So ive been on the farm for a week and a half now!

In some ways its seems like ive always been here, but the time is going very quickly also! Its strange. I think its because Im working so much and we never really get off the farm so its pretty intense.

When i got here, Catherine was here. It was soooo good to see her. I havnt seen her in nearly 7 months! She had already been here for 3 days and we had a room togther and everything. After she finished work the day i arrived, she got a voicemail offering her a job back in Sydeny. She want the job so badly and was really hating the farm so i told her to go. It is the perfect job for her and she is going to be way happier. So i had 3 days with Catherine and then she left to go back to Sydney. Was pretty gutted to see her go, but its all in the name of our amazing roadtrip we are planning up the west coast!!!!

Sam had tried to explain to me about the farm as best she could, but nothing really prepares yoou for it! We live in a house at the end of one of the (many!!) fields. Its got 3 bedrooms and a joined living room and kitchen. There are also 2 caravans which some of the boys sleep in. There is room for them in the house but i think they like there own space.... plus there was an outbreak of bed bugs before i arrived! My room was bombed and cleaned really well so there is none in mine, but the boys room is a tip so god knows whats living in there!!?!? When i first got to Australia and heard the word 'bedbugs' quite frequently... i was pretty worried but they do get everywhere! Luckily ive not encountered any yet. You'll be pleased (or maybe not pleased actaully) that I am no longer a complete germ/clean freek anymore! Im way more relaxed! You kinda have to be, or you would just be in hell over here! Do not worry though... i havnt turned into a complete dirty hippie!!!!! (Although i havnt had a haircut since ive been here.... and it did NEARLY go into dread locks last week!! HA!)

Anyway..... The family who run the farm live at the other end of the farm and they consist of Julie and Jim and their son John and then there is DAWN! Dawn is Julies sister and she is in charge of the actual picking side of things so she drives the tractors and does all the shouting in the fields! Her and Sam got on well because Sam was a 'good worker' so i think she was quite nice to me to begin with. She is really mean! She screams at everyone and tells you your doing different things wrong every day! After about 5 days i cracked and was cursing her all day. I was so angry that someone could talk to people that way and i really let it get to me, but after a few days i began to just laugh at her! She is just a human being! and not a very nice one at that... so i just laugh when she gives out! Its like being back in school and not being allowed to laugh, so that makes you laugh even more!

In the mornings i pick Leboneeze (probably not spelt right!) which is that white corgette stuff. It grows in bushes and we walk up and down the rows with belts attatched to buckets and knives and cut all the leboneeze off. This usually takes about 2 hours. Then we go to 'the shed' which is where everything gets washed and packed. So we start on all the zucchinis from the day before. they all go in a big tank and then up an elevator and then we sort them into 'cups' (which are little tray things), then they go through a cutter to get a nice straight cut ont hem they they fall into different sizes bays and then we pack them into boxes!! Its VERY exciting! Sometimes ill be in there the rest of the day, but most of the time we'll be out picking something else. Either more leboneeze or squash (which i dont have a clue about?!!?? Its a yellow circly pepper looking thing. Dont think id ever seen one til i came here!) I havnt actually picked a Zucchini yet! The boys do that! Its REALLY hard work apparently! She has threatened to put me on the Zucchini team, but hasnt YET......

I do hate the work, but you've just gotta get your head down and get it done. The days go sooo fast and the people i work with are really nice. I get on well with them all. We're a little Zucchini picking family! Aw! Getting over my first week was the hard part, but now im here and im staying as long as i can. The season is meant to end and the end of May, but there is rumours of it ending early this year, so we are all a bit worried about getting laid off. 2 guys got let go last week becasue there wasnt enough work on. Im just taking each day as it comes. Loads of people here have set dates that they are going and have a countdown until they leave but i honestly dont have a clue how long im going to be here. If we can get other work me and my friend Jess are going to leave in a few weeks just for a bit of a change. Plus we know there is a better deal out there and that we can get treated better elsewhere, but for now we are staying put!

It is now 10pm which is WAY past my bed time!!!!!!

Miss you all soooooooo much!!!!!! E-mail me any goss or photos you have!

Lots of love!!!!!

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