The on and, more recently, off-field fortunes of their teams — Essendon and Hawthorn — have made it a long winter indeed.
Softening the blow is the fact the owners of the Scobie Rd nursery at Kyvalley are the winners of the Kyabram Free Press Football Tipping Competition.
They finished on 145 tips to win by three, ahead of renowned footy personality Francis Ryan (Technies Tyres) and Empire Signs — both on 142.
Keegan Nurseries has been open for two years, its initial launch well received by the community before the impact of COVID-19.
The business is open on Thursdays and Fridays, as well as weekends (from 9am until 5pm on the weekdays, until 4pm on Saturday and until 3pm on Sunday).
“We started off really good and then COVID hit,” Kelly said.
She has been on the property, just over the railway line past the school and town hall, for the past four years.
The nursery was re-located from Stanhope to the Kyvalley property.
“Our goal was to make gardening more accessible to the local community,” she said.
On the verge of spring the couple is excited about getting a full spring and summer gardening season without the impact of a pandemic.
“We have gift vouchers available for Father’s Day, because we know there are a lot of keen gardeners out there who are dads,” she said.
The close proximity of the nursery to Kyabram has made the business popular, along with its free delivery service.
Jason is a qualified landscaper and horticulturist with 25 years of experience in the field.
As for Kelly, she said she has a love for gardening and being outside.
The couple developed the nursery site alongside their home, converting an old dairy to form the indoor part of the nursery.
“We are coming into warmer weather and it provides opportunities for gardeners to return to their passion.
“With the development of residential housing in Kyabram we would also love to be involved in developing the gardens of new homes,” Kelly said.
She said with the end of bare rooted season fast approaching there were several discounted plants available at the nursery.
As for the footy tipping win, considering their allegiance to Essendon and Hawthorn, it was a pretty good effort.
“We really have gone with our heads and not hearts.
“We normally do footy tipping on a family scale and Jason came second in that,” Kelly said.
Kelly finished fourth in the family tipping, which attracts 15 entrants.
Kelly said Jason was the sporty person in the relationship.
“Now football is over it will be cricket for him,” she said.
Full details of the Kyabram Free Press Footy Tipping were: Keegan Nurseries 145, Techies Tyres 142, Empire Signs 142, Williams Tyres 137, Walker Real Estate 137, Luca Solutions 136, Kyabram Bearings 134, Oz Wide Joinery 134, Warramunda 133, Knights Building Supplies 131, Kyabram Free Press 130, Kyabram Party Hire 130, Salters 126, CnD Contractors 123, Ky Chamber of Commerce 117.
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