Farmer Wants A Wife star Jarrad has opened up about what life on the farm looks like when the cameras stop rolling. As the 41-year-old almond farmer from Taylorville, South Australia, prepares to welcome his top five ladies into his home on Sunday night, he admitted that nothing could have prepared him for the experience.
Living Under One Roof
"I don't think you can prepare yourself for it, to be honest," Jarrad said. "But the girls are great and they're a really great group of ladies – thankfully they all got along well, which made it a lot easier. There wasn't really any tension between any of them, so the environment was good."
Always the gentleman, Jarrad revealed that most nights he snuck away to his parents' house down the road to sleep, giving the ladies their own space. When he returned in the morning, he found it "pretty funny" to see five women sharing one bathroom to get ready. "I'd come in the mornings and see someone straightening their hair, and another person brushing their teeth," Jarrad said, laughing.
Behind-the-Scenes Details
Revealing more details from behind the scenes, the farmer said they filmed six days a week but enjoyed one day off. "It was actually really good, we did a few little day trips and went out for lunch," Jarrad said. "We went to the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Even the girls did the same. It was really relaxing because the cameras weren't rolling. It was great to have that down time."
The 24-Hour Date
Tuesday's episode saw the farmers pick one of their five chosen ladies for a 24-hour date, giving them an early chance to deepen connections before the rest of the ladies arrived at the farm. Farmer Jarrad chose Carly, a 31-year-old nurse from New South Wales. He shared the real motivation behind his choice: "The conversation flowed so well during the initial speed date, and we had a lot of similarities. There was an instant connection, and it drew me to her. So I just wanted to explore that more."
Jarrad leaned into his romantic side, setting the scene with a magical candlelit bonfire date that ended with a kiss. He knew the romantic moment would cause a stir among the other ladies. "It's a tough situation because you're sort of damned if you do, and damned if you don't," Jarrad said. "I'm here to find someone, so I need to explore those connections and part of that is obviously having a kiss with the girls when it feels right."
Balancing Feelings
Jarrad admitted finding the right balance between dating while being considerate of all five ladies' feelings was "stressful" at times. "It was really hard because you want to be respectful," Jarrad said. "I wanted to get to the final decision as fast as I could without mucking anyone around but then at the same time, you need to give the relationship enough time to develop. It's a hard line to walk."
What He's Looking For
Farmer Jarrad's last serious relationship was three years ago, and he admitted what he's looking for in a future partner has changed over time. "Initially, in relationships I've really looked for the spark," Jarrad said. "But I think now I'm probably more looking for someone that shares the same values as me. I've learnt if you share the same values, then the spark can grow over time."
First Elimination
On Sunday night, the farmers will face their first elimination, setting off fireworks at the farms. Jarrad said having to send one lady home so soon was "tough". "The girls had only been there for, like, 24 hours, so to send someone home that soon seemed a little unfair," Jarrad said. "Definitely tough because you want to get to know the girls, so you can make the best decision, and I felt at that point it was just premature sending someone home."
Jarrad admitted the eliminations only get harder as the weeks go on. "Sending people home gets harder and harder because there's obviously feelings that start to grow," Jarrad said. He said friendships between the girls will also be affected. "People will feel a bit shocked and hurt," Jarrad said. "It's never easy sending anyone home and it definitely gets harder as the weeks go on."
Tune in on Sunday at 7pm to watch Farmer Wants A Wife on Seven and 7plus.
