For my farmer girls.

At first impression you look around and see such variance, your curiosity flickers wondering how is it we all came together. This ultimate congregation of dynamite women. Strong, vast in backgrounds and interests. All coming with their vulnerability face-first, searching for the one thing we have deeply in common; a want to love a partner and be loved in return.

It’s so simple really, yet the journey to come you can’t really understand unless you’ve waded through and come out the other side. The combination of dating (yes the same man), a bubble of relatively, the best school camp you’ve ever been on, the energy tank draining every day from hours of digging-deep into the depths of how you feel. Having no expectations, but bringing learned reservations with overarching hope and optimism, that we may find that flicker which makes us want to jump again into the unknown.

Finding love is not at the cost of bringing those down around you - in a television setting or otherwise. There is ample room for letting others be themselves, flourish, be vulnerable. Holding space for them to feel often the exact same things you are feeling.

Finding that true partner that’s suited to you in this world; the chances are slim right? How many people in our orbits do we know that have it that lucky. Let alone trying to find it front of a camera where the odds are literally against you. It’s why I took that chance. It’s strangely no different than reading a dating profile and saying “Fuck it”, then throwing your hat into the ring. I believe each of us did this to open a door, to walk through it for the potential of experiencing our own meet cute.

For me there were two distinct experiences. Living on the farm. And watching the final cut. I think it’d be safe to say for most of us, that’s their experiences as well. It’s a strange thing to watch back. Nostalgic, cringing at your own voice, watching other’s voxy’s, reliving the vulnerability it took to say the thing that felt true. Life happens since and then you’re flung back to the past, like a time portal seeing only snippets of a version of yourself. Even now that version of you has morphed again. Full of growth, learnings and a level of pride, where you want to reach back and give that girl the biggest high five and a hug, all in one.

My experience on the farm was so many things, but ultimately incredibly positive. Being supported by women I hardly knew, finding friendship, crew who strived to bring you out of your shell, patiently listening while you excavated your mountain of feelings. Often times I would get the gift of being asked a question I hadn’t even thought of or pondered myself. Absolutely, it was a hugely challenging thing to do. But it enabled me to expand and also become more confident in the person I already was. What a professional and tireless crew and I’ll always be grateful for their time.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t deeply hurt by the characterisation of my friend Clarette. For someone I know personally to receive such negativity and criticism has been difficult to observe, and I’m not even the person experiencing it. It wouldn’t be in my nature to not speak up about someone I care about. She is strong, brave, incredibly kind and knows her worth. I was (and still am) incredibly grateful for all her support, now and throughout filming, especially when we were navigating our own individual feelings and connections.

Trust me, we are all very aware in future our selves will be served up on a platter ready for commentary, but it’s not the reason we do it - nor do we hope for or anticipate the level of unkindness she has experienced. It’s important for everyone to remember that we are just a bunch of gals, and farmers, real people out there being vulnerable as all hell, trying to genuinely bumble our way through dating. It’s that simple.

I didn’t expect to find such incredible women. Call it obvious but you don’t. Participating in a reality dating show - the ‘goal’ is not to find them. Nor is it a fierce game or competition to someone’s heart at the detriment of someone else. Each of us know this, even though the situation can feel at times it wants to lead you down an alternative path. It felt like an unspoken rule, or perhaps it was just our inherit understanding to support the fellow human next to us. Even with a logical lens, it seemed odd when trying to calculate the circumstance we all found ourselves in. But there was beauty in the grace and level of maturity we exhibited in our dance around each other.

I also didn’t expect to find such beautiful friends. Friends who I cried with, cackled with, flew planes and carpooled endless hours, attempted TikTok dances, borrowed nipple covers, braided hair, substituted ingredients when trying to bake goods (huge found respect for rural communities), pumped up over coffee after late nights filming, celebrated their vulnerability after their own dates. Women where I was privileged to witness their efforts in the fundamentally hard expression; of showing yourself to another.

To Tommy, I know it was challenging for you in many of the same but different ways - thank you for all your kindness and friendship throughout, I’ll always appreciate it.

My farm gals - you know how much I bloody love you. Those weeks are memories of our true experience, and I will cherish them as much as I cherish you. I can’t wait to see where our lives will take us from here, with the foundational bonds we have created.

And finally, if you were wondering, yes I’m an eternal optimist, and optimism will win out every time.

You don’t need to go on a TV show to find love - it’s in every form, everywhere you look and I know for me (and those who didn’t find it)… just around the corner.

Rach