Future Farmer of Aus: Alexis Pierantoni on her move away from LA
Alexis Pierantoni moved from the City of Angels to work on a dairy farm in Warrnambool — a strange but harmonious journey.
Beautiful people flexing and fawning in Santa Monica. The gleaming five-pointed star plaques of Hollywood Boulevard. Wannabe actors dressed to impress along Rodeo Drive.
Agriculture is almost an afterthought in the movie-making metropolis of Los Angeles.
But Alexis Pierantoni honed her agrarian abilities in the City of Angels and has now transferred those skills to southwest Victoria.
“My high school was an agricultural and veterinary science specialty school (in the San Fernando Valley),” she said.
“I did four years of agriculture, animal husbandry, agronomy and veterinary science. I raised livestock, dairy cattle, pigs, turkeys, chickens.”
While most Australians think of LA as spaghetti bolognese of freeways and off-ramps, Ms Pierantoni said smaller farms dotted the suburban fringes of southern California.
“The area I grew up in, being more of a suburban area, there used to be a lot of horse properties and orange groves,” she said.
“A lot of gone by the wayside now, but there are still some. “Farming was always a presence growing up.
“I was also in Future Farmers of America — I was chapter treasurer for three years. We did agricultural shows and competitions with chickens and turkeys at fairs. “That’s what got me into farming. I went away from it for a while but here I am again: full circle.”
Ms Pierantoni moved to Australia a few years ago to further her studies, undertaking a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in agribusiness, with Deakin University.
But her studies aren’t just theoretical. The ex-Californian found work on dairy farm at Panmure, just east of Warrnambool. She also found love.
Ms Pierantoni is set to be married within a fortnight to her Australian fiance Leigh.
“I always liked working with dairy cattle and working with animals, so it’s been fun working here,” she said.
“Leigh was working at a dairy when I got here and I needed a part-time gig. I just love it.”
Before moving to Australia, Ms Pierantoni waitressed and often sung in an LA karaoke bar, rubbing shoulders with the famous.
She’s now part of a pub rock cover band — The Flaming 80s — singing everything from Cold Chisel and Icehouse to INXS and Australian Crawl.
“I was looking for some social thing, meet some cool people and got matched up with this crazy group: two old guys and a young lawyer,” Ms Pierantoni said.
“Out of the 40 songs we play, I think I’d heard about five of them in my whole life. So I’ve learnt a lot: it’s the best.”
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