Our River Cottage Journey



Paul West, myself and pigs at River Cottage Australia


Well,  it all started about ten years ago when we first moved to Murrumbateman,  I convinced The Cook that we could afford satellite TV.  One of, the first show we got hooked on was an English sustainability show called River Cottage.  After watching a few episodes we soon began talking about how good it would be to actually grow all our own food.  A little later the kids went on a scout camp that included a trip to a free range pig farm in the Southern Highlands.

The Cook came home and full of enthusiasm it was decided that we'd find a property and raise some pigs - we'd be just like Hugh.  Ten years along and, we have our pigs, the farm is moving along and we actually pretty much ffed ourselves.   Then one day recently, at work, somebody told me that there was going to be a River Cottage Australia, they were having auditions - that I should apply.  So I did, but nothing came of it and we carried on with our lives.

Then one day I had a phone call at work. Some how, through a friend of a friend, they found out about our pigs and we were asked to provide the pigs for the show.  It was being produced just down on the coast not far from home in a small town called Tilba.

Now, like that wasn't enough, being asked to supply pigs to River Cottage Australia was one thing, but to actually play a small part in one of the episodes was fantastic.  We were invited down to Tilba to have a look at the site for the pigs and meet Paul West the Australian Hugh.   The Cook took down one of her now famous Rhubarb Cakes and sat on the back porch and talked pigs for the afternoon.   Paul is a great guy and very passionate about what he's doing and very conscious about doing everything as well as possible.

We had no idea that we were going to be involved at this stage, but after a phone call from the production people it was pretty obvious.  Bredbo put on the perfect day, the pigs all behaved and everybody was really happy.

But, to top it all off I actually got to meet Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - in person,  as Hugh said, we'd come full circle, me, Hugh and our pigs all at River Cottage.

Don't miss an episode - River Cottage Australia starts on June the 27th 8:30pm on the LIfestyle channel, I think we are in episode 2 or 3,  can't wait.

Canberra Times River Cottage Article