Meeting the locals

Call me farmer Jo, and slap an akubra on my head, because we are friends with the local folk now.  Through his keen sense to sniff out any social interaction and a free lunch, Kristian met a local couple who own the rural supplies store and they were kind enough to invite us to a local growers and producers lunch.  The idea is that everyone brings produce they have grown on their own land.  When Kristian informed me of our invite, I was actually really excited and thought it would be a great way to meet some of the locals.  

On the day, however, I found myself feeling odd. Kind of first day at a new school, meets farmer wants a wife sort of thing.  I was getting dressed and didn't know what to wear...like I didn't want to rock up in my 'active wear' because everyone knows there's no gym around the area, but I also didn't want to wear a pair of cowgirl boots for risk of looking 'try hard'.  Anyway, I got over that and just put on a mix between the two. Striped t shirt dress, but with a crocheted vest as if to say "I've come from the city, but I am open to your country ways".  Phew, once that was sorted I was on my way and my thoughts had turned to the fact that apart from children, we don't grow or produce anything yet.  We were invited as the newbies, the ones to watch and learn, the ones who turned up with two bottles of wine and a sick baby.  Upon arrival I could quickly see that this wasn't just a few families coming together for a country pot luck lunch, no, there were even girls in super short denim shorts and RM Williams boots directing the cars where to park.  Kristian would argue he doesn't remember that bit.  I was a little embarrassed when one of the lovely girls came to the car and asked if she could carry something up for us to which I thought about offering her to carry our sleeping child. 

Anyway, we walked into this lovely open barn of tables laden with hessian and pretty little flowers and got talking to the people around us.  I am secretly checking out what others are wearing and judging my outfit accordingly. I got it ok I think, although I shouldn't have been concerned because as I looked over at Kristian I noticed the dust covering the back of his black shirt and dirt over his toes sticking out through his inappropriate farm footwear.  This is ok though because while I was at home standing in front of a mirror deciding what to wear, he was at our property with the bore drillers watching with anticipation as they drilled into the dirt to find water. 

Straight away we get to start sampling the local food, and boy was it yum! I probably got asked about 10 different times what we 'produce' and I just had to sheepishly explain how it was that we came to be there. Everyone was so lovely and encouraging regarding our plans for our land and future and it was really great to meet and talk to these people who each do different things to promote the local area.  I can honestly say that the spread these local growers put on was amazing and I'm so glad we went.  I managed to put aside my insecurities of feeling like we shouldn't be there, due to the slight lack of growing or producing anything off our land, and met some great people and learned a lot about our new area.  I don't know what I was worried about.  

Eliza x

PS: I am pleased to report we struck that water that day!  All that time I could have been telling people we produce...water!