farm picnic day
We ran our first Farm Picnic Day last month. We were very nervous. Like, really nervous. It sold out quickly and we closed it down at 50 people, and I had visions of people eveywhere and chaos and children climbing silos and falling into electric fences and ambulances and lawsuits and me in a data entry job in Nowra and Adam in roadworks.
But you know what? It was fabulous fun.
People are lovely. Particularly people who bother to come all the way down here for a bit of a picnic. Lovely.
We set up a welcome tent and gave the lovely people cherry slice and homemade cordial on arrival. Adam brought out some two-day-old chickens for cuddles and then everyone went for a big walk around the farm and had a look at what we're up to. (Our necks, obviously.)
The seriously awesome Tory, our intern, who arrived four days beforehand, who made it a calmer, better-catered event.
kids lunchbox
grownups lunchbox for 2
As they came back past the kitchen we gave them sturdy brown paper bags with lunchboxes full of farm goodness. The kids got a sausage roll made from our chickens, a savoury muffin, a little pot of handmade yoghurt with our raw honey and a chocolate fudge brownie wrapped in paper.
The grownups got our pastured chicken, smoked, in a salad with handmade pesto, and freshly baked bread rolls, spinach quiche, cherry tomato pickles, our suckling pig rillette and a chocolate fudge brownie.
We gave everyone a map of the farm, pointed out the nice picnic spots and left them to it.
No tractors got broken, no emergency services were called, and I think everyone had a lovely time. Which follows, because they were lovely. We struck an absolutely beautiful day and were grateful for it, and grateful, again, that we can share this adventure and this pretty spot.
We'll do it again.
You should come!
Visitors were encouraged to forage cherry tomatos in the kitchen garden
Mmmmm, brownies (I used this recipe).
Well that was fun.
xxx
P.S The final two instalments of Hayden Quinn's Buena Vista Farm series have been released – the farm tour, and the farm dinner, and are both here below:
Bruisemouse
March 4, 2014 at 12:04 amYou guys are totally amazing. You should all be so proud of what you are doing. I am in complete admiration of what you are doing.
I bet you just fell into bed.
Take care (and sleep well)
Jacinta
March 4, 2014 at 12:16 amReally wish i lived closer looked like a great day.
Jodie
March 4, 2014 at 7:50 amFantastic, guys! Always delighted to hear that everything is going well. What a beautiful idea too. xx J.
Mrs Homespun
March 4, 2014 at 8:18 amWhat a delightful way to spend the day! I am constantly in awe of what you are up to!
Ngo Family Farm
March 4, 2014 at 11:16 amOh my, those lunchboxes look ever so delicious!! Congrats on another successful farm event!
-Jaime
Ngo Family Farm
March 4, 2014 at 11:16 amAnd how cute are you all in the videos?! So sweet.
Ally
March 4, 2014 at 12:18 pmSo glad it went so well! You’re doing such fantastic and creative things at Buena Vista – very impressive and keep up the wonderful work! Hope to pop in to the next picnic!
Cheers,
Ally
http://www.happyearth.com.au
Fiona
March 4, 2014 at 6:18 pmWould love to come to the next one! Didn’t manage to see it advertised… an autumn picnic on the farm sounds wonderful! – Fiona –
Robyn
March 4, 2014 at 8:30 pmthat looks awesome. good on you. Such an inspiration.
Kirsten
March 10, 2014 at 1:10 pmAhrg pastured chicken sausage rolls? How did you get everyone to leave?