5-4-A-Farmer - What's it all about?
"Drought has direct, substantial impacts on the Australian economy. Drought reduces livestock numbers, destroys crops, and results in soil erosion and loss" - www.climatecouncil.org.au
Whether you believe in the claims of Climate Change campaigners or not, the fact of the matter remains - Australia is in a serious, life-taking drought. Our farmers are doing it tough; their stocks are dying, and their crops are failing. Some of our farmers are doing it so tough they can't see a future and are taking the most drastic measures including taking their own lives. We need to support and protect our farmers in any way we can.
I love sewing and designing and making beautiful, affordable unique handmade homewares and gifts, but competing with the likes of K-Mart, Target, Bunnings, and even Aldi now, means that sometimes sales are slow – and I want to sew! Sewing makes me a better person, wife and mum because it gifts me something that is my own. So what can I do?
Scrolling through the Inspiring Mums Central Coast Facebook group this morning (25 Nov 2019), I came across a spider's web of goodness. Inspiring local mum Meagan B shared a beautiful post:
“Hi all as a family we’ve been trying to work out the best way to support our farmers and people in fire prone areas. As a woman I’ve found the way to help our kin x”
Meagen went on to share a post by Em Rusciano which led me to Farmer Margy Perkuhn who led me to Fierce Female Farmers! Learn more about the cause here.
My continual challenge to myself is to produce sustainable products to directly reduce the amount of plastic we use in our daily lives, reduce waste overall and create items that people will keep rather than throw out after a year adding to our oceans and landfill problems. I aim to use 100% cotton wherever possible and practical (it's still not perfect but it is biodegradable) and continually challenge myself to create new product lines that are small in size so I can use up all my fabric scraps (e.g. bookmarks, cup cozies, Zooper Dooper holders, reusable eco make up remover pads).
But how can I align my ethos and help our Aussie farmers doing it tough?
My aim is to provide useful products that align to my ethos of reducing plastic waste and gifting our farmers much needed everyday items which means they can use their money to keep their families fed, their heads high, feed their stock, and do whatever possible to grow their crops.
So, what is my initiative ‘5-4-A-Farmer’?
This is where my amazing customers come in and get to feel all warm and fuzzy for the price of a coffee (because I believe together, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!).
- I personally will donate (and source for free from my extensive sewing network and community) the fabric and my time to make the products
- I will rely on donations to cover:
- Materials such as cotton webbing for tote bag straps, wadding / interfacing (if required, depends on the product), terry toweling (for burp cloths), snaps (for bibs) etc.
- Postage to send the products to Farmer Margy at Fierce Female Farmers in Inverell NSW
- Tote / carry bags
- Burp Cloths
- Bibs
- Toiletry bags
- More products as I find out what they need
Are you a fierce female farmer?
Add your comments or message me privately and tell me what our female farmers need!
I know our male farmers are also in need and as I learn more I will create products much needed by our male farmers too – get in touch and let’s work it out TOGETHER!
I will keep everyone updated through my Blog with all the kind donations and what I am able to make, package and send through this initiative. I'm excited, are you?
Spread the word and let's make a difference!
You can follow and sign up to my 5-4-A-Farmer blog.
Sew-long for now,
Gill
My own thanks for the use of these photos go to:
Strawberries image by Matthew Henry from Burst