By VICKII BYRAM
How does a sheep farmer from the village of Delegate in NSW, just east of the Snowy Mountains near the Victorian border, expect to find love on a reality TV program?
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"To be honest I didn't really think it would happen. I was a bit skeptical."
But he did have some insight into what it would be like on Farmer Wants a Wife, as farmer Harry, a mate who was a couple of years below him at school, was on the show last season.
"One of my mates decided to fill out an application for me. I had a yarn with some other mates, and my cousin [she] pushed me to do it. I thought about it for a bit and then the producers got in touch.
"They sent a film crew to the farm to film my backstory and I reached out to Harry before it started."
Reluctant to speak about past romances, Andrew says he just hasn't met the right person. He certainly hasn't limited his prospects by always living in Delegate.
"I lived in Canberra for a while and did a Bachelor of Management at the University of Canberra. I've travelled to Europe and the US and worked in Canberra, but I always knew I would go back to the farm."
Andrew says the experience of being on Farmer Wants a Wife was something you can't really prepare for.
"Your mates give you a bit of stick, and everyone's gonna have a bit of a laugh. Mum and Dad were supportive but a bit shocked.
"Talking about your feelings is something I'm not really good at. It was definitely challenging, answering questions about love ... it's hard to pretend the camera crew aren't there.
"No one can really prepare for what's about to happen," he says of the first meeting of all the women chosen by the farmers.
"It's a bit daunting. I was the last one to go in [to the reception room at The Convent in the Hunter Valley]. All the other boys had been in there and said their hellos, and I was waiting outside by myself, along with cameras, sound guys, producers.
"I was like a deer in the headlights.
"When I did come in, my group of girls were right in front of me. I could hear everything they were saying."
In episode one, each farmer meets the eight they have chosen individually but only for about ten minutes. They then must choose five ladies to visit their farms and spend more time with them.
"I guess the five I chose were based on how the conversation went, if we clicked. They all knew some of them wouldn't make it back to the farm."
He says all the girls got in and had a go at the farm work.
"When you bring in someone who hasn't had any experience on a farm you don't expect them to be good at it."
He says he had instant chemistry with one from the start, but you have to give everyone a chance.
"I guess I sort of knew pretty early. Mentally, it's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. You are getting pulled in so many different directions. You might feel you got manipulated a bit, but you just have to run your own race and see through it to what's real. I made a lot of friends.
"The girls were all really good people, and the crew were really good people, so it was all worth it in the end."
He says he's found the one, but will she be a wife? I guess we'll have to wait and see.