Jessica Hislop grew up in the small country town of Yeoval, in central west New South Wales, Australia. After finishing her schooling, Jessica moved to Sydney for 4 years for study and work. The contrast between city and country life led her to recognise her passion for the country and at the first available opportunity, Jessica and her husband Ryan moved to Mudgee.

Jessica studied a Bachelor of Agriculture through the University of New England. Once completing her degree and a Wool Classing Certificate, Jessica started full time work at Gooree Park, a farm just out of Mudgee. When spending time with friends and family in Sydney, Jessica was constantly asked to share and explain what life was like on the other side of the Great Dividing Range. Friends were amazed to hear stories of her latest endeavours at work and the farming practices it entailed. From stories of her week in the shearing shed, to her time in the cattle yards and driving tractors.

It was when a group of students from Sydney visited Mr Johnson’s Farm for a school excursion, that Jessica decided to write her first book. The students were having a conversation about the practicality of a windmill . “What does that do?” one student asked. Another student promptly replied “It shows you which way the wind is blowing” (which after reading Mr Johnson’s Windmill you will see is far from its true purpose!).

Mr Johnson is a farmer from Yeoval and is also Jessica’s dad. Mr Johnson has spent his whole life on the farm and now owns and runs the family farm with his wife. Farming is their livelihood. Every bale of wool, every cow that is sold, every crop that is harvested is what they rely on to survive day to day. This way of life and being a farmer is something Jessica wants everyone to know about and to understand. It has an impact on every single person; from the farmers that produce the food and materials, to the people like you and me who consume the final product. Mr Johnson’s Farm book series aims to educate and inform the next generation on the importance of farmers and the incredible role farmers play in their lives.