This is not your average school fete! Now that autumn is here, at this farm day there will be the smell of wood smoke from campfires, freshly baked damper and billy tea, tractors and ponies carting kids around, gumboots and hot soup. All this is surrounded by Mount Crawford forest - this is Farm Day!
Why not come to a country fun day in the forest and enjoy the best of what this local community has to offer.
It will be held on Sunday 19th May 2019 from 10 am to 4 pm. The venue will be Chalk's Campground, Mt Crawford which is just over an hour away from Adelaide. Admission prices are adults $10, children FREE, maximum $20 per carload.
At this farm day, you can make some new furry farm friends, look around for bargains at the market stalls. There will be things like pot plants, ornaments, creative crafts, gourmet goodies or sweet treats.
Of course, there will be good old fashioned country food such as a cup of homemade soup or billy tea. Why there will even be a campfire, where you can listen to some of the great entertainment line-up, or just chill out and take in the great atmosphere that this farm day has to offer.
WHAT'S ON FOR THE CHILDREN
Bouncy castle and other kids rides
Prize wheel and lucky bags
Farm Day Trail bags: grab a bag and follow the map to collect your treasure
Pack a picnic and have a feast in the forest
Homemade preserves, pickles, sauces, jams and more
Farm Day port and wine tasting
Handmade sweets and treats at the sweet stall
Wander through the market place
Blacksmith demonstrations
The Valiant Order of Historical Entertainers
Come and try Zumba with Denise
In 1974, the parents and staff of Birdwood Primary School gathered together to come up with a new fundraising idea for the school. As many of the school's families were farmers and farming was going through a very tough time, they wanted to provide an opportunity to obtain money from outside of the local community. They also believed they could offer some country hospitality to the city people and give them an idea of what country life was all about.
And so that is how the very first Farm Day started to be planned!
The inaugural Farm Day was held at the property of Peter and Jessie Ancell from Lucky Hit Road, Birdwood in May 1975 and about 1000 visitors turned up.
Farm Day ensured that every school family was involved in this day. Farming families provided stock and produce or brought their own animals to the day. They were used for rides, display or petting. Those families who were unable to provide produce would spend the weeks before Farm Day baking and making goods to sell. Soon there was a wonderful sense of community spirit established.
In 1979, Farm Day moved to a new location. It went to the property of Lorna and Harold Meier. This became Farm Day's home for the next 16 years, with the final one held there in May 1994.
In 1995, Farm Day was moved to the picturesque surroundings of Chalks Camping Group. The new location within Mount Crawford Forest encouraged people to hang around longer, enjoying a campfire among the trees and the entertainment provided.
Farm Day has been a huge success for Birdwood Primary School over the past 44 years. At these farm days, it is usual to see several generations of Birdwood families who go back to the event each year.
For more information, go to their
website.
