This is the reality so many of our farmers are facing, severe life-taking drought

Luck or universal intention?

On 25 Nov 2019 at 7:47am I sent Farmer Margy this message:

Hello, what an amazing thing you're doing! I have a homewares business and a LOT of scrap fabric which I would love to use to help your ladies, mums and bubs. I can make reusable sanitary pads, breast pads, face wipes, burp cloths, bags, cleaning cloths, and so much more if I know what you might need for your packs. If I can help add to your packs please let me know. I live on the Central Coast and absolutely want to do my part as an Aussie to help our farmers!

www.harlanhouseandhome.com.au

Thanks for reading
Gill

Farmer Margy responded:

OMGosh Gill hi thank you so much for your beautiful message & support ! You must have magical powers because I’ve been stressing all morning about where I can get more fabric bags from are bags something that you might be able to help FFF out with ?
Big Hugs,
Farmer Margy Xxxx

When I came across this initiative, some may say by pure luck, some may say I was led there through universal intention, I had grand ideas of making reusable products (such as make up wipes, sanitary pads and the like), which in hindsight just aren't feasible for the conditions our female farmers live in (umm they need water to wash them!).  I totally own my ignorance and for me that has so far been the most important thing.

My day job is as a Product Manager in software development, we are taught to ASK OUR CUSTOMERS what they need and not to assume.  After I'd written my first blog (now converted into the About page and with some reference to afformentioned products REMOVED through pure embarrassment), I reached out to Farmer Margy through Facebook and asked her what our farmers need.  It was through this interaction and engagement that I learned that what she really needs are bags to put all the products in for the Farmer Packs she's making which the farmers could subsequently use as shopping bags.  How many (I dared to ask) and the answer came swiftly back.  "would it scare you if I said 50 ? Because I could say less of it’s more comfortable?", I was told.

Here is this amazingly strong woman who almost reached breaking point herself, kindly asking me if making 50 tote bags was too much! 

I will never know what Margy personally (or for that matter any of our farmers, male or female) has gone through and continues to go through in this damn awful drought, but I can say that from my priviledged city life, 50 tote bags is NOT too much and is only the starting point from my perspective. 

I'm not an idiot (I hope!) and I don't profess to be able to sew my way out of this drought....

But if one single product that I've made brings even the slightest smile or bit of love to those suffering then my job is being done. 

I want our farmers to know they are thought of far and wide, from Cape York Peninsular, QLD to South Point, Wilsons Promontory, VIC and from Steep Point, WA to Cape Byron, NSW (yes I did just Wiki that and had to decide whether to include the Australian Antartic Terrory and islands or not - sorry if anyone has been offended by excluding these!).

We know they're suffering and I want them to know that we know and our hearts are breaking for them.  I also want to spend time making them something 'extra', I'll work through what this is as I learn more about their needs, styles and desires so that I can attempt to fulfil at least one those in the very least, even in the smallest of ways.

Sew, let's crack on - make a donation today so I can get these much needed products to Farmer Margy in Inverell so she in turn can help to make a difference to our farmers facing extreme conditions and risking everything they have to keep our farms alive.

Sew-long for now,

Gill