Daryl was there to meet us for our rather late arrival. His friendliness was great and we immediately felt at home. He is a salt of the Earth type of man - A typical Kiwi farmer. Shearing started this morning (Oct 1 2018) and that is a very big job.Not only is there a lot of work to do in the shed but Daryl makes sure his shearers get a really good feed for lunch & smokos (tea & food). As he was a shearer himself when a young man he knows what a very exacting job it is. Many of us love wearing fine Merino jerseys and who knows some of it could have come from Daryl's sheep. He has a vineyard which looked well cared for and I understand his Pinot Noir has been winning some awards. I think the word "smoko" which is commonly used around New Zealand farms comes from the fact that the break used to include smoking cigarettes.
the accommodation is a lovely room and there is a private bathroom and toilet for guests use. Daryl told us to feel free to use his kitchen facilities which were again very fine. The house is absolutely fascinating. I absolutely loved it.