Georgina Jaudzemis from Nagambie, Jean Irvine from Warragul and Meg Parkinson from Leongatha, learned about the art of dying silk scarves. Photos: Jeanette Severs
This year’s annual Women on Farms gathering was held at Yarram on March 24 to 26, with about 125 women attending from across Victoria.
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Succession planning was the theme of a conference conversation on the Friday afternoon.
It also became the theme of conversation on Sunday morning, with discussion about whether the gathering should be annual or biannual, and the responsibility for storage and retelling of the gathering’s history.
In the time between, attendees participated in a number of tours of the surrounding country on Saturday and workshops on Sunday.
Murals were highlighted, given Yarram (in south-east Gippsland) is home to many public art installations.
There was an exhibition of Ag Art Wear from exhibitors at the Elmore Field Days. Ag Art Wear is made by amateur clothes designers using materials commonly found on farms to create clothing and accessories.
After 20 years, Elmore Field Days has ceased the Ag Art Wear competition, but it continues at places like AgFest in Tasmania and Riverland Field Days.
In the writing workshop were (back, from left) Janine McLean from Mildura, Cate Kennedy from Castlemaine, Alice Cannon from Melbourne, Judy Baker from Ballarat, Jean Fear from Drouin West, Helen Armour from Warragul, (centre, from left) Dianne Hennig from Yarram, Viv Bourke from Koo Wee Rup, Lyn Johnson from Warragul, Linda Whitaker from Arawata, (front, from left) Rien Silverstein from Orrvale and Jenny Bramich from Berwick.
Irene Martin from Smeaton, Aileen O’Sullivan from Goornong and Mooroopna, and Margaret Morris from Lakes Entrance.
Admiring the Ag Art Wear was Colleen Condliffe from Salisbury West and Janine McLean from Mildura. Colleen has attended most Women on Farms gatherings, and co-ordinated the one at Inglewood last year. This year was Janine’s first gathering.
Lorraine Trewick, founder and co-ordinator of the Elmore Field Days Ag Art Wear competition with a dress made by dairy farmer Katrina Christie from Nanneella. Every butterfly that adorns this dress represents a death of a person on a farm in Victoria over one year. After 20 years, the Ag Art Wear competition has ceased at Elmore Field Days, although it continues at other field days.
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