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

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 favorite 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.

← Older Post Newer Post →

The Intelligence of Slowness

The Intelligence of Slowness

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson A growing body of research in environmental psychology suggests that natural time helps...

Read more
A Designer’s Look at Nature

A Designer’s Look at Nature

An Hour in Nature Kelli Larson moves through the world with an attentiveness to nature, where design and life are inseparable. As the founder of...

Read more
Volume 12: Spill The Tea

Volume 12: Spill The Tea

By Rachel Johnson, interviewing Jessica Bragdon  Jessica is the co-founder of Koala Eco, the family-owned brand behind the plant-based products many of our customers use...

Read more
5 Simple Ways to Reduce Exposure to Toxic Chemicals at Home

5 Simple Ways to Reduce Exposure to Toxic Chemicals at Home

Our homes should be a refuge — but research shows household dust can carry traces of phthalates, synthetic fragrances, flame retardants and phenols. These everyday...

Read more
Micro-restoration

Micro-restoration

“Life is made up of small things. Small things that matter.”— Joan Didion.  Clinical ecopsychology describes something called micro-restoration: small, frequent interactions with natural elements...

Read more
How to Eliminate Synthetic Fragrance from your Home, Naturally

How to Eliminate Synthetic Fragrance from your Home, Naturally

Scent is an ever-present part of daily life — from morning coffee to the cleaning and body-care products we use throughout our homes. But while...

Read more