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Invisible Farmer Project
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25.01.2022 My name is Carlie Venables and some of my earliest memories are of laying in behind the seat of the old International 766 while Dad was ploughing, sowing and even making hay. I loved it! All I wanted to do when I grew up was to be just like my Mum and Dad on the farm. When I wasn’t at school I was by my Dad’s side. Every minute I had, I would be out mustering, in the sheep and cattle yards and even sitting up in the tractor with him for hours. I admired the way my parents wo...Continue reading
25.01.2022 My agricultural background is something I never want to lose touch with. I am a country girl and always will be. As the saying goes ‘you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl’... My name is Benita Woodley. I am 20 years old and I’m currently living in Newcastle, New South Wales, where I am studying a Bachelor of Communication at The University of Newcastle, Australia. I grew up on a three-thousand-acre family property just east ...Continue reading
24.01.2022 "I invented the term on my blog, 'animal wifery' instead of 'animal husbandry', because I think it’s not just women, but it's that feminine side of all humans that I think is really required to start to make the changes on the animal behaviour, landscape side of things. By animal wifery I mean a softness, a deep caring for the well-being of all the living things in the picture, a willingness to embrace complexity and to work with the natural flow of life, rather than attempt...ing to dominate it. Quintessential feminine characteristics. I think that the move, if there is ever going to be a move towards this vision that I have of how we could farm in a really different way, it will be led by women." ~ Words by Nan Bray, a superfine merino wool farmer based in the Tasmanian Midlands. Nan was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho (USA) in 1952 and had a long career as an oceanographer and climate scientist before travelling to Australia, falling in love with the Tasmanian landscape and deciding to become a superfine merino wool farmer. To read more about Nan’s journey into farming, as well as her focus on regenerative and sustainable farming methods, check out our latest blog post courtesy Museums Victoria: https://invisiblefarmer.net.au/blog/nanbray-whitegumwool #invisfarmer Australian Women in Agriculture National Farmers' Federation ABC Rural ABC Landline ABC Hobart Discover Tasmania National Wool Museum Geelong WIN News Tasmania Art4Agriculture AP Women's Agenda Victorian Rural Women's Network Tasmanian Women in Agriculture RRR -The Rural, Regional, Remote Women's Network of Western Australia Rural Women's Network
23.01.2022 'This is the story of the Australian Women’s Land Army (1942-1945). It is a story about a cohort of women who dedicated their time, resources and energy to supporting Australia through a wartime shortage in food, agriculture and physical labour. Except for some memoirs, biographies and brief mentions, this important story remains largely untold... The Australian Women’s Land Army (AWLA) provided a critical service, which was recognised by farmers to politicians (and many in b...Continue reading
20.01.2022 My name’s Deana Nasser and I love being a beef producer. I am passionate about the land and raising our children with a knowledge and love of agriculture and how important it is. I love beautiful, good-quality healthy stress-free cattle - fattening them to sell mostly to the local market. I get to work alongside my husband James and include our boys in the operations as well. We have three boys and I think it’s so important for them to know and understand the important role ...Continue reading
19.01.2022 "If you live on a farm, you are a farmer. There’s no escape. Women often describe themselves as a farmer’s wife. Show me a ‘farmers wife’ that has not fixed a fence, chased the livestock, weeded the fruit trees, checked the water levels or made an emergency trip into town for irrigation parts. That’s farming, and women have been doing it as long as men. The main difference is that they often do those things in addition to bus runs, homework supervision and cooking dinner. I’m...Continue reading
18.01.2022 "I'm proud to call myself a rural woman a lady of the land! Although I might not be able to physically see it, I know I’m part of a tribe of strong women who are instrumental in the functioning of our rural communities. They are the glue that holds it all together. They go by all sorts of different titles that they use to identify themselves, and these can change maybe two, three, four or five times a day, a week or a lifetime! They are forever changing hats and always in m...otion. So here’s to them may we know them, may we support them, and may we be them! ~ Words by 24-year-old broadacre farmer and CEO Marlee Langfield of Wallaringa, Cowra, Central New South Wales. Marlee lost her father Thomas Langfield to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma when she was just 13 years old, and the family farm was left to Marlee in his will, to inherit when she turned 23. Marlee reflects on her journey into farming: "It runs in the blood, it really does. My father was a man of the land, whose courage, strength and determination was an inspiration to all, and I definitely hear a lot that I am my father’s daughter...Dad left behind a great legacy so at the very least Andrew [Marlee’s fiancé] and I wanted to give it a go continuing that legacy and I feel privileged to have the chance. As a young farm CEO, Marlee believes that more women should be supported and encouraged into leadership positions. "I think it's only around 2.8% of women that are in CEO positions", says Marlee, "but balance is important, and I think the role of women in these positions is vital for the continued development of the industry in today’s modern world. I’m enjoying experiencing the challenges and rewards my role has delivered in this short period of time. Young people may only be 20% of the population but we are 100% the future! When asked if she has any advice for young people considering a career in farming, Marlee suggests getting involved in community groups such as the Country Women's Association of Australia and Australian Red Cross. "Devote yourself to your community", says Marlee, "I believe it’s important to give back to our rural communities as they are the lifeblood of our regional areas. To read more about Marlee's journey and how she has taken on the management of her family farm, head over to our latest story captured via Museums Victoria: https://invisiblefarmer.net.au//24-year-old-ceo-and-farmer Art4Agriculture Australian Women in Agriculture Rural Women's Network The Country Women's Association of Victoria Inc. - CWA AgWomen Global AustralianFarmers Melbourne Museum Graziher RRR -The Rural, Regional, Remote Women's Network of Western Australia Women Who Farm Country Women's Association (CWA) of NSW Cowra Guardian Cowra, New South Wales, Australia Central Western Daily Agriculture Victoria National Rural Women's Coalition and Network ABC Landline ABC Rural
17.01.2022 I am a farmer firstly by birth, but secondly by choice. My name is Isabele Roberts and I grew up on my family’s farm in East Gippsland Victoria and thoroughly enjoyed helping Dad and Mum with farm work. As a kid I would help Dad with the stud sheep classing and joining. He used to reckon he didn’t need his book for looking up progeny outcomes, he just needed my memory! As with a lot of farm kids, I chose to go to university and pursue a different career, not really intending...Continue reading
15.01.2022 "My name is Tauri Simone and my connections to Country come from Winton, so all my family is from the Winton Channel Country, which is Lai Lai Dreaming, which connects us all to Kati Thanda, Lake Eyre. But I grew up around North Brisbane, the Glasshouse Mountains, Bribie Island. Basically anywhere on that whole coastline was my backyard, because it was easy to just drive down to the Gold Coast or the Hinterland, or up the coast somewhere for a few hours. The outdoors were jus...Continue reading
07.01.2022 Under the shelter of trees during a rainstorm, Bella told me about her recent decision to leave farming in rural New South Wales. Bella felt isolated and lonely as one of the only queers in the village where 47% of voters deemed her love unworthy of marriage. My bloodline is seriously agriculture and farming, Bella said, and obviously it’s tricky because I don’t have an audience out there that’s like-minded. Whereas she previously lived among like-minded people in Sydn...Continue reading
03.01.2022 Growing things is something I love and I have been trying to find a way for my passion to support me financially. I think I’m finally getting there. My name is Serena Vine and I have a small garlic farm that I’ve been building up for the last five years. I also grow Isabella grapes, a heritage grape variety. I have many other projects on the go and am also a mother of two. Life is busy but that’s how I like it. I’m always up for a challenge and am constantly trying out new i...Continue reading
02.01.2022 Given the deterioration of Dad’s health due to his work in agriculture, the impact it had had on my family and the need for a different approach to work health and safety (i.e. less emphasis on box ticking and ‘compliance!’); we both agreed that while rural men spend the majority of their time up to their necks in grain and sheep shit, it was (is!) rural women who are the backbone of rural industries, and therefore in a fabulous position to influence change. This prompted so...me excitable Googling before landing on what was then the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation’s website in hot pursuit of applying for the 2015 Rural Women’s Award (and later the 2018 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award). My initial plan given that I was then based in Port Lincoln and working with various fisheries was to travel to Norway to a) get some street credibility amongst fishers, b) to understand ‘what good safety looks like’ in the context of fishing, c) to cross-pollinate ideas between South Australia and Norway, and d) to facilitate a discussion with key stakeholders from the fishing industry (with emphasis on the inclusion of women in fishing). I didn’t win the State Award that year, however I was fortunate enough to be named a Finalist, and despite the outcome thought ‘bugger it’ and travelled to Norway anyway. Excerpts from a Q & A blog for the Invisible Farmer Project. Alex Thomas winner of the 2018 South Australian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award talks with Deakin Student and volunteer for the Invisible Farmer Project Elizabeth Graham about the inspiration for her @plantaseedforsafety campaign, her connection with the land and agriculture, and the importance of recognising women within the industry. To read the full interview with Alex, head over to the latest Blog on our website: https://invisiblefarmer.net.au//positive-change-in-rural-i SafeWork SA AgCommunicators AgriFutures Australia National Farmers' Federation Meat & Livestock Australia R.M.Williams OUTBACK magazine Stock Journal Graziher SafeWork Women In Seafood Australasia Wildcatch Fisheries SA Inc Dairy SA
01.01.2022 I started in the workforce as a trainee electrical engineer at BHP Steelworks in Wollongong. It goes to show that in this life you can do what you want if you put your mind to it and you are never too old to change your profession. I always wanted a farm since I was a little girl and I have now achieved this goal with us having two farms. Not being born into it has meant that we have had to learn on the go and I have attended many training courses, have fantastic mentors and...Continue reading
