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Livelihood and leaving
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You might know stories of farmers who worked extremely hard for little or no return; their experiences of drought, governments, sanctions, and tariffs all taking a toll on their livelihood. Dare I mention it, but there are also stories of undiagnosed mental illness, early death, disease, relationship breakdowns, and a whole host of unexplained…
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Early years: City to country
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from city to country I came to the Wheatbelt in the mid-80s as a 19-year-old and never left. I always thought about leaving though, returning to the city, to my family; my daughters, sisters and brothers, and parents. I longed to go back to the colours and the lights of the city, the people,…
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Country girls and boarding school
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making decisions about high school I must admit that I didn’t consider where our girls would attend high school. In my heart, I knew they would never attend the local school. They hadn’t been booked in anywhere, and nor had a deposit been paid at birth for entry to the city’s elite, private schools.…
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Becoming a grandmother
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My new role as a grandmother Becoming a grandmother has been one of the most important and beautiful things in my life. I can’t tell you how much I love my little grandson. Coming from a family of nine sisters, attending an all-girls boarding school, and giving birth to three daughters means that I…
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Country women and health
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Dare I say it! Rural people are disadvantaged. Living in a city certainly allows for greater medical options and choice. I am not old, mid-50s, relatively active, and seriously motivated to live a good, fun, and energetic life. As a woman, I feel scared and worried about the aging process. In fact, the fifties…
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Country lifestyle
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Living and working outdoors has its drawbacks. My lifestyle is such that I am outdoors much of the time (farm work, gardening, walking, riding, running, motorcycling, boating). I fear to die from skin cancer. This fear is well-founded, having Irish born parents. My mother died from melanoma in her eighties. Like her, I want…
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Knowing when to leave the farm
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I keep referring to leaving the farm, but I am still here. Having spent more time here than anywhere else in my life the time will come when I leave. Each new day presents fresh opportunities and I have calculated that there is another half of my life yet to live. What has been,…
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Selling the sheep
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Wool and meat have traditionally complemented grain production and farm income. Over the last few decades, farmers have been gradually decreasing sheep numbers. We have retained them to ensure an income, eat the stubble from the previous year’s harvest, and reduce the need for extensive and expensive chemical spraying. In the last few years,…
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Women, work, and financial independence
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If I fully resign after this period of long service, I will lose my financial freedom. I have worked hard to get to where I am, but more than anything, I fear not having a fortnightly pay. Am I doing a disservice to women, everywhere?
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7 tips for leaving your happy place
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Within the COVID-19 lockdown period, we moved house. Getting through the regional border (from the country to the city) was another story, despite my plea to the authorities that it was ‘essential’ travel. Another tenant was moving into the rental we were vacating and couldn’t while we were still there. One of life’s great…