“So, Where do eggs come from?” I asked my 4 year old the other day.
“Woolworths”, she answered without hesitation.
“And what about milk?”
“Woolworths, too”, she looked at me quizzically, as if thinking ‘how stupid is mum!’

I did a brief pop quiz in my daughter’s pre-school and I was relieved (and disconcerted) to discover that my girl wasn’t the only one who thought fresh produce was miraculously produced by the supermarket. Oy, what’s going on with this new generation….?

A Real Working Farm

It was time for a trip to the farm and to learn a bit of reality. I wanted to visit a ‘real’ working farm – one where the kids could experience first-hand what it’s like to grow your own vegetables, milk a cow and collect eggs from hens, rather than shop shelves.

Mowbray Park Farmstay was my first choice as it’s only 90 minutes drive from Sydney and is family run not as just a hobby farm but the real deal. Farmer Blair is passionate about his livestock and shares his extensive knowledge and experience so generously with his guests. The farm spans just over 170 acres and homes a variety of cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, alpaca, chickens, ducks and more.

Visit For A Day Or Stay For Longer

You can choose to visit for a day, which is perfect if you want to get a snapshot of farm-life and experience all the fun farm activities without staying overnight. Mowbray Park also has a number of different accommodation options so you can extend your stay and really immerse the family into farm living.

The Farm Accommodates Large Families And Groups

There are a number of different lodges, which can accommodate almost any kind of configuration of group – with the tiny house perfect for a couple all the way up to Cheddington Lodge, which can comfortably sleep 50 people.

Self-Catered Or Fully-Catered

We wanted to go with the self-catering option, as my kids are pretty fussy eaters, but you could also have a holiday from cooking and choose to go fully-catered where home-style meals are provided in the cosy dining room.

We stayed in the Chapel – which was, you guessed it, a converted church. It had three generous-sized bedrooms (one with bunk beds), a bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and a lounge/dining room with a TV and DVD player. All the lodges are modestly furnished in typical farm-style comfort.

Farmyard Playground

As we arrived, the kids, made a beeline for the playground, which is action-packed and full of unusual equipment for the kids to explore. There’s an old tractor, a vintage car, a couple of stationery motorbikes, climbing frames, an old-fashioned swing and more. They absolutely loved it.

They made friends with the farm dogs before running free to explore what was on offer. It was so different to our busy city life, where our kids can’t walk a metre without watching for cars roaring by. Here, it was tranquil and fresh-aired and boasted so much space, that the kids could barely contain their excitable energy.

Farmyard Fun

That afternoon, we joined up with a few other guests and boarded the large farm tractor for some farmyard fun. Farmer Blair and farmer George took us for a drive-through past the fields where we saw the cattle grazing lazily on the grass. It was sad to see how the NSW drought had affected the terrain and completely drained the lake from water. But farmer Blair has managed to stay positive during this challenging time and he shared the steps he had taken to maintain the health of the animals and the land.

Baby Animals!

First stop was the animal nursery where we oohed and aahed over the adorable 5-day old lamb, named Adam Lamburg. How lucky were we to see such a cute little newborn!!!! He shared a pen with one-month old Billy and an adult mummy sheep.

The kids adored their time in the bunny room, where they got to pat the fluffy rabbits and even found a few eggs in the hen house. (“Oh wow, so that’s where eggs REALLY come from!”)

Feed The Alpacas

Then it was time to fill their buckets with straw and feed the friendly alpacas and donkeys. They couldn’t believe their luck that they could hand-feed these gorgeous animals. What a treat!

Pony & Horse Rides

Next up, the kids got to have a ride on their choice of horses and ponies, led by the farmers. We learnt that horses hated to be patted and liked to be rubbed instead (I didn’t know that!).

The grown-ups and kids 8 years and over can pre-book for a guided horse riding trail ($70 per person for a one hour ride).

It was an action-packed day of farming and the kids (and adults) were elated and ready for dinner and bed.

The next morning we had a hearty breakfast in the dining room, complete with fresh yoghurt from a neighbouring farm, toast and condiments and a variety of hot food.

Milk The Cows

After warming our frosty hands in front of the open fire, we hopped on board the tractor and drove down to the milking shed. There we each had a chance to milk one of the dairy cows – a first time experience for the kids and they were thrilled to discover where milk REALLY comes from.

George then called for volunteers to bottle feed the calves and the lambs. My daughter was lucky enough to be picked to give a bottle to Billy the lamb. The grin on her face was priceless.

So Much To Do

Other activities on the schedule include boomerang throwing, whip cracking and feeding the piggies. No day is the same and it’s all based on what farm work needs to be done that day.

The kids were devastated to leave Mowbray Park and head back into the congested city. It really was pure paradise in their eyes and it was wonderful family bonding time too. I can see why so many families make this an annual visit. I’m absolutely sure that we’ll be doing the same.

What You Need To Know

Address: 745 Barkers Lodge Road, Picton, NSW

Phone: 02 4680 9243

Website: www.farmstayholidays.com.au

Email: mowbray@farmstayholidays.com.au

Adults – $70 – Child (6-14yrs)- $50 – Infant (3-5yrs) – $40 Under 3’s are free

The day begins at 9.15am and ends by 4.30pm. Lunch is included.

Top Tip: Mowbray Park Farm also host birthday parties, starting from as little as $18 per child, including activities and a BBQ lunch.