Published on: 3 May 2013

 



A group of young boarders gained a greater appreciation for life on the farm as they took part in the inaugural Years 7 and 8 Boarders’ Farm Stay late last term. The weekend activity followed on from last year’s Years 9 and 10 Weekend in the Wheatbelt.

Years 7 and 8 Residential Year Group Co-ordinator Jason Lamb said 17 boys spent a night at the Guinness Family farm in Corrigin, home of Tristan (Year 9) and Julian (Year 12). After a three-hour drive from Perth, parents Richard and Chantal welcomed the boys and staff to their wheat and sheep farm. Fittingly, the group dined on lamb chops before lighting a bonfire and playing spotlight around the farm. “Corrigin also holds the world record for the most dogs in a ute,” Mr Lamb said.

In the morning, the boys rose early for breakfast and headed straight to the shearing shed. “The boys helped load the sheep, bailed up wool, used a bailing machine, and watched and had a go at shearing,” Mr Lamb said.

The group celebrated Year 8 James Basell’s birthday at morning tea then were off to help drove sheep in the paddock. “The sheep were very good, running 15m ahead of the boys as they ran behind them,” Mr Lamb said. The boys had a tour of the farming machinery, sheds and equipment before finishing their visit with a spot of yabbying.

Lunch on the farm concluded the farm stay and they piled back on the bus and headed back to Perth – a flat tyre causing a slight delay on the journey home.

Mr Lamb said the inaugural farm stay gave the boys a small taste of what life on a sheep and wheat farm was really like for their fellow boarders. “Some boys come from different types of farms, others might live in town but haven’t really experienced farm life,” he said.

He thanked the Guinness Family for their hospitality and humanities teacher Jasmine Head for accompanying the group.