１９

Hello all,
初めまして。Alec Weltzienと申します。あまり日本語が上手じゃないし、英語のほうが早いし、英語で書きます。すみません。I’m 25, and I hail from the great states of Montana and Virginia in the United States of America. For reference, Montana itself is about 3,000 square kilometers larger than Japan, but has only about one million inhabitants. It’s “high, wide and handsome,” as wiser minds have put it, and something of that quality is present in Hokkaido as well (perhaps not so high).
So, why I am in Hokkaido at TaiyoBokujo, enjoying the excellent hospitality and eternal patience of Mr. Kataoka Katsunori? I came to study Japanese and live with Japanese. Since the fourth year of college, it’s been my dream to attain a modicum of fluency in the language. My girlfriend Lisa is also half-Japanese, so she has greatly encouraged me to continue. One day, I would like to enter the Foreign Service and live in Japan, in addition to possible doctoral work in the Japanese language.
The road to that point started at Taiyobokujo. Regarding Katsunori-san, I echo the others in emphasizing his kindness, generosity, and patience. Since coming here, he’s taken me out to lunch, to the Monbetsu Sea Ice Museum, to the Monbetsu Seal Center, and to local hot springs (probably my favorite stop so far). Katsunori-san goes out of his way to make sure his WWOOFERS are enjoying themselves, even if he has visited the same place countless times.
Farm life keeps a regular tempo. For many of us (like myself) who have worked desk jobs, it’s a blessing to work without a computer and in the open air. In the last month, we’ve seen a calf born and a sick cow sold. The veterinarians visit regularly to check hoof and leg injuries and infections, as well as company employees who perform artificial insemination for Kataoka-san. At mealtimes and in the evenings, we practice Japanese and English, while showcasing the various dishes of our respective countries (so far, I’ve tried Cantonese, Taiwanese, and Japanese　food). There’s usually some Japanese talk-show on the television that I don’t understand as well. I try to listen anyways and pick up a little as I go. By now, Kataoka-san is very proficient at making caramel, custard, ice cream, and jams. We’ve all had the opportunity to make these with him, as well as sample them. And the eggs! Now that spring is arriving, Kataoka-san’s flock lays at least 10 eggs a day. I’ve made quiche and frittatas and am busy searching the internet for new egg recipes.
Thanks to the spring weather, parts of Kataoka’s farm are becoming visible again. I will be staying until the end of May, so I am looking forward to leading the cows to pasture and some of the spring work. I’ll write another update as spring continues to settle in.

F－さん　（いじわるい牛が、好きです）

My clothing is a little too small… ah, life in Japan.

私