“A Year on Our Farm” the book by Penny Matthews

The scene inside an Aussie woolshed at shearing time is as Australian as vegemite but these days not every child gets to see it up close. That is until now - Penny Matthew's latest children's book, "A Year on Our farm" gives a taste of what is a classic slice of farm life:

“Springtime is shearing time. After school Jeff and I go down to the shearing shed to help. Mum brings afternoon tea.”

The watercolours of illustrator Andrew McLean bring to life Penny's experiences growing up on a farm at Eden Valley in South Australia.

“We just enjoyed the whole excitement of it. The smell of the shearing shed and that sort of thing. Seeing the skinny white sheep coming out and being all fat and dark beforehand. It was just a very fun time.”

And fun for the farm dogs too as all farmers on trail bikes knows only too well. But any child growing up on the land also knows that the dogs earn their keep.

“Kelly and Keeper live outside all the time even when it's freezing. They are working dogs. They are not allowed in the house. Kelly and Keeper love riding on the truck and the tractor and Dad's motorbike.

“The sheepdog Kelly is our sheepdog who was the best dog in the world.

“And what made Kelly the best dog in the world?

He was so intelligent. He was the sort of dog who you could say go and get the cow in Kelly and he'd run off and get the cow and bring it in. He would put it in the stall and wait for you. He was a very clever dog.”

"A Year on Our Farm" captures the changing seasons through the eyes of children. It also teaches some pretty basic lessons to city kids who may not know where milk comes from or that the search for eggs can be a hazardous one when a brooding hen is about.

“I was always the egg gatherer so it was very easy for me to write about gathering the eggs. We had a huge chook yard and a lot of really vicious chooks so it wasn't the happiest part of my childhood.”

And over the course of the year the farm family grows and grows.

“The book opens with everybody who lives on the farm. It's just that very select group. And of course, as the seasons come and go the cats have kittens, the chooks have chickens and the cow even has a calf and in the end the family has increased a very great deal.”

"A Year on Our Farm" has been shortlisted for two national childrens' book awards and is available from all major bookstores.

"A Year On Our Farm" - By Penny Matthews & illustrated by Andrew McLean. Available from all major bookstores.