Two years ago, fresh home following The Grand Tour, we loaded up supplies and pointed the Homestead Mobile* west to spend the day at the Courtenay A & P Show. As we sat on a haybale enjoying our venison burgers (and a pottle of chips for Farm Girl) we wondered aloud whether the people around us would one day be our neighbours.
This weekend just past, we grabbed our phones and wallets, backed the Farminator (the HM*’s fleetmate) out of the garage, waited while one of us ran back inside to grab a cardigan just in case, stopped half way down the drive to reunite a bellowing Ivy with her blokebaby, averted our eyes from the million jobs that await our attention, and drove the 10 minutes down the road to the Courtenay A & P Show to spend the day among our neighbours.
There we enjoyed a day marvelling at mechanicals
including two of our numbers dream machine.
We were very happy to make it in time for the goat judging
but the wool, grain, and chicken classes had already been decided by the time we happened past.
as had the produce, photography, homecrafts, and children’s entries but by then the photo commentary had all but ceased. Curse the gossipy photographer who will always prioritize passing the time of day with neighbours over documenting the very cool Show Champion Quilt (sorry, it was very, very pretty).
Farm Girl had a prearranged meeting with the Kirwee Kid and the two of them wandered off to invest a bit of egg money in Chair-o-plane rides, balloon animals (one which rapidly unravelled in the way these things often do), and essential sustenance
to be tracked down (via cellphone) taking in The Grand Parade from prime seats.
Truly, an awesome day was had by all. We came home exhausted, enthusiastic (surely our silverbeet was better than at least second and third places?!), energised for the upcoming chores, and essentially elated to be part of such a honest, real, community.
Our elation continued into this week as we welcomed another Homesteader
Yep, not a bad week, all in all.
Union Homestead 
I am sure your silverbeet would have come home with a certificate but you can’t win it if you are not in it as they say, and shows are the spiritual home of those who like to be organised above all. Be happy as a spectator.
Fine advise!! I am way better suited as a spectator in this situation; the stakes are way too high😊
Excellent photographs illustrating an interesting commentary.
Thanks😊
So…Is it your ambition to one day be in the judging ring with your handsome or beautiful goat or sheep?
I dream of being knowledgable enough…or at least confident enough…to do so. We are such newbies at this game!
What a wonderful day out! Getting away from the chores can sometimes be a very good thing indeed 🙂
Most definitely, Clare, a good day out is great way to charge up the batteries 😊
🙂
I love days like that so many toys to see in so little time. exhaustive fun. Great photos, I’ll have the little white nose tractor on the end please.. Thankyou for sharing your Goat journey gives me joy till we are ready to start our goat journey again. Have a great week.
Thanks! Goats are one of life’s utter joys and a perfect lesson in remaining humble 🤣