I Finished My Farm Work!!

After a long 3 and a half months, I've finally completed my farm work!!

It feels INCREDIBLE to be done. This is a moment I've been waiting and wishing for a long time, and it felt so amazingly surreal to drive home with Camilla at the end of our last day, music blasting and with the farm well and truly behind us.

It's been such a strange, life-changing experience.

It's the hardest work I've ever done. I never would have done something like this off my own back.

Some people don't mind the actual work, but generally I hated it...

Now I've reached the end, I'm so burnt out and OVER IT, I literally could not have done another day more.

But what I did like was the people. 

I've met so many incredible people from all across the world, got to know people so well so fast, and shared incredible as well as tough memories with everyone.

All living and working together, chilling in the caravan park during the afternoons after work, and going away for the weekends all contributed to that family community feel.

For me, there were two halves to my farm work. The first half at Grantham and the second half in Gatton.

I spent my first month of farm life at Grantham, the farm workers lodge. I struggled here with fitting in, starting new jobs, and adjusting to the life. I have some good memories of there but really I was happy to see the back of it as I couldn't find my place there.

I envision the 'second half' of my farm work as my time at the caravan park down the road in Gatton. I've been much happier here, and the movement of people in and out of the park has made me more comfortable with the friends I've had here.

I've made really good pals and enjoyed the vibes of the place better.

While I've still obviously struggled, I've been more relaxed and just really leaned into the life here.

I may have met more people originally at Grantham, but I bonded and grew much closer with people at the caravan park.

It's crazy that I feel like I only started enjoying the life/ living proper farm life towards the latter part of my time here.

I only made the strong bonds with the most amazing people towards the end, and that means the most to me as opposed to shallow, small-talk acquaintances.

I'm so proud of myself for doing this, and I genuinely view it as one of the big achievements of my life. It's a big deal for me.

I've grown so much and learnt so much about myself and life.

Some things I've learnt during my farm work:

■How strong I am. How much hard work I can do and how much I can endure.

■Some fruit and vegetables produce something that, when in the sun, burns you. Anyone working on celery would have burns all over them all the time, and I even met people who had big third degree burns because of it. Apparently mangoes do it too.

■There isn't a single part of your body that farm work doesn't affect. 

Your back will hurt from the work that day, your hands will be wrinkled And peeling from wearing wet gloves, your feet will be destroyed from standing up in your boots all day. It's tough, physical work.

■There are always animals of some kind in and around farming. Mice, rats, snakes, frogs, poisonous toads, birds, huge fucking crows, flies, spiders, crickets, every other type of insect you could imagine. I've seen enough dead things for a lifetime.

■ I don't need to fit in with a huge group to be happy. I don't need to be friends with everyone, and sometimes it's actually much better to be very happy on my own, or with one great friend, rather than feeling mediocore in a big group of people.

■ I wanna be busy all the time. Even when I'm doing very exhausting full time work, cooking for, cleaning and looking after myself, I still feel I can't rest and I should be doing something 'productive'. It's something I'm working on.

■Australia is bloody hot (duh) and working outside in that can be torture. Especially when you're in an igloo, which can be 10-15 degrees hotter than outside, meaning I've worked in upwards of 45°C heat. And it's not even summer yet!

■ In order to get around here, you really need a vehicle. We live in the caravan park in Gatton, but even for a tiny town like this it's a 20 minute walk to the shops. (Which you don't want to do in that heat). Australia is so big and really made for driving, so I'm really glad I've got my van now.

And I've learnt so many other lessons that I can't even put into words, but I will carry them with me for life.

Me literally jumping for joy on our last day

I think the reason you make such strong bonds with people during farm work is because we see them at their worst straight away. Normally you might meet someone at their best, in a bar having fun, or when travelling in their element. But during farm work you literally meet them at their worst; hot, sweaty and tired on a farm, depressed and stressed from work. And, if you still like them at their worst, you're gonna love them at their best.

This picture actually makes my heart melt- my two best friends from here, Keiran and Camilla ❤

The shittest part of travelling is having to say goodbye to those amazing people you meet. And this is even worse during farm work, as people leave who you love and got so close to, and you're left still in the exact same place but just without them.

But of course one day we will see them again; most of my friends are gonna see us in Sydney for Christmas!

I'll miss the people, and mine and Keiran's little routine of coming home from work and sitting outside our cabin on camping chairs listening to music as we watch everyone go by and cook their dinner in the kitchen.

It's been my life for the past few months so it's gonna feel very strange but of course amazing to move on from it.

Next up: road trip! Keiran is still working up until Tuesday to earn money, so I'll be here sorting out the van, packing etc, and then we are leaving in Ian the van on Tuesday night!

Doing my farm work in Australia was an incredible experience.

And I never want to do it again!

Shepp x