It can feel very murky when diving into measuring things like nature, biodiversity, carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. Essentially, how do you know what you’re doing is working? And while the tools are still improving there are many reasons why it’s worth giving it a crack. In part 3 of our collaboration series with Farmers for Climate Action, we dive into ways to help you account for all the good environmental work you do on farm. We also get insights directly from the bank, in...

“Climate smart farming” has become somewhat of a buzz word (or buzz phrase, rather!). But what does that even mean? Instead of becoming caught up in definitions, we hear from two women who are each running farming operations in two very different landscapes...but are both proudly, climate smart farmers. At its essence, climate smart farming is about lowering inputs where you can, making decisions for your soil and grass, and in some cases, tapping into opportunities such as renewable en...

Behind every good Ag business, is a good woman. Well, a smart and caring one. There are many women doing innovative things on farm and in the broader agriculture industry. From cracking a value added business, to finding more sustainable ways of producing food. In this episode, you’ll meet two women who think strategically about their own farming businesses, as well as broader issues around soil science, national food security (such as a national food plan) and how to bring more diversity int...

How do you create systemic change, especially when it involves changing the culture and attitudes of not just a workplace, but an entire society? There is no specific playbook for systemic change. But there are a number of tools you can try. In this final episode of our three part series with Rural Women Lead, we explore this adaptive process by looking at space of women’s health and wellbeing - including reproductive health, family violence and menopause - which are all areas that have...

Storytelling is so important for connection and information retention (there are several studies that prove this!) But have you ever stopped to think how important knowing YOUR OWN story is? Hear from Sherry Johnstone, a Keerray Woorong woman, based in Warrnambool who didn’t feel confident in embracing her indigenous heritage, because she was so tired of people questioning it. But when she finally did acknowledge her culture, it markedly changed the direction of her life, giving her greater p...

If you haven’t heard about ‘bio-hacking’ - it’s all about using our neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin and hormones to maximise our wellbeing. And you can do really simple things for a big pay off. This is the beginning of a 3-part mini series on leadership: focusing on self, story and change. In this episode, focusing on ‘self’ speak to Jessica Fishburn, a women’s health physiotherapist and Director at Gen Health, in Hamilton, VIC. Drawing on her expertise in pain science and ...

Farm life can sometimes be romanticized, with the wide open spaces, animals and the freedom to do what you want. You might love the bush and your community…but are you actually happy? There are many factors that influence our wellbeing. This includes how well the business is running financially, farm succession (including whether it has been worked out or not) and your experiences of drought and natural disaster (including how many times you’ve been impacted). Then of course, all of the...

There’s a perception that rural healthcare means second-best or second-rate. Whereas the opposite is actually true. Rural medical students often out-perform their city-based counterparts on standardised tests. Most rural patients are better off being treated closer to home in their rural location (unless they have a very rare condition). And rural medical practices can often be better at adopting new technologies because of their smaller, more agile teams. So why then, is it so difficult to a...

Regional Australia has always been at the frontline for energy innovation and delivery. Sure, it's the politicians in the cities that talk about a transition, but it's in our backyard that these projects actually happen. Some renewables, such as wind, seem to be particularly controversial in a few parts of the country right now. This episode is not diving into that. Instead, it’s looking at how we design renewable energy projects, to ensure farmers and communities have the value of renewables...

There's sometimes a feeling in agriculture, that “climate” and “climate action” is a dirty word. Despite ‘the weather’ being every farmer’s favourite topic, the word “climate” can be seen as divisive. And you'd certainly better not talk about “climate action!” However, this episode’s guest is not afraid of “climate action”… and also wants the best for farmers. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Natalie Collard is the CEO of Farmers for Climate Action. She's been in the job for a couple ...

It can be a hard case to argue… that your children should be subsidised to attend a private boarding school. But when you live in rural and remote Australia, boarding school is really the only option. The Federal Government doesn’t fund state boarding schools (and you could only imagine the expense if they did). So if you are running a farm 600 kilometres away from the nearest high school, your only option is an expensive private school or distance education. But how many teenagers do you kno...

For too long, we as a society have dealt with the loss of a baby, by almost pretending he or she didn’t exist. But for the mother, that baby is always with her. The love is the same as it would be for any child; it’s just as strong and fierce. But the grief is unique. The grief is for the baby they love, but also the future they never got to have. This can then be compounded by a healthcare system that doesn’t always assist grieving mothers in the way that’s needed. In this special epis...

We get to design some of the chapters of our life… but others we don’t. Ashley Molloy has been a police officer, worked in marketing, built her own home and now designs jewellery. Each chapter seems very different on face value. But Ashley sees her life as a continuity of growth; in skills, experience and understanding what’s right for each chapter of life. Her most difficult chapter was the unexpected loss of her daughter, who was stillborn. It was in this Chapter where Ashley le...

We are hearing more and more about the use of agtech for precision farming tech, for water level monitoring, soil carbon accounting, and so much more. So where do you even start? And is it even worth the time and effort? In this episode we look at how you can better engage with these emerging technologies - whether that’s on farm, as an investor, or getting involved in the industry itself. In the future, we can also expect more regulations around sustainability, whether that’s in the fo...

We’re in the middle of a Federal election campaign…and you can already see that issues such as the cost of living, housing, health and crime are going to be crucial areas of focus for pretty much any candidate hoping to get elected. But what if the issue that matters most to you, or to your family or your community… is NOT one of those hot button topics? And while we are seeing progress being made in terms of the representation of women in politics, there's still a long way to go befor...

We're coming back! And we're looking at the BIG issues facing Australian rural women. From healthcare, baby loss to climate change... this Season of Ducks is going even bigger than before. We also introduce out Season 7 Sponsor, Ashley Molloy, the founder of ByCC Fine Jewellery... and announce an exciting giveaway! This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production. Interested in podcasting? We can help! Like this pod? You should also check out Two Smart Blondes. Send us a text

Do you have a goal or dream that you want to pursue, but stop yourself because you feel it’s too selfish or you don’t have enough time? Sometimes we women formulate the idea that we need to be of service to others… in order to be loved. And it’s not our fault. This idea can come from messages coming from society, or perhaps from the homes we grew up in. The good news is that we can learn how to reprogramme these unhelpful ways of thinking and get ourselves motivated to pursue what...

Agriculture isn’t just the act of growing crops or tending to the animals, as the dictionary likes to define it. And it's how outsiders can see it too. A bloke with his sheep and cows. Rather, agriculture is a complex system, that impacts and is impacted by a variety of things from government regulation, people, climate change, business, politics etc. And it's also integrated with family systems too (including, women and children!). Therefore stepping into the space of advocacy on an i...

Tea tree oil and nanotechnology for fly strike and foot-rot resistant sheep…. These are just some of the exciting innovations happening in agriculture. But how do lift an entire sector or industry? It’s not always easy in farming when most of us work alone or with family. But in this episode, you'll hear about the benefits of taking part in extension programs, learning from research trials, and even just forming local groups to learn from your neighbours. Emily King is the Nationa...

Owning a home these days is hard enough, so what about building your own farm from scratch? Dr Lexie Leonard is a vet, an animal health trainer and a farmer who is building her own farming business alongside her husband and their young children in Balmoral, Victoria. Originally from the suburbs of Melbourne, Lexie would never have predicted she would grow up to be a farmer. And it has been a steep learning curve at times. In part two of this collaboration series with RIST, Lexie shares ...