Field Days’ many quirky unmentionables

Some would say the secret to a comfortable day on the farm starts with underwear.

Toni Adams from Fanny Adams Underwear is one of the more quirky stalls at Central District Field Days in Feilding, the largest regional agriculture event in the country.

The farmers’ paradise showcases the latest and greatest in the rural sector, from giant machinery to stylish unmentionables.

A grandad who has milked cows since he was a young boy could be wearing a bright green pair of owl print underwear, Adams said.

While many of the 550 exhibitors sold tractors and water pumps, Adams focused on the little things. Tartan, leopard print or a more subtle black floral print were just as popular with men as they are with women in the farming scene, Adams said.

The handmade ‘‘robust’’ cotton briefs are ‘‘made for a hard life’’. Not dissimilar in colour to a pair of Fanny Adams Underwear, a giant pumpkin sat at a nearby stall.

The 400kg lump of produce doesn’t quite tower over the tractors, but it would certainly take one to move it. The vegetable, which is large enough to make soup for a year, was carted to the Field Days by fertilising company Agrifert.

Local consultant Neil Crosse said the pumpkin had won a few competitions and was there to show people what fertiliser could do without pumping soil with nasty chemicals.

From the garden to the indoors, Interior Motifs is at Field Days promoting DIY products that can transform old-school chairs into Jon Deere-themed masterpieces.

Owner Jo Bloomfield can be found under a dining table at her stall, making old things look new again. She will be painting away on Friday and Saturday to show people how to use chalk paint on any surface without having to sand it down beforehand.

The chalk paint gave people the chance to ‘‘upgrade and up-cycle’’ furniture, Bloomfield said.

With a rainbow of colours to choose from, furniture could be matched to suit the shiny yellow digger bought at the stall next door.

These stalls are among the 600 exhibitors at Manfeild, Thursday to Saturday, where the agricultured and curious are enjoying the sun, food and even Feildingbrewed beer.