The Black Forest Project 421: Einfache Leben: My visit to the McCallum Para-Amish family Farm

The family that works together, eats together, and prays together, stays together. – Amish Proverb

Our amazing Twin Oaks Farm visit🌾🐄☀️🐴
Living the simple life can be done with the right tools!
We had the absolute privilege of visiting this Christian families home and working farm, being shown how to do things by hand and embracing life the "old school" way.
From making bread rolls *which were served with lunch, to shoeing a horse, milking a cow, making ice cream *also which was part of lunch, ploughing fields and enjoying a horse pulled buggie ride, it was a day like no other!
I'm so grateful to all those who made this day happen! Thank you so much, and blessings upon you all dear McCallums!

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx84NkihNTt/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=YTMxMzNhZDZmYw%3D%3D

…. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx84NkihNTt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link]

Meet the McCallums, one of Australia's few Para-Amish families

Ever wanted to not just slow down, but jump off the grid? A family leaves behind the trappings of the 21st century to lead a simple, pious life in rural Tasmania.

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-mccallums-one-of-australias-few.html

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-mccallums-and-their-community.html

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-mccallum-family-musical-group.html

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/08/springfield-farm-fresh-produce-mccallum.html

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/11/einfache-leben-mccallums-and-their.html

The McCallum Family in Springfield, Northeast Tasmania, are one of Australia’s few Plain People families. They are actually Para-Amish, meaning newer, similar Christian groups that adopt Old Order Amish lifestyle elements like horse-and-buggy travel and plain dress but are often founded by seekers from outside the traditional Amish faith, aiming for a simpler, communal life with more English language and openness to new members, exemplified by groups like the Christian Communities founded by Elmo Stoll. They mimic Amish ways for spiritual renewal but aren't official Amish affiliations, focusing on community and avoiding modern materialism while sometimes differing in doctrine or technology use.

They follow the 4 core values of the Anabaptist Trio: faith, family, community and simple life. This family have inspired me to learn from them. The first blog post I did on them was an introduction, the second blog post was about their community life where they bought the St Paul’s Sunday School and the third blog post was about them as a Family Musical Group. The fourth blog was about their family business – Spring Farm Fresh Produce, a roadside stall. The last blog I did on them was about my phone call with them and their simple life style.

In this blog post, I will blog about my visit to their farm in Springfield, Northeast Tasmania, before giving some thoughts on the Para-Amish lifestyle.

MY VISIT TO THE FARM:

On September 2026, I went to Northern Tasmania for a holiday where I catch up with many friends who live in that state. Before, I left for Tasmania from Perth, I phoned the McCallum family, where I spoke to John, the first son of the family, telling them that I planned to visit them between September 14 to 15, 2026. I requested a horse and buggy ride around Springfield and visit his farm. He said that it was fine.

I chose not to visit them from October to early April, as it is a very busy season for farmers. On Monday 14 September 2026, I left the hotel in Launceston at 8:25am and drove for more than 40 minutes passed many farms and over mountain ranges on the Tasman Highway, to reach the Sideling Lookout - a scenic mountain viewpoint situated along the Highway on the Sideling Range between Launceston and Scottsdale in northeast Tasmania. I took a break from driving and saw the outskirts of Scottsdale and Springfield, it was a beautiful sight.

I had to drive another 10 minutes before reaching the McCallum farm at 9:35am. I bought some stuff of their roadside stall, before I met Gregory and Bethany, the parents of the family, they invited me for a coffee at their home.

From 10:30am to 11:10am, Gregory took me for a 35 minutes horse and buggy ride around Springfield, it was so beautiful as I saw beautiful sceneries like mountains and hills, with many farms, I love looking at farmhouses and farmlands.

11:10am – Gregory gave me a farm tour, where I saw all his horses - both driving and draft horses. I also saw the other live stocks and their vegetable farms. He also showed me their guesthouse where another family, who plans to join their Para-Amish community, is staying there temporary.

12pm – I had lunch with the McCallum family, nine of them. One of their daughters cooked Kimchi

12:30pm – After lunch, they sing Amazing Grace. Beautiful voice.

12:45pm – I spoke to Gregory and Bethany, before leaving at 13:30pm. I tell them I will come and have another visit the next day, and I offer to help them do weeding in the farm.

The next day on Tuesday September 15, 2026, I went to visit them again. I helped Gregory do weeding around his farm before we had lunch with the family at 12:30pm, they sang again at 12:56pm. Caleb McCallum, the second son of the family, showed me his coin collections from Singapore (my birth country). He showed me around the farm.

13:55pm – Caleb showed me their beehives.

14:05 to 14:10pm – I met Jonathan W, a farmer with his wife and two children, who is also going to become Para-Amish too. He is working on building a new farm and plan to get horse and buggy. He will be the second family to join the community.

14:15pm – Caleb showed me all the buggies their family kept and still use. They own more than 5 buggies.

14:45pm to 15:30pm – We did weeding in the farm again

15:35pm – Caleb shows me the draft horses in his stables.

16:51pm – Said goodbye to them

THE MCCALLUM PARA-AMISH FAMILY LINKS:

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. - J. R. R. Tolkien

The McCallums – One of Australia’s few Amish families

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-mccallums-one-of-australias-few.html

The Church At Springfield

https://thechurchatspringfield.com.au/

True community arises out of transformation, and only transformation can make real community. – Eberhard Arnold

The McCallums and their community

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-mccallums-and-their-community.html

“I make music to touch the souls of people as it’s a language we all can speak.” — Andre Rieu

The McCallum Family Musical Group

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-mccallum-family-musical-group.html

Love Is Work Working together with others is the best way to test our faith, to find out whether or not we are ready to live a life of Christian fellowship. Work is the crucial test of faith because such a life can come into being only where people work for love. Love demands action, and the only really valid action is work. Christian fellowship means fellowship in work. – Eberhard Arnold

Springfield Farm Fresh Produce - McCallum Family

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/08/springfield-farm-fresh-produce-mccallum.html

The family that works together, eats together, and prays together, stays together. – Amish Proverb

Einfache Leben: The McCallums and their growing community

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/11/einfache-leben-mccallums-and-their.html

“I wish you music to help with the burdens of life, and to help you release your happiness to others.” - Ludwig van Beethoven

Piano Tuner Compass

From an Amish family in Tasmania, to a Chinese Australian widow in Darwin, piano tuner Martin Tucker encounters people across Australia. Through his craft the audience is introduced to a network of community, soul connection and listening, bound together by the vanishing skill of a piano tuner committed to his calling.

(ABC, Compass, 2021)

https://www.tuckertune.com/

See 4:22 to 8:25 of video for the McCallum Amish Mennonite Family

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-mccallums-one-of-australias-few.html
BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-mccallums-and-their-community.html
BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-mccallum-family-musical-group.html
BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/08/springfield-farm-fresh-produce-mccallum.html