Tocal Field Days 2018 was a big hit with families

More than 20,000 people flocked to the event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to indulge in all things farming. 

Organiser Wendy Franklin said it was the only Hunter event where you could buy everything from a tea towel to a tractor – and everything in between.

“I think it’s the diversity and the big scope of things on offer that attracts people,” she said. 

Read more: Photos and videos from Tocal Field Days 2018

“There’s so many young families that are here and we really love the idea that we are exposing young people to an agriculture message when they are young – to see where food comes from, to see the animals, it’s a great opportunity for Tocal to show what they do.”

She said the fishing clinic had been very popular, with 21 carp caught in the homestead lagoon on Friday alone.

Paterson’s Michael Taylor returned to compete in the billy boiling competition after taking out the win last year. 

He won a heat on Friday – despite a slight wind making it more challenging than usual to light a fire. 

“it was fairly trying to get the fire going, that little bit of wind got in the way and played a part in getting the fire to start; last year I did it considerably faster,” Mr Taylor said. 

“On a fine day without the wind the fire would start a lot quicker.”

Mr Taylor said competitors had to work with the conditions and strategy played a role in the overall outcome. 

He cut the block of wood to make the fire and then cut two large squares to hold the billy. As the fire took hold he built it around the billy. 

He also spent a lot of time fanning the fire to make it heat the billy more quickly. 

“You need to be able to cut the chips fairly small to start the fire and get the billy off the ground for it to boil quickly,” Mr Taylor said.

He boiled the billy in eight minutes during the 2017 competition but on Friday the best time he could manage in the 1.30pm heat on Friday 10 minutes and 51 seconds. 

Harry Ford took out second with 11 minutes and 30 seconds, Antony Brooks was third with 19 minutes and 34 seconds and Andy Dmytryk was fourth with 20 minutes and 48 seconds.

“It’s part of our history, there was no thermos back then so they had to carry a billy on their saddle and when they wanted to have a cup of tea this is what they had to do,” Mr Taylor said.