Where do I want to end up?

Here I am, after many years of dreaming and planning, starting my life over on my terms, on a hectare of land in the southern part of the Barossa Valley in South Australia, one of few areas in the state where there is sufficient rainfall for agriculture. The photo here is of autumn sunrise at the property, one of the bonuses of staying rather than just visiting the property.

Sometimes decisions come easy. Choosing to buy this 'useless' piece of land some 20 years ago was the simple part; getting to the point where I make this my home has taken a much longer path. Back in 2000, I bought this small parcel of land set among much larger farms and vineyards. The rainfall is only 500mm pa and while the summers are typically hot and dry, the altitude of 400m and being some 60km inland gives the area chilly winters. This is really a very good climate for growing all sorts of food crops, if you can manage a bit of frost protection and extra water. While the land continued as only a place to visit from my home some 50km away, I planted it with my idea of paradise - a mixed fruit orchard and an olive grove. I also planted some trees and shrubs local to the area, the most magnificent of which are the giant red gums (Eucalytus camaldulensis) and these I relegated to the perimeter of the block while I decided what I would do with the land long-term.

Destiny decides when you are in tune with what you love doing. There's already been a lot of lessons learned, and mistakes made, but somehow I've managed to still get the beginnings of a successful landholding established with bountiful fruit crops and better pasture. And now of course there is a building for guests and the beginnings of a flower garden - oh joy!