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FARM HISTORY
PATCHWORK PARK BEGAN IN 1994 ON A REPURPOSED SHEEP FARM IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S PRIME ADELAIDE HILLS. MANY YEARS WERE SPENT PULLING OUT CYCLONE AND BARBED FENCING, STAR PICKETS, BUILDING SHEDS, YARDS AND A LARGE ARENA. BY 2017, IT WAS TIME TO CHANGE SOILS; WE UPROOTED AND MOVED TO BALLARAT; (VICTORIA'S ICY WORLD!) TO UPGRADE OUR BUSINESS AND LIVES.
SA STORY
LONG BEFORE KIDS IN THE EARLY 1990'S, SUSAN PURCHASED A 20 ACRE PROPERTY IN BUGLE RANGES (SA). IT WAS A PROJECT; TINY TRANSPORTABLE HOME, HALF BUILT, NO HORSE FACILITIES...
YEAR BY YEAR, IN ALIGNMENT OF FINANCES AND RESOURCES, SHE CHIPPED AWAY ON HER OWN, WITH A DREAM IN MIND OF THE IDEAL HORSE PROPERTY.
BY THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, THIS BASIC PROPERTY HAD BEEN DECKED OUT WITH POST AND WIRE FENCING, LARGE STABLE COMPLEX, AMPLE WATER, LARGE ARENA, (IN CLOSE VIEW OF THE KITCHEN WINDOW) AND MANY YARDS. THE HOMESTEAD, (ONCE LACKING A ROOF!), WAS EXTENDED IN ALMOST EVERY DIRECTION TO ACCOMMODATE SHADY VERANDAS WITH STUNNING VIEWS OF THE SWEEPING AGAPANTHUS AND ROSE GARDENS.
IT HAD BECOME A BEAUTIFUL OASIS BUT IT WAS TIME TO START A NEW JOURNEY...
VIEW THE SALE ADVERTISEMENT HERE
THE MOVE TO VIC
IN 2017, WE UPROOTED AND MADE THE LONG JOURNEY TO VICTORIA, WITHOUT THE HELP OF A REMOVALIST. IT ENDED UP BEING 6 TRIPS BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS, 6 HOURS EACH WAY. ACCOMPANYING US WAS 6 HORSES, 3 DOGS, 2 CATS, A BIRD AND A TURTLE. IT WAS CHAOS!
PATCHWORK'S CURRENT HOME BASE IS IN SNAKE VALLEY, JUST OUTSIDE BALLARAT. IT IS THE FORMER RESIDENCY OF THE FAMOUS SNAKE VALLEY QUARTER HORSES, HOME TO PAM AND GEORGE NEAL. THE PROPERTY IS ALSO 20 ACRES AND BOASTS A 15M X 55M HYBRIDISED INDOOR ARENA, 25M X 65M OUTDOOR, LARGE LOCK UP GARAGE, (INCLUDING COLD ROOM), MACHINERY / HAY SHED, MANY WIWO YARDS, POST AND RAIL PADDOCKS WITH SHELTERS AND ELECTRICS AND ENORMOUS WATER CAPACITY. THE FEATURE OF COURSE IS THE STONE HOMESTEAD, (STONE SOURCED FROM HERITAGE MELBOURNE CATTLE YARD FLOORING) WITH RAKED ROOFS, WOOD FIRE HEATING AND BEAUTIFUL GARDENS INCLUDING FRUIT TREE ORCHARD.
WORLD'S WORST VENISON FARMERS
UPON THE PURCHASE OF THE NEW PROPERTY, WE INHERITED 6 FALLOW DEER, AS THE REMAINING SURVIVORS OF THE PREVIOUS PROPERTY'S VENISON FARMING PROJECT. THEY WERE VERY NERVOUS AND FRIGHTENED; NEVER APPROACHING THE FENCE FOR FOOD OR ATTENTION.
SINCE WE HAVE LIVED HERE, WE HAVE BECOME THE WORLDS WORST VENISON FARMERS, NOT KILLING ANY! THEY LIVE VERY SAFE, ENRICHED LIVES AND COME RUNNING TO THE FENCE NOW WHEN THEY SEE HOME GROWN APPLES IN HANDS FROM THE ORCHARD.
THE DEER ARE VERY VISIBLE FROM THE KITCHEN WINDOW AND ENTERTAINMENT AREA AND MAKE A GREAT CONVERSATION STARTER WITH GUESTS.
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