What Is Farm Life Really Like? Real Stories from Australian Farming Families
Wondering what life on a farm is really like? In Malcolm Asks, Farmers Answer, Australian farming families share real stories about growing up on farms, caring for animals, and producing the food we eat.
If you've read The Sugarcane Harvester Song, you'll know that Malcolm is full of questions.
- Questions about harvesters.
- Questions about farms.
- Questions about the people who live and work there.
And truth be told, so are a lot of kids. Children are naturally curious about the world around them. They want to know where food comes from, how farms work, and what life is really like beyond the city or suburbs. If you've ever been asked, "Do farmers have pets?" or "What do kids do on farms?" you'll know exactly what I mean. That curiosity is something I never want to lose. And that's how this series was born.
Why children are fascinated by life on the farm
There's something magical about farm life through a child's eyes. The big machines. The animals. The wide-open spaces. But beyond the tractors and paddocks are real families with stories to tell.
Families who wake up before sunrise. Families who work together through floods, droughts, and harvest seasons. Families whose lives are deeply connected to the land. When children learn about farming families, they're not just learning where food comes from. They're learning about resilience, community, responsibility, and the many different ways people live and work.
Malcolm Asks... Farmers Answer
Welcome to a new series from Malcolm & Maggie's Farm Stories!
Each month, Malcolm asks questions on behalf of curious kids, and real farming families share their answers.
Questions like:
- What was your favourite thing about growing up on a farm?
- What jobs do children help with?
- Do you have any farm pets?
- What's the funniest thing that's happened on your farm?
- What's your favourite season on the farm?
- What do you love most about rural life?
Through these conversations, children can meet the people behind Australian agriculture and discover what life on a farm is really like.
Meet More Farming Families
Every farming family has a different story to tell. Explore more of Malcolm's conversations with the people who grow our food and bring Australian agriculture to life.
- [What Is Life Like on a Sugarcane Farm?] — Join Malcolm as he visits a cane farming family in Mackay.
- [What Is Life Like on a Sunflower Farm?] — Meet a Queensland farming family and discover how their love of sunflowers grew into a farm.
Got a Question for a Farmer?
Malcolm would love your help! Has your child ever wondered about farm animals, tractors, growing food or what life is like on a farm?
Send your question through the Hickory Wattle Press website or Instagram. Malcolm might ask it on their behalf, and a real farming family could answer it in a future post.
Keep exploring, keep wondering, and keep asking questions!
— Cynthia