Hannah Wykes, 23, shares her true life story:
I had my gloved arm halfway up the cow’s backside when the farm manager strolled into the shed.
A breath caught in my throat.
“How’s it all going?” he grinned, walking over.
I’d met Quentin earlier that morning and as soon as we shook hands, butterflies swirled in my stomach.
His scruffy beard and piercing hazel eyes had sent my heart racing but I forced myself to ignore it.
Keep it professional, Hannah, I reminded myself.
I’d not long started a career in artificial breeding and had come to the dairy farm in TePuke on a three-week placement to inseminate cows.
I loved working in the great outdoors and helping to bring new calves into the world.
Admittedly, it wasn’t for everyone.
My friends and family still couldn’t believe I’d chosen a job that involves injecting semen into livestock.
Quentin clearly wasn’t fazed by it.
When we first met at the cow shed
He barely noticed what I was doing while he struck up conversation.
“Can’t wait to have some babies around here,” he said.
We talked about my job and what he does around the farm, before moving on to more personal topics, like family and friends.
He was incredibly easy to talk to and I did my best not to stare into his eyes for too long whenever I looked up at him.
But each morning I arrived at the farm, he’d greet me with that grin and send my mind reeling.
Although he was busy himself, he always made time to talk to me.
Our conversations became deeper as we talked about our dreams for the future.
We both liked the idea of settling down on a farm and starting a family.
Having my hands up a cow’s backside wasn’t the most romantic of settings but over time, Quentin and I found ourselves flirting.
“Why don’t you stick around and have dinner with me later,” he said one afternoon, during my last week on his farm.
I’d tried not to overstep the mark of professionalism but this was an offer too good to turn down.
That night, as the sun set over the pastures and old milking shed, Quentin glanced into my eyes and confessed he had feelings for me.
I smiled nervously and nodded.
“I feel the same way about you,” I admitted.
Things moved pretty quickly after that.
Quentin took me on a few more dates that didn’t involve dusty old sheds or livestock semen, and before long, we were talking about a future together.
I quit my job and moved in with Quentin on his farm.
There, I still got to do the things I loved, helping out with milking and delivering calves, only now, I was doing it with Quentin.
Soon, it was Christmas but farm life left no time for festivities.
We couldn’t spend a lazy morning exchanging gifts or tucking into a glazed ham with all the trimmings.
There was too much to do.
My life had changed so much but there was no place I’d rather be than out in the fresh air with Quentin.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” I said, pulling him in for a kiss.
After so much time creating baby cows, I was thrilled to discover that I was soon pregnant myself.
I wanted to think of a fun, creative way to reveal the exciting news to Quentin.
So I put a bun in the oven, set up a video camera, and called him in for lunch.
“It’s in there,” I gestured.
He opened the oven door and frowned at the single bun inside.
Then, his mouth turned into a huge grin.
“We’re having a baby?” he cried with joy.
A year after we’d met, our son Ollie was born days before Christmas.
It was the best gift we could have ever asked for.
Me and Ollie
That year, we put the farm work on hold to enjoy a festive lunch with Quentin’s family.
We gathered round the tree and exchanged presents.
“There’s just one more left,” Quentin said, dashing upstairs.
When he returned, he got down on one knee.
“I love you so much, I want to spend every minute of my life with you,” he said, presenting me with a diamond ring.
“Will you marry me?” he proposed.
At first, through my happy tears, all I could manage was a nod.
When I finally managed to say “yes” everyone cheered, hugged, and celebrated together.
I thought the previous Christmas had been my best one ever but this one was a dream come true.
In a year, I’d found the love of my life, settled down on a farm and started a family.
I was the luckiest girl in the world!
We married a few months later, in our neighbour’s beautiful front yard.
Afterwards, we travelled with our bridal party back to Quentin’s farm to take photos in the old cow shed where we’d first met.
“It’s not the most romantic of settings, but it’s ours,” I told Quentin, kissing him.
Quentin and his groomsmen at the farm on our wedding day
I chucked on some old farm boots with my white gown and posed for pictures on a tractor and sitting on a hay bale with our cattle dog.
Everything about it was perfect.
This Christmas we’re looking forward to celebrating with our family on the farm.
We still love living and working there together, and reminisce about the first day we met, when I had my hand up a cow’s backside.
People never get sick of hearing about the unusual way we came into each other’s lives and we never get tired of telling them.
It goes to show love can strike at any moment.
