Photographer captures the essence of an organic learning farm in Florida

Thanks to Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, Jake Stangel spent two weeks working with his hands, tilling some land — and taking some amazing photographs.

By Good MagazineFri, Feb 19 2010 at 2:25 PM EST

ON THE FARM: Bringing sheep to pasture, early morning. (Photo: Jake Stangel)

In an effort to escape the hustle and bustle of his urban life, photographer Jake Stangel contacted Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. WWOOF, as it's more commonly known, links volunteers with organic farmers to "promote an educational exchange, and build a global community conscious of ecological farming practices." WWOOF connected Stangel with a couple who operate an organic farm in Central Florida, where he spent two weeks learning how to work with his hands and till some land.

"I had this desire to leave the urban environment, to ditch the computer and the phone" says Stangel, who lives in Portland, Ore. "I got to work a handful of other people — to use my hands and power tools — on this beautiful farm in the middle of nowhere."

He may have left the computer at home, but he brought his camera with him, and he documented his work with remarkable imagery. What follows is a selection from Jake Stangel's "Florida Farming."