Farmstay Fun
July 18, 2010
It has been a busy time lately with work, kids getting and losing teeth & many sleepless nights so we had planned a trip to regional Victoria to get away from the hustle of the city. Marn organised to go to a farm stay at Alexandra in central Victoria for a couple of nights.
Bags were packed and we were off about 10am, stopping to get petrol and a hash brown on the western ring road. With Ava’s habit of talking non stop in the car on any trip (let alone a long one) it was paramount that we entertained her early to allow us to get through the 2 hour drive. Before leaving I put together a map with her with a number of things that she had to find on the trip. McDonald’s was checked off pretty early and she was able to spot plenty of the animals, farm features and signposts on her list.
Tate man was right on sleeping time but he arched up soon after Craigeburn for a bottle. Marn was able to feed him while I kept driving. It was great to be out in the country again. I had been down the Hume countless times in the backseat as a child when heading to Benalla to see my Nanna and Poppa and our cousins and relatives.
Nic and I would play games, fight, sleep and be bored. It was always worth it as at the end we would have another adventure up in the country. (From this trip it is evident that kids in the city need to get out and spend time in the bush. Totally different lifestyle, away from the noise and the TV)
It is amazing how much you remember of the journey. Particular hills and features are burned into my memory. Noticeably where there was once a side of the road rest stop out of town there is now a service station and Macca’s. The hot dog van that used to be there is no longer.
We turned at the Tullarook turnoff and headed to Yea. Again the scenery went up a notch. Also being a Monday it is a great feeling to not be at work and to be away from the desk. To have time with the family was one of the reasons for the trip. Especially to spend days on end with the kids. Working does limit your time with them and at the end of this trip it is again something to take away and try to rectify.
We hit Yea and decided to have lunch. There was a packed bowls green and although the temperature was cold outside the the sun was shining. Quite a magnificent day.
We baulked at one coffee place for lunch and headed to another. Nice place but we paid for the privilege with $15 pie and salad each (including Ava). Marn was spewing as we really only wanted the pie and they weren’t that great. It did have a nice fire to keep us warm and Ava met the house cat. A big grey cat called Thomas. He was bunched up on a cushioned seat near the front of the shop. My poppa had such a cat on the farm at Benalla. Country cats are big. Poppa’s cat, “Puss”, used all his 9 lives as he was run over by the tractor about 5 times.
Back into the car and only another 20 minutes to Alexandra. We arrived at the farm stay just prior to town (Marn actually got us there with her map reading ability) and drove into the main house. The place didn’t look like a functioning farm but more for kids. Up on top of a hill overlooking a dam and the property. There seemed to be plenty of animals about. Marn jumped out and headed in to get the key. Next thing, out comes farmer Tom with a bottle of milk. He introduced himself to Ava and asked her to come out of the car and feed Lambie. What a great introduction to the farm. Ava was in her element and then was able to show Marn and I how to feed Lambie.
Margaret and farmer Tom we very welcoming and said “don’t knock just come in”. We were shown to our cottage. Very nice. 2 big bed rooms, kitchen, wood fire, gas fire and a big lounge room. Excellent.
Margaret then took Ava’s hand and they were off collecting the eggs - three in the afternoon from the chickens, turkeys, ducks and an assortment of other winged animals. Ava then fed the sheep and Chester the miniature horse. And did Chester have small man’s syndrome or what.
Ava was just getting to terms with the feeding of Chester when he bit her finger. More of a nip than anything and Ava put on a brave face until Marn asked her if she as alright and she said no and ran to mum for a cuddle and a tear. As we walked away from Chester he kicked the fence in anger. Margaret said he was saying “Sorry, please come back”, however I think he was saying, “Get back here with that bread, I aint finished with it yet.”
Later in the arvo Margaret pointed out a little black duck that didn’t seem to hear very well. She said it didn’t respond like the other ducks and they thought she was deaf. We pointed out that Ava had cochlear implants and Margaret decided to name the duck after Ava. We will have to check on Ava the duck when we go back next time.
During the arvo I had the chance to do some stop frame photography. Check it out. My first attempt. I tried to get one of the stars at night but after the first night there was too many clouds to see the stars. And do they have stars up in the country? The sky is totally different to Melbourne. It really is amazing.
At 4:30 we fed the cows (Daisy, Cookie), geese with the backpackers, Ferdinand from Germany, Lucy and Kevin from the UK. Ava led the way and helped out. She particularly like feeding the calves water in their water bottle. Great for her to meet new people and interact in that way. The backpackers help out on the farm in exchange for longer visas and food and lodgings etc. Not a bad gig.
Marn cooked up a cannelloni disaster. She wont mind me saying. We will need to figure out cannelloni when we get home. How do they make the shells go soft? We hooked into the chocolates to get us to morning while we attacked the 300 piece jigsaw. Fun.
The cottage was warm & cosy, especially the bed Marn and I slept in. Heavy doona and very soft bed. It was devine. Wish we could bring it home. Kids slept in our room as well. Not great when they decide to wake at 5am. What can you do? Ava was waiting to hear the rooster so she could go and let the chooks out and Tate was just being a rooster.
I got up with Ava about 6:30 to check if the roosters were up. We could only hear roosters down the road and not the ones on the farm. I thought they got up at the crack of dawn? We walked around the farm until about 7ish when we popped into the main farm house to get some milk to feed Lambie from Margaret. I thought farmers we up at the crack as well? Ava then went to get the girls from another cottage up to get the eggs. Lauren (10 years old) and Heather (6) came and showed Ava what to do. They found a few eggs including a shiny duck egg (which Ava brought back for show and tell at kinder). Did you know you can tell a duck egg from a chicken egg by how shiny it is? They then fed Lambie.
The kids were off to Lake Mountain to see snow for the first time. Ava went over to their cabin for a play and then they came to ours. Sparkly play dough everywhere.
We headed Into Alexandra for lunch. It was very quiet. 5 year old Ava found it hard to sit at the table at lunchtime. Then we headed to Eildon to have a quick look and the kids had a sleep in the car. On our return Ava fed the animals in the pouring rain with Lucy, Kevin and Ferdinand. Marn and I are always weary about Ava getting her hearing wet. But we rugged her up and she headed off into the rain. What an experience for a little girl.
A cold wet night. We decided to head to Healsville the next day. We said goodbye to our hosts and hit Healsville, but it was colder there. The drive took us through Marysville, where we saw the destruction of the bushfires last year. The town is totally different. The layout is new now and the amount of burnt trees is amazing. The regrowth takes the edge off the landscape but it is amazing how bad those fires were.
A fantastic trip and not our last to the farm stay and regional Victoria. Great to spend 3 days away with the kids and strife. For Ava and Tate to see some of our country, up in the country. We will return in Spring.
On returning to Melbourne it really struck me when I went to the front door of our house that it sounded like a 747 was flying straight down our passage way. Oh to have the quiet of the country back.