Spirit of place, of family and of nature: life on a farm in the high country

A few months ago, we reached a milestone 50 ‘hours in nature’ conversations, and we invited YOU, our Koala Eco community, to tell us about your connection to nature. We were beyond thrilled to receive this amazing response, from Koala Eco customer Jenna Watts.  

Jenna and her husband Fergus have a farm called Fernhills in the high country of Victoria. They're focusing on making their farm carbon positive through regenerative practices with their Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified poll merino sheep and the Biodiversity + Carbon project they’re currently in the middle of delivering.

Jenna told us:

I fell in love with your products around two years ago.  It started with the incredible kitchen spray, which led to the hand wash, the laundry wash, the floor cleaner … and now I regularly restock almost all of your products in our home. I love that your products are safe for our home, our children and the environment. But the best part, they smell great and they work (really well)!!

I love reading the stories with like-minded people and businesses that you share on social media. They often inspire me to continue to weigh up the importance of nature in our lives, so I thought I would share a bit about our farm, myself, and why Koala Eco continues to inspire me.

Being in nature with my husband and our children gives us so much joy. Immersing ourselves into nature together is the best thing we can do for ourselves and our kids. Many of our most memorable family moments have been spent in nature, from dinner in the paddock and frolicking in the creek at dusk to summer mornings building sand castles on the beach.

In Victoria we are so lucky to experience the different seasons nature can offer us. Each season is so unique and so too are the experiences that come with them. The freezing cold winds and sideways rain can actually make you laugh out loud when you are in the middle of the paddock and drenching wet! Then there’s the awe when spring arrives, bringing all the rebirth and growth. The hot summer sun encourages us to play in water holes and spend long summer nights outside. And autumn, my favourite, brings a sense of calming and appreciation of the colours that makes you deliberately slow down and enjoy time together outdoors and in nature.

If I were to identify a favourite smell, it’s the smell of eucalyptus, especially after rain.  And a favourite creature? The kookaburra. We have one that sits just outside our home, and it gives me a sense of protection and comfort. I often say to our children: this particular kookaburra is our family spirit animal.

Thank you for making such wonderful products!! You have made such a difference to our lives and our home.