When Melissa Connors moved to a property in Kyneton in 2011, her family realised very quickly they were in over their heads.
At the same time, Mrs Connors found many farmers were retiring off the land, taking their knowledge with them.
Her experience learning how to manage land and stock has inspired a business aimed at helping treechangers learn the basics of life on the land.
This Farm Needs a Farmer held its second field day on Sunday.
"We made the move in 2011. The only exposure I ever had to a farm was visiting my grandparents dairy farm. It was a very romantic notion for me, the reality was completely different," Mrs Connors said.
"I just had this idea, that we’re not the only ones in this boat, there’s a really big movement of people moving out onto rural properties and into our rural and regional towns.
"It’s a bit of an introduction to moving onto a property and what you need to actually take care of when you get there, because it’s just not a matter of looking at the grass."
Fencing, water and weeds were the first things that came up for most treechangers, Mrs Connors said.
It was the same in her own experience. The Connors put six black Angus on their land when they moved.
Once the feed was gone, the cattle just started to walk through fences.
Read more: Award in sight for rural innovator
An encounter with an experienced farmer gave Mrs Connors an idea.
"I’d been watching a farmer walk past my farm gate for a couple of years, I tried really hard to engage him, but he wouldn’t engage with me," Mrs Connors said.
"When we got talking he made the comment that he’s off the farm now, so what else does he do with his farm.
"The thought just went off in my head: how many retired and retiring farmers do we see that move into towns that have all this knowledge that we need?"
Exhibitors were carefully selected at the field day to support the treechange demographic.
Demos included how to split a log, how to strain a fence, and kids activities like digging for potatoes.
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Elspeth Kernebone
Accident brought me to journalism, but every day convinces me again that strong media is more important than ever. After a starting off as the sole reporter in a tiny NSW town, I’m loving the teeming metropolis that is Bendigo. Focussed on health, business and education. Got a tip? Email elspeth.kernebone@bendigoadvertiser.com.au.
Accident brought me to journalism, but every day convinces me again that strong media is more important than ever. After a starting off as the sole reporter in a tiny NSW town, I’m loving the teeming metropolis that is Bendigo. Focussed on health, business and education. Got a tip? Email elspeth.kernebone@bendigoadvertiser.com.au.
