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Tag: Hunter Valley

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Tocal Field Days in the Hunter Valley

Cows Were Everywhere

Tocal Field Days

The Tocal Field Days is an annual event held at Tocal Agricultural College in the Hunter Valley. It is an opportunity for suppliers to display their latest products and services to the farming industry. It is also an opportunity for people to display their skills and produce to the general public.

Parking is well set up with officials directing vehicles where to go. Each row of cars is numbered so it is easy to find your way back, unlike some events where you can get lost in a vast field of cars.

Tocal Agricultural College Tocal Field Days
Tocal Agricultural College

As expected, manufacturers of farming equipment had displays of their latest products. There were many rows of tractors and other farm gear.

  • Tractors on Display Tocal Field Days
    Tractors on Display
  • Farming Equipment on Display Tocal Field Days
    Farming Equipment on Display

We were in time to see a cow milking demonstration and my wife was able to fulfil a lifelong dream of milking a cow.

  • Jersey Cow Ready For Milking
    Jersey Cow Ready For Milking
  • Cows Were Everywhere
    Cows Were Everywhere
  • Cows Were Everywhere
    Cows Were Everywhere

We watched a piglet race where 6 pigs race around a track, there was a bowl of food as the end, which they aim for. They ignore barriers and tend to jump fences to get to the end first. It was all good fun and they seemed to enjoy the run. We loved watching them!

Piglet Races
Piglet Races

Llamas

There was a large llama display by the Llama Collective with a number of the animals present. Despite a reputation for spitting, they were all very well behaved and great to pat. There was even a llama kissing booth! A small alpaca was present, and you were able to see the difference between the two. If you are interested, the difference is the shape of the back and ears, with llamas having curved versus an alpaca’s straight ears.

  • Llamas on Display Tocal Field Days
    Llamas on Display
  • Llamas on Display
    Llamas on Display
  • Alpacas Tocal Field Days
    Alpacas
  • Llamas Kissing Booth
    Llamas Kissing Booth

Other Animals

Apart from the usual animals, there were colourful chickens and several bison, which made a nice change to the usual displays.

  • Colorful Chickens Tocal Field Days
    Colorful Chickens
  • Bison Tocal Field Days
    There were even Bison

What Did We Think of the Tocal Field Days?

We had a great time looking around the displays, watching the pig races, patting the llamas and milking a cow. It was a nice way to spend a day, slowly wandering around and looking at the displays.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Balloon Aloft in the Hunter Valley

Balloons Aloft Balloon Aloft

Balloon Aloft


We had an amazing time with Balloon Aloft from arrival until the trip was over. The day starts at 5:15AM when you need to check in. The gate was marked by red flashing lights and people were stationed inside to show you where to park and then direct you to the check in area. To help with the early morning, coffee is available free of charge.
Once everyone is signed in and you are given a coloured sticker for your group, there is a safety briefing and then you are taken to a minibus for the ride to the take off field. This changes daily depending on the winds.
For our trip, take off was from the Cessnock gun club and there were ten balloons from different companies preparing for launch. It was a fantastic sight as all these balloons slowly inflated and took off.

Getting Ready Balloon Aloft
Getting Ready
Getting Ready Balloon Aloft
Getting Ready

We spent an hour quietly floating over the vineyards of the Hunter Valley. The view is breathtaking and the quiet of the balloon ride adds to the amazing feeling.

Balloon over Vineyards
Balloon over Vineyards
Balloons Aloft Balloon Aloft
Balloons Aloft
Balloon Over Peterson House
Balloon Over Peterson House

Landing and Breakfast

After an hour in the air our pilot chose a field to land in and we made a surprisingly smooth landing. We had thought it would be a bit bumpy but instead it was very gentle.

The ground crew were there to meet us having been in radio contact with the pilot. We all helped pack the balloon away and then went back to Petersons Winery for breakfast. On your arrival you were offered orange juice and champagne.

Balloon Coming in to Land
Balloon Coming in to Land
Balloon Coming in to Land
Balloon Coming in to Land

As part of the package we booked, breakfast was included and we didn’t have to wait long before what we had ordered was delivered. This was a great way to finish the morning and we left with great memories of a fantastic experience.

For other great trips around the Hunter Valley,please click here.

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Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle

Worker Bee Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle

Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle

How often have you seen shows on television where people get dressed up in white protective clothes and open up a beehive? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have bees crawling over and flying around you while you looked at their hive? If you do, Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle is a great educational experience that we really enjoyed.

The Hands on Beekeeping Workshop is run in Toronto (Newcastle New South Wales; not the Toronto in Canada). The workshop is scheduled to run two and a half hours, but often goes longer, to ensure everyone gets to participate and all questions are answered. Ours went for three hours and we enjoyed every minute, because it was so interesting.

Bee Keeping Theory

Starting with the different types of hives and their maintenance, we then moved on to learn about keeping the bees healthy and the hives clean of pests. We were shown how the bees build their honeycombs and raise new worker, drone and queen bees. This theory section was fascinating and provided all of the information we would need to start our own hives.

The Hands On Bit

The practical section started with smoking the bees to make them docile, followed by removing the lid. A brood frame was removed and any bees on it removed by shaking them back into the hive. This ensures they are safe during the cleaning process. In order to check each frame with ease you need to put the brood frame on the ground beside the hive. Using a hive tool the frames were cleaned of extra bits of burr comb . Each frame is then taken out Individually to inspect before being replaced. The last step is to put everything back together, being careful not to hurt any bees. Everyone was able to do this and is was incredibly interesting, it was deceiving how heavy some of the frames were when filled with honey. We enjoyed doing this!

With the practical side finished, we tasted some of the honey we had harvested. It really tastes great straight from the honeycomb, because it is so fresh.

What Did We Think?

We had a great time doing something different and came away with the knowledge to start up a hive if we want to. The hands on experience was great, because you were able to do everything yourself.

Bee Hives Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Bee Hives
Bees Entering the Hive Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Bees Entering the Hive
Open Hive Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Open Hive
Worker Bee Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Worker Bee

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