Within ten minutes beef cattle trot up and the couple pours food into the troughs as they pat the animals and inspect their condition.  The 50-strong herd spends the day grazing on the lush fields but this is their special happy hour.  Cow time – and everyone loves it.  Except one of the bulls who looks decidedly bad-tempered.

 

“He’s fine, but let’s not take any chances,” laughs Beat as they extricate themselves from the herd and move over to the safety of the other side of the gate. 

 

Meet Beat van Der Schoor and her partner of 30-years, Dennis Taylor, who are both 77-years-old and who laugh outright if anyone asks whether they’re retired. 

 

“Wouldn’t know what retirement feels like,” says Dennis, whose smile lights up a farmyard.  “This is a 52 hectare working farm, and we work it!  There are never enough hours in the day but we’re exactly where we want to be.”

 

The day’s duties include heading off to the sheep paddock to inspect their flock of about 50.  Millie, the 15-year-old family dog climbs into the ute with Beat and Dennis as they drive into the middle of the field where the feeding troughs are.  It’s sheep happy hour now, and they pour pellets into a trough, even handfeeding a few of them.

 

Then there’s checking on the trees in the orchard.  Apples, peaches, grapes, berries, nashi pears and more.  “We pick the fruit and then cook it and preserve it and bottle it,” explains Dennis.  “That means we’re able to enjoy this fruit all year round.”

 

Walking across the paddocks keeps them fit, and when the weather is warm they also make a point of going swimming on the farm.

 

They also enjoy their own ‘happy hour’.  Sitting on the verandah in the evening with a glass of whatever they fancy, watching the sun set as they breathe in the beauty of their surroundings.  Their view is so spectacular that Dennis refuses to close the bedroom curtain so they can watch the stars at night and the sunrise in the morning.

 

They’re also part of the heartbeat of the community.  When they’re not working, they’re out and about catching up with friends and playing sport. 

 

Beat loves playing golf at the Strathbogie Golf Club.  She and one of her great mates, Kerry Hewlett, chat and laugh as they zip round the course in their golfcart.  “Everyone is very friendly and relaxed here,” says Beat.  “We all end up in the club house afterwards for a glass of wine.  Sometimes we even play a hand of cards.  It’s pretty sociable.” 

 

Meanwhile Dennis plays at the Violet Town Bowls Club and at the Euroa Croquet Club.  He’s mates with everyone there.

 

“We organise our sport so someone is home to do the farming duties if the other one is out,” says Beat.  “It works well that way.”

 

Retired hairdresser Beat says she’s never been happier.  She was a solo mum with three children when she fell in love with farmer Dennis, who was based in Lake Eildon at the time.  “He taught me how to ride a horse and how to farm.  I didn’t know anything about either!”

 

Two of the children live locally and the grandchildren love visiting the farm.  The family even made them a mosaic pizza oven.

 

But although the couple may be hard-wired for farming, it still requires hard work.  Ever practical, Beat and Dennis realise they need a bit of support to make it all happen.  

 

Beat has had a hip replacement and lives with arthritis; Dennis has diabetes and has had surgery for a detached retina.

 

They were both assessed by My Aged Care and about seven months ago opted to go with Uniting AgeWell for support around the home.  “Because we live on a farm and are pretty isolated out here, I didn’t think we would get anyone to come out all this way to help us around the home,” says Beat.  “Luckily this wasn’t the case.”

 

They get help with cleaning the home and the gutters, and rails were installed in the bathroom and on the steps leading from the outside verandah to keep them safe.

 

“It’s comforting to know that we can reach out for more support if our needs increase,” says Beat. “Obviously we want to carry on living here for ever, if possible!”