Gundungurra Country - Dalton NSW

The inaugural Forage & Fodder event by Will & Russ kicked off last September at Lilstan Farm.

For Min Byrnes, it was a long held dream that had finally been realised, and for myself it was an opportunity to be part of a truly fantastic collaborative project. During the winter Min gathered her creative brains trust and between us we came up with a plan for a foraging tour, wreath workshop and long table lunch.

The day of the event arrived and so too some ominous weather. In the wee hours of the morning on my way to Lilstan Farm, I encountered an abrupt and unexpected hail storm which brought me to a sliding halt. The road was covered in a foot of ice so I sat it out as hail hammered the car. No sooner had the storm hit than it was gone again. I slowly inched my way along the slippery road toward the village of Gundaroo where all evidence of nature's fury promptly disappeared. The rest of the journey was unremarkable and I was so relieved upon arrival in Dalton to find the storm had completely missed Min's farm.

At 10am guests arrived and got to know each other over morning tea then Min gave everyone a warm welcome and we set off on a walking tour of the farm. By this time the sun was shining and the farm practically sparkled from the recent rains. The frogs were raucously singing as we tromped past the dam and through the paddocks. We gathered by a grove of trees to listen to Min share her tips about the art of foraging and how to look for the beauty in what surrounds us. I loved listening to the conversations that stemmed from this...the joy of discovering unexpected gems that you just know you have to bring home...how satisfying it is to make something from foraged finds.

With baskets full of foliage and a hearty appetite from our walk, the group sat down to a long table lunch and fell into easy conversation while feasting on home grown produce. After lunch, Min gave a tutorial in the garden on decorating wreaths using a variety of foliage, lichen covered twigs, dried oranges, feathers and twine. I watched everyone immersing themselves in the beautiful atmosphere of Lilstan, all their cares were set aside as they began creating fabulous wreaths of their own. When the wreaths were completed, Min took everyone up to the wool shed for a shearing demo by Min's husband Terry, then we rounded off the afternoon sitting in the garden with coffee and brownies. Everyone headed home with a gorgeous Will & Russ goodie bag, their wreaths and more treasures from the Will & Russ pop up store...as well as a new network of friends and a head full of inspired ideas.

Huge thanks to Lisa Garrett who assisted on the day and all the locals who contributed to the event. Biggest thanks to Min for inviting me to be part of this project. It really was the loveliest day and such a pleasure to capture with my camera. Can't wait to do it all again in Autumn. Xx