GONE COUNTRY
Always dreamt of trading your city life for country air? Whether you want to create a more tangible existence in somewhat uncertain times, are in search of a more “authentic” way of living (or just looking to put this season’s gingham tops to practical us
TALE OF TWO CITIES
“MOVIN’ TO THE COUNTRY, GONNA EAT A LOT OF…”
In their previous lives, Emily Uebergang and Sarah Groom worked in finance and the food industry respectively, but now they cohabitate – along with Groom’s husband and two kids – on a farmstead in northern NSW, around four-and-a-half hours from Sydney. They spend their days perfecting their produce, selling pasture-raised eggs, kombucha and sauerkraut, and hosting farmstays for those after a taste of the simple life (so, no Grey Gardens reclusiveness here). They reveal what it’s like to make the switch to a place where the grass is always greener.
Peaches have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities and have been credited with reducing anxiety (but leave the stone, it’s poisonous).
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
In hindsight, we were ill-equipped for what was to come, even with a few skills like knowing how to ferment food and build a compost. We’d spent a bit of time volunteering on farms to see what it was like, which is a great way to work out if it’s right for you. But mostly you need an open mind, enthusiastic attitude and willingness to get in and get dirty. Plus a sense of humour when things go wrong! The rest you can learn as you go. LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE FENCE
If you don’t have the right attitude, you’re going to feel crushed very quickly. It’s hard, isolating work at times, and you’re probably going to be wrong 99 per cent of the time. The first months are like learning to walk all over again. It’s still a work in progress and we’re constantly evolving alongside our business. IT TAKES A VILLAGE
We live on the top of a mountain, up a winding dirt road, and the closest town is nearly an hour away. We only knew two people before moving here, but the help and support we’ve received from fellow farmers and locals has been overwhelming. One of the most important things is to really embrace and value your community. IT’S WORTH IT
No two days are the same, and every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. And there’s no traffic!