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1421443
2
Let's have a yarn
By JENNY BARTLETT
T
HEY say knitting is a dying art.
But Karina Irving, Wickepin, has
brought it into the 21st century
with her online business Bubs 2 Grubs
Knitting.
Karina said she had always had a
flare for knitting and crocheting and,
as the story so often goes with the
crafty people who know the trade, was
taught by her Mum.
She originally hailed from Perth but
made a tree change seven years ago
to a property halfway between
Wickepin and Kulin.
While she immediately loved the
country life, Karina quickly noticed
sourcing yarn for her knitting and crocheting projects could prove to be difficult.
“I thought there had to be other
people in the country, in the same
position as me who wanted a good
variety of good quality yarn,” Karina
said.
“So it got me thinking about how I
could do that and as there were
already a few online yarn stores I
thought I could set something like that
up and do it from home.”
Not being completely tech-savvy,
Karina said she had learnt a lot since
she started her Bubs 2 Grubs Knitting
business.
“The biggest hurdle was setting up
the website, I never really knew much
about that side of things so I found
◗ Bubs 2 Grubs Knitting.
◗ Karina Irving, Wickepin.
◗ www.bubs2grubsknitting.com.au
someone to design and manage the
page,” she said.
“I learnt how to upload all of the
supply onto the site and can basically
manage it myself, although I admit
when something goes too wrong I
have to make a quick call.
“The next hurdle was getting suppliers but I have a whole bunch now
from Australia, New Zealand, Italy and
America who are great to work with.”
Karina said when she started the
business she had one room in her
house set aside to stock the yarn and
knitting accessories.
Now, she admitted, there isn’t a
room in the house that doesn’t hold
some sort of knitting paraphernalia.
“We have wool everywhere,” Karina
said.
“The business has just grown and
grown, which is great.”
Despite being at the helm of an
online business, Karina wanted to
maintain a one-on-one customer service experience.
She understood a large portion of
her market demographic might not be
completely confident in buying their
knitting products online.
“So I am happy to take phone calls
from people who want to confirm
their order, or who just want to make
sure there is a real person at the other
end,” she said.
“Often I am on the phone all day
answering questions about the products I have or helping people through
a pattern they are stuck on.
“Also, I do try to match the colours
of the yarn to the colours on the
screen as closely as I can but I realise
sometimes it isn’t exactly what the
customer wants.
“In those cases I am more than
happy to do a swap or just send them
another colour.
“Even though it is an online business it is important to have good customer service.”
Bubs 2 Grubs Knitting stocks all
knitting and crocheting accessories,
including buttons, needles, ribbons,
patterns and of course a huge variety
of yarn.
Karina also sells her own hand-knitted baby blankets and shawls
through the website.
Surfing the web
GET the wetsuit on and jump on board
Ripesters, this month we are surfing the web!
These days the trusty rural grapevine has
gone online, transformed by a new wave of
tech-savvy generations living on the land.
Once you move to the spot in the house
with enough signal for the internet, all those
hundreds and thousands of kilometres
separating you from the rest of humanity
melt away and a whole new world opens up.
I’ll admit I’m not very technologically
advanced, as is pointed out by my younger
sister at regular intervals, but one of the best
things the internet has created is a wonderful
platform for people to connect.
So we surfed the net (do people still say
that?) for some innovative country people
making an impact with their online
businesses and blogs.
We have a wonder-knitter in Wickepin that
helps kit out bubs to grubs, a super-talented
artist that has taken social media by storm
and the diary of a male city-slicker’s
humorous take on farming life.
We were welcomed into The Home She
Made with a warm cuppa and homemade
biscuit, then invited to spend some time with
working cattle stations, needing only a
lounge and a laptop, thanks to Central
Station.
From the dusty plains of the north over
the ocean to East Africa, two sisters have
been able to connect Kenyan artisans and
Australian online shoppers in a truly inspiring
way.
And then there’s a creative creature in
Albany who is helping individuals and small
businesses make their mark with their own
unique design solution.
As always, our lovely Everyday Baker Beth
has been in the kitchen serving up some
mega-bites that are mega tasty, check it out
on page 27.
My narrow technological repertoire
proudly includes email, so send one my way
at [email protected] with
any story ideas, feedback or techy-tips you
may have for me.
So don’t lag behind, log
on and be enlightened!
Comment
by
CAITLYN
WEST
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3
Modern twist to handmade dresses
By BETH JOHNSTON
I
N a farmhouse tucked
halfway between
Woodanilling and Wagin,
Cathi Bessell-Browne sits at a
desk strewn with gorgeous
vintage fabrics.
On the other side of the
world, a woman in America
sits at her computer looking
at photos of those very same
fabrics about to make a big
decision.
Which one will she choose
for her Summer Folk dress?
Working with Cathi, she
will decide which one suits
her best and Cathi will then
begin the process of creating
her masterpiece – a Gertrude
Made original, to send all the
way to America.
It sounds rather amazing,
but this situation has become
the norm for Cathi after
social media has taken her to
online prominence.
“My Nana taught me to
sew as a little girl, and she
was a perfectionist,” Cathi
said.
“I can remember her
teaching me to make a nightie, and at nine years old, having to unpick most of it and
do it again so it met her standards.
“She took pride in her
work and taught me to do
the same.”
Cathi lives with her husband Lee and three small
children, Kayde (6), Charlie
(3) and Jake (1), on their
family farm in the Great
Southern.
After learning those valuable skills from her grandmother, when expecting their
first son in 2007, Cathi once
again took to the machine
and started quilting.
In 2012, she created a blog
to document her journey,
Gertrude Made (derived from
a childhood nickname).
But last year, the hobby
took a turn when their
daughter Charlie was diagnosed as functionally deaf.
“Following surgery to
restore her hearing, she needed weekly therapy in Perth to
teach her not only how to
speak, but how to learn
through language rather than
just facial and body expressions,” Cathi said.
“The expense of the weekly trips to the city along with
4
therapy costs meant we had
to find a way to increase our
income.
“Still having two small children at home meant it had to
be something I could do
without leaving the house.
“I’ve always had a passion
for the vintage and
reclaimed.
“I had a knowledge of and
love for sewing so it just
made sense to combine the
things I love.
“And what lady doesn’t love
a pretty dress?”
Using a tea dress pattern
she had designed after teaching herself pattern drafting,
Cathi decided to try making
dresses to sell at markets.
Her first dress design, the
Free Folk (a vintage country
style tea dress with an elegant
bateau neckline and flared
skirt) debuted on Instagram
in August, 2013.
The feedback was immediate and overwhelming for
Cathi.
“Within six weeks I had a
little store up and running on
Etsy.com and was custommaking dresses for ladies in
Malaysia, USA, UK, Canada,
New Zealand and of course,
all over Australia,” she said.
“After receiving countless
requests for a round neckline
and sleeveless option, a second dress design, the Summer
Folk was introduced in
September 2013 and the
orders continued to flood in!”
In February this year,
Gertrude Made launched its
online store and within the
first 36 hours saw 1000 visitors.
The growth of the business
▲ One of Cathi Bessell-Browne's creations.
has been incredibly fast,
which has been both exciting
and daunting for Cathi.
She still makes each dress
in her home studio on the
farm, refusing to outsource to
ease the load.
“My initial fears of growing
too big too quickly disappeared when I accepted I am
just one pair of hands and
can only do as much as I can
do,” Cathi said.
“If anything, this has made
Gertrude Made dresses even
more special.
“I’ve tried to create a personal dress experience and I
love getting to know the
ladies I sew for and many
have already become good
friends.
“Ladies choose their fabric
from my stash and share in
the creative process as they
watch their dress being cut
and sewn on Instagram or
Facebook.
“It makes each dress so
much more unique and personal.
“At the same time, there are
ladies who just can’t visualise
a fabric as a finished dress,
they find it impossible to
make a fabric choice, so I
offer ready-to-ship dresses too.
“The ready-to-ship dresses
allow me to flex a bit of creative muscle and create patchwork dresses, and use embellishments such as buttons or
lace, or experiment with new
design ideas. It’s all fun.
“Often I have ladies wanting to buy my dresses before
they are finished when they
see them on Instagram in
varying stages of completion.”
Gertrude Made dresses are
made from vintage cotton fabrics, which can be difficult to
source, so Cathi is constantly
on the look-out for vintage
sheets at garage sales and
thrift shops.
She encourages anyone
with unwanted vintage sheets
to get in contact.
Cathi has also approached
Australian Wool Innovation for
assistance in sourcing
Australian-printed wool blend
fabrics.
“I would love to do my part
as a farmer’s wife and a dressmaker, to promote our beautiful produce,” she said.
“I’ve also been lucky
enough to have ladies contact
me through social media to
offer me (vintage cotton) fabric.
“They see what I’m doing
and want to help.
“For instance I had a lady
in the USA, who follows my
dressmaking, find a bolt of
1938 Barkcloth at an estate
auction, she bought it for me
and then contacted me to let
me know.
“She told me she bought it
because, following my
Instagram feed, she knew I
would love it.
“I never in my wildest
dreams thought my humble
handmade country style tea
dresses would attract so much
attention.”
Cathi believes Gertrude
Made simply would not exist
without social media, as it has
removed the need for traditional marketing.
▲ Gertrude Made is a clothing label that is gaining a following in Australia and overseas.
She said the only perceivable downside of being part
of a global online market
place was that there were
always others doing something similar.
However she has learned
to just do things her way
regardless of how similar it
may appear to anyone else.
“As long as you infuse your
work with all that you are
and be passionate then people relate and find joy in
sharing your passion,” Cathi
said.
There are three new
Gertrude Made designs in the
drafting to add a little more
variety to the offering, but
Cathi plans to keep the business at the same personal
level.
“I have no plans to turn
Gertrude Made into a ‘commercial’ business,” she said.
“I love what I do and individually sewing each dress as
a thing of beauty in its own
right.
“I put everything I am into
each dress and I think that’s
what makes them special.”
◗
◗
◗
◗
Cathi Bessell-Browne
www.gertrudemade.com
Instagram@gertrudemade
www.facebook.com/
gertrudemade
▲ Cathi Bessell-Browne, Woodanilling, is producing garments that
are finding popularity over the world. Photos courtesy Melanie
English.
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5
Blogging a way to brighten a day
By CAITLYN WEST
V
ISITING The Home She
Made blog is like a big
warm hug amidst all
the junk floating around
cyberspace.
It’s walking into a beautiful
kitchen, smelling something
delicious cooking in the oven
and feeling instantly at home,
which is exactly how its creator Clare Crappella wants you
to feel.
Moving to a farm in the
Great Southern in February
2011 with her husband
Robbie and two young boys,
Clare was looking for a way to
help deal with the isolation
when a friend introduced her
to blogs.
Almost like an online diary,
a blog can be anything its creator wants it to be which was
why it instantly piqued Clare’s
interest.
She started writing and
posting photos about her passions, including her home,
cooking, family and rural life
and before she knew it, The
Home She Made had thousands of followers.
▲ The Home She Made creator Clare Crapella with her four-year-old son Lachlan
in front of her latest DIY project, painting the feature wall of her dining area.
“I suppose I class myself as
a mummy-blogger,” Clare said.
“I love living in rural areas
and my passion and interests
are to do with my home.
“There’s always a DIY project going on or I’ll be trying
something new in the kitchen,
how to improve home organisation, that sort of thing.
“I use it as a tool to get over
the isolation of having no family nearby, no daycare option
and almost no husband during the busy periods of farming.
▲ Another of Clare Crapella's recent DIY projects she shared with followers
of The Home She Made was to make over the bedroom her two sons shared.
6
“Basically I wanted it to be
realistic, particularly for other
rural women in a similar situation and show people what
they can achieve despite
being remote.”
Creating The Home She
Made came from Clare’s
belief that people can do
wonderful things with what
they’ve already got, plus the
idea of a home being where
your family is.
It stemmed from spending
a childhood regularly moving
house, as Clare’s father
worked in local government
and her mother never minded that she had to again
adapt their home to a different house.
A lot of the blogging
expertise Clare has now
gained in three years is selftaught, but she also had the
guidance of other established
bloggers in WA and the
Eastern States, who she regularly communicates with.
“Blogging has allowed me
to connect with so many
more people,” she said.
“I learned a lot of it along
the way but I’ve also connected with other bloggers which
really helps.
“A blog can be anything
you want it to be.
“I’ve found it’s really honed
what my interests are and
pulled into focus what’s
important to me.”
Like most bloggers, Clare
also has a Facebook page
with almost 5000 followers
and a Pinterest page with
more than 2500 followers to
widen her audience reach.
Having such statistics and
an established reputation has
its perks, as Clare’s ‘hobby’
now has the added dimension of companies approaching her to sample their products, in the hope she will blog
about them.
Clare was quick to point
out she only wrote about the
products she truly believed
in, which was clearly stated in
her media kit she sends to
potential clients.
“It’s all very professional,
I’ve got my own media kit,
rates for advertising on my
blog and all the traffic statistics of my pages,” she said.
“I’ll approach companies
or they will approach me and
I’ve even had overseas companies get in touch.
“I trial a lot of products but
will only ever write a sponsored post if I really believe
in it.”
Being a busy wife and
mother to two boys (aged six
and four) on a farm meant
things didn’t always run to a
schedule, which was why
Clare has also never committed to writing a certain number of posts.
Her husband Robbie has
worked in the stud Merino
industry for a number of
years and Clare loved having an indirect involvement in all the farming
activities, particularly at morning tea
time.
“I love living here and having the
opportunity to be involved in all the
farming activity that goes on,” Clare
said.
“Especially for my boys, I think it’s a
great way to grow up.
“Every now and then I need my city
fix and enjoy a proper coffee but my
blogging still keeps me connected to
the world.”
Her words of advice for anyone thinking about starting a blog was just to
jump straight in and create something
to be proud of.
“Just blog about what you know and
enjoy,” she said.
“Make it distinctly you and something
you are proud to put your name next
to.
“My blog is about positivity, I have
never wanted it to be a space for me to
rant and rave or whinge about my life.
“Who wants to read that?
“People want to read something that
is light and enjoyable, something that
brightens your day.”
◗
◗
◗
◗
The Home She Made blog
Clare Crapella
www.thehomeshemade.com
[email protected]
▲ When starting her blog, it made sense for Clare Crapella to write about her passion which was her home.
7077004
7
Design business right on the button
By JENNY BARTLETT
T
HE world has shrunk
considerably in the last
20 years.
At just a click of a button we
can see the Eiffel Tower, check
out the shops in London, find
the best restaurants in Mumbai
and do our weekly grocery
shop without leaving the
house.
We can even run entire companies from the comfort of our
living rooms.
One person who knows all
about the joys of an online
business is Karen Barnett.
Karen runs Be Design
Solutions from her home in
Albany and is one of a growing
number of country people
turning to the internet to tell or
sell their story.
Karen was a nurse in a previous life but two years ago
turned her sights to digital
design.
“I have always been a little
bit creative and got introduced
to digital design about five
years ago when I was in partnership with a photographer,”
she said.
“I started out with photo collages and designing artwork
from photos so I just started
learning the software.
“Then I was approached by
some clients about designing
ads in newspapers and more
people wanted more things
done and it has just kind of
grown from there.”
After finishing up with the
photographer, Karen said she
❐ Karen Barnett, Be Design Solutions, runs her business from the comfort of her own home in Albany.
threw herself in the deep end
and set up her very own website.
Last year she completed a
qualification in print production and graphic design which
she said was a huge help to
her business.
“There is always something
to learn in this type of industry
and it was great to consolidate
the things I was doing,” Karen
said.
Karen provides her clients
with a huge range of design
solutions from business cards,
corporate stationery and business logos through to children’s party stationary and
posters.
Since starting out she said
she has seen her client base
continue to grow.
“When I first started I had
the valuable support of a few
local businesses here in
Albany, who were all willing to
give me a go, which is some-
thing I am really grateful for
now,” Karen said.
“It has got me where I am
today.
“Now I have clients all over
Australia and the world, in
places like the USA, UK, Spain
and the United Arab Emirates,
plus my loyal clients in Albany.
“The world is certainly a
smaller place because of the
internet.”
Her product is purely digital,
which means, once designed, it
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can be sent through email, or
downloaded directly from her
web page or online store.
Being tech-savvy, Karen also
understood the importance of
social media to spread the
word about her business.
“I have a Facebook, Pinterest
and Instagram account, plus
my web page and a little shop
at Etsy.com,” she said.
For those of you not familiar
with Etsy, it is basically an
online marketplace where
small business owners, like
Karen, can set up shop to sell
their products.
Karen said her time was normally divided up between corporate and event stationary.
She was also available for
custom-made designs, business
logos and brands and had
dipped her toes into the wedding market.
“Designing things for businesses and parties is my major
focus, they sell themselves really as everyone is looking for
something a little bit different
and unique,” Karen said.
Just last week she launched
her own range of predesigned
business logos.
“I am really passionate
about small and new businesses and these predesigned
logos were aimed at them,” she
said.
“I can really relate to people
in that space.
“So they can pick the logo
they like and I will put their
business name in it and save it
in all the right format for them
and it becomes theirs.
“I still love doing custom
logo designs but for a lot of
people that is not what they
need.
“For these small businesses,
they need a professional look
but also have a budget to stick
to.”
Karen also sells her digital
products via the online shop of
The Organised Housewife, a
popular blog by an Australian
blogger Katrina Springer.
She said it was a wonderful
opportunity as it boosted her
business exposure.
“As with any online business
it is wonderful having the ability to be accessible from all over
the world, but that also means
you are competing in a huge
market space,” Karen said.
“That is why I was so lucky to
be picked up by The Organised
Housewife, because it really is
about getting your little voice
heard among the thousands.”
Being a mother of three and
a wife of a busy teacher, Karen
said having an online business
which allowed her to work
from home was perfect.
“It allows me to be very flexible, which is important with the
kids. I can get to their assemblies and school events but still
maintain a career,” she said.
“It can be a challenge at
times to switch off and get
some downtime, but I think I
am getting better at that.
“And the benefits of being
able to work from home far
outweigh anything else.”
◗ Be Design Solutions,
Albany.
◗ Karen Barnett.
◗ www.bedesignsolutions.com.au
▲ Be Design Solutions can create custom
wall art to match any home.
▲ These are a sample of some of Karen Barnett's printables, which are downloadable, print
yourself files, sold online.
▲ Karen Barnett also designs brochures and pamphlets for country businesses.
▲ Be Design Solutions printable designs.
1421007
9
African art connects Aussie sisters
By CAITLYN WEST
W
HAT happens when
two sisters get
together over a bottle of wine (or two) and
decide to start a small business together?
That’s relatively simple, you
say, but here’s the catch.
One sister lives on a remote
sheep and cattle station near
Carnarvon, the other lives on
an African game
reserve in Kenya.
Enter the
internet, a
wondrous
invention
that has no
boundaries
and limitless possibilities, so
by the end of the night sisters
Rachael Steadman and Kate
Boston had devised a rough
plan for their online shop,
Tinkered By.
It was a meaningful home
business centered on the
belief that ‘despite adversity,
creativity triumphs’, underpinned by two sisters’ desire
to give something back to
their communities and support, promote and encourage
talented Kenyan craftspeople.
And so Tinkered By was
born, an online shop that not
only connected two sisters on
opposite sides of the world
but also provided gifted artisans in East Africa the perfect
platform to sell their wares
internationally.
Kate had moved to Kenya
with her husband and two
sons five years ago and was
continually impressed with
how much talent there was,
simply on the side of the
road.
She brought a suitcase full
of items with her when she
came back to Australia last
year to visit Rachael and the
two of them set up a stall at
the local Carnarvon markets.
It proved to be very popular
and was yet another catalyst
that set the Tinkered By project wheels in motion.
The online store was
launched in
December last
year, aided by a
pop-up shop in
Perth’s suburb of
Northbridge to pro-
▲ Sisters Kate Boston (left) and Rachael Steadman live on opposite sides of the globe but have combined
their talents to create an online business, Tinkered By, selling handcrafted wares from African artisans.
mote the project.
“We had such a great
response,” Rachael said.
“Everyone was very
impressed with the quality
and workmanship of the products.
“But we found the best part
was customers wanting to
know the history behind each
piece and the unique nature
of its origin.
“I think they were a little
surprised at the expert craftsmanship of the pieces.”
The ingenuity and creativity
of the artisans was incredible,
using unlikely materials such
as wire from car tires, cow
horns and bones, recycled
glass and junk metal which
made an immediate impression on Kate.
She started talking to local
artists and listened to their stories, quickly figuring out that
there were major limitations
with promoting their work.
Tinkered By was a way to
give something back to the
local community where Kate
and her family were living,
enabling them to earn a regular income to support and
educate their families.
“They are so proud to have
a job and to earn money in
an area where there is huge
problems with unemployment,” Rachael said.
“We have been able to work
with them and even help with
small loans so they can
improve their wares and build
their businesses.
“There’s also an element of
educating them on quality
control, using better hinges or
latches, things like that.
“We’re hoping that they’ll
get to the point where they
can run their own online business, while we can continue
to discover and support up
and coming artists.”
While Kate is in charge of
the East African side of the
business and working directly
with the artisans, Rachael is in
charge of the marketing and
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▲ One of the artisans who creates huge works of art using local timber, taking up to
three months to complete a piece.
sales side of the business here
in Australia.
Eventually they want to
expand worldwide, but for
now they continue to spread
the word on social media and
online about their inspiring
project.
Being an online business
has its own set of challenges,
particularly when it comes to
customers being able to see
and touch the products
before they purchased them,
so the sisters have also creat-
ed a unique trunk show.
Interested customers were
able to jump on the Tinkered
By website and register to
hold their own trunk party, for
which Rachael puts together a
trunk full of beautiful handcrafted wares and sends it
anywhere in Australia.
It arrives complete with
instructions and the stories
behind each of the pieces for
the host and their friends to
peruse and purchase.
“The trunk shows are part
▲ Creating beaded necklaces using recycled glass.
of the marketing of these
beautiful products,” Rachael
said.
“So far we have sent a few
to Queensland, New South
Wales and a couple to WA.
“It’s a bit of fun, there’s no
salesperson and people are
able to physically pick up and
inspect the products themselves.
“When you have an online
shop, it’s sometimes difficult
for your customers to gauge
the quality and workmanship.”
Getting Tinkered By up and
running over the last year has
been a welcome distraction
for Rachael, as their Wooramel
station, 120km south of
Carnarvon, is experiencing
another severe drought for the
third successive year.
Together with her husband
Justin and their three young
children, they have also
branched out into the tourism
industry and recently created
a nature-based caravan park
in the hope of bringing in
some extra income.
“Given the last few years of
adversity we’ve experienced,
we’ve also had to get creative
to survive,” Rachael said.
◗ Tinkered By
◗ Rachael Steadman and
Kate Boston
◗ www.tinkeredby.com
◗ [email protected]
1421423
11
Andrea's instant hit on Instagram
▲ Andrea Carew-Reid has gained a following for her unique art through the use of social media.
By BETH JOHNSTON
S
OCIAL media can be an
extremely powerful tool
and Andrea Carew-Reid
has felt its full effects over the
past three months.
After starting an Instagram
account a few months ago
from her Bunbury home, as a
means to share images of her
art, Andrea now has more
than 2750 followers and
worldwide demand for her
work.
While social media can be
attributed for her fast-tracked
success, Andrea’s talent is the
real reason she’s in hot
demand.
Illustrations with a distinctly retro-feel, filled with intricate patterns and splashed
with bold colours are
Andrea’s signature style.
“I love working in a range
of different mediums – print
making, oil painting, graphics,
ceramics, but at the moment I
am really enjoying working
with watercolour, pen and
12
inks, on a much smaller and
less messy scale,” Andrea said.
“I use lots of intricate patterns, I enjoy how it can transform any subject into something intricate and ornamental and I love using bold
bright colours, I find them
really uplifting.
“Everything I do is painted
or printed onto 100 per cent
cotton rag paper.
“When I made art purely
for myself I didn’t really
mind, but now that I am also
sharing it with others it is
very important to use quality
materials.”
After finishing her creative
arts and teaching degree in
2012, Andrea spent a year
teaching art but she felt she
wasn’t fulfilling her own creative desires.
During the past summer,
she has taken the opportunity
to put pen and paintbrush to
paper and so began a crazy
ride that has yet to slow up.
For those that don’t know,
Instagram is a social media
platform used to share photos
or videos via computer or
mobile.
Andrea created her
Instagram account in
December for “a bit of fun”
and now has more than 2750
followers from all over the
world commenting on images
of her art and sharing them
with others.
“It’s been amazing, I had no
idea that I could reach so
many people,” she said.
“From that little Instagram
account I’ve received so
many encouraging, positive
comments and it really gave
me the confidence to turn my
art into something more than
just a hobby.
“It’s something I’ve always
wanted to do but never
thought it was possible until
now.”
Her success has spurred
Andrea to start her own
online store to sell both originals and prints, with her website launching this month.
The majority of original
pieces are being saved for
Andrea’s first exhibition
which she’s planning,
because although she’s gaining popularity online, she also
wants to gain exposure on a
local front.
The online store is just the
beginning of a grander plan
which involves her sister Sally,
as the two have always wanted to have their own online
homewares store which
could act as a medium to sell
Andrea’s art.
“So the success with
Instagram has got us both
quite excited because we
know that this will be the way
we can start our homewares
store,” Andrea said.
“The idea is to sell little
homeware items that we’ve
sourced from around the
world, some antiques and
retro-vintage things and also
provide an outlet to sell my
artwork.
“I’m just in the process of
getting some cushions and tshirts made up with my
designs on them as well as
looking into putting them
onto surfboards and snowboards.
“I don’t just want to stick
with one thing when I can
put my designs onto anything.”
The biggest challenge at
the moment is having enough
time to do everything, especially given Andrea is also
working full-time.
Eventually she would like
to commit to her artwork fulltime but, for now, she said she
would continue to juggle.
Given how quickly things
have progressed, Andrea said
the whole experience had
been quite surreal.
She’s had numerous
requests to have her designs
turned into tattoos and even
a request to use one as an
album cover for a rap artist in
the US.
Then there are retailers
▼ Continued on page 14
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▲ Continued from page 12
wanting to stock her artwork, from a
major store in Brazil to a smaller
retailer in Karratha.
People can’t get enough of
Andrea’s unique style and it seems
all walks of life can relate to what
she’s creating.
“I am inspired by a huge variety of
things, from vintage objects, to floral
wallpapers, beautiful faces, nature
and skulls, anything that I think will
provide a basis for an aesthetically
pleasing or interesting design,”
Andrea said.
“It’s important for my artworks to
have soulful little meanings, whether
it be a skull and a clock reminding
us that we should make the most out
of life, or a ridiculous looking bulldog in fairy wings with the title ‘Be
Your Own Kind of Beautiful‘.
“There is nothing more rewarding
than making art that resonates with
people.
“To me, successful art is art that
looks good and has a decipherable
meaning, a blob on a canvas does
not interest me, and nor does it
seem, my Instagram followers.”
◗ Andrea Carew-Reid
◗ www.artbyandreacr.com
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14
Diary of a farm husband strikes a chord
By BETH JOHNSTON
“E
SSENTIALLY during
seeding small pellet-shaped objects
are spat out the back of
excessively expensive and
breakdown-prone pieces of
machinery, these pellet-like
objects then spend several
months growing at which
point they are harvested
through the front of a different excessively expensive and
breakdown-prone piece of
machinery”.
This excerpt from Rob
Horstman’s “Idiots Guide to
Cropping”, is just one of the
hilarious pearls of wisdom he
shares through his blog, Diary of
a Farmers Husband.
The Horstman family are far
from what you would call an
“average” farming family, but
therein lays the intrigue.
Firstly, in this family Jessica is
the farmer and Rob had no
background in agriculture prior
to marrying his beloved.
Secondly, Rob took three
months off last year in order to
be a stay-at-home dad to look
after their two small children so
Jessica could concentrate on
farming.
Thirdly, Rob started a blog
about his experiences – providing an insightful and often hilarious account of his daily life.
Rob, Jess and their two children Zach (1) and Amelie (3)
live in Geraldton but often commute to Jessica’s family farm at
Northampton, Mulga Springs.
It is there where Jess works
full-time alongside her parents
Chris and Pam Hasleby to run
their livestock and cropping
enterprise and Mulga Springs
Poll Merino stud.
Jessica has been involved
with the farm for about five
years in a professional capacity,
but it’s only been in the last 18
months that it’s been her sole
profession.
Last year she decided to trial
it on a full-time basis, so Rob
took time off from a job in the
pharmaceutical industry and
stepped into the role of full-time
carer for their children.
Having kept a journal since
he was 17, Jessica encouraged
Rob to start a blog to share his
▲ Rob and Jessica Horstman with their children Zach and Amelie. Photos courtesy Renaye Stokes
Photography.
thoughts in a different format.
“It really started as my experiences as a stay-at-home Dad
with a wife who was farming,”
Rob said.
“I was going to stop after my
three months on parental leave
had finished but Jess encouraged me to keep going and I
have to say, it’s been pretty
amazing.
“I work on the fringes of the
mental health industry and I
know that farming can be an
incredibly tough game and I’ve
seen that firsthand in certain
ways.
“Sometimes I think it’s good
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Rob said his experience as a
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thing he had ever done, but it
was also by far the hardest.
His posts range from learning about farming, to having a
challenging day with the children and everything in
between.
“Particularly during seeding,
it was hilarious. I don’t think
I’ve ever gone through that
much pressure but the blog
has been a very good outlet
for me,” he said.
Finding the time to write
regular blog posts has been a
challenge, so they are often
sporadic but there is a clear
jump in website traffic when a
new post goes up.
Having to leave some things
out because they are a little
sensitive has also been difficult, as Rob said although
some things would make for a
fascinating read it was just too
delicate to share.
Rob’s blog is now situated
within the Mulga Springs Poll
Merino stud website, which
has been a great marketing
tool and also Jessica’s handiwork.
She reads all Rob’s posts
before they go online, which
he said sometimes resulted in
heated conversations but he
said the blog had generally
strengthened their relationship.
“It’s highlighted some things
we probably wouldn’t have
spoken about in as much
depth otherwise,” he said.
“Some posts focus on my
frustration about everything
revolving around the farm, but
that’s just farming and now
I’m completely sucked into it.
“I think people find the
whole idea quite different, it’s
◗ Diary of a Farmers
Husband
◗ Rob Horstman
◗ www.mulgasprings.com.au
quite common to have husband and wife teams working
on the farm together but they
seem surprised to find I have
nothing to do with the agricultural industry and my wife is
the farmer.
“People seem to find it (the
blog) quite amusing, which is
nice.
“I didn’t think that my story
would have been interesting
to the wider audience, I just
thought it would have been
people interested in farming
or agriculture.
“But I’ve had comments
from a lot of different people,
so just the reach that it has is
amazing.
“Jess can track where people are reading it from and
we’ve got people in Canada
and Alaska who follow it.”
Since returning to work fulltime Rob has continued to
blog and he and Jess have
hired au-pairs to look after
Zach and Amelie.
He said day-to-day life, him
continuing to learn about the
farm and having young
European girls (their au-pairs)
trying to figure out what was
happening on the farm had
provided him with plenty of
humorous blog material.
On a more serious note,
Rob just hopes his blog helps
people to learn more about
farming as he has over the last
few years.
“I was someone who completely misunderstood farmers
and farming and what I hope
▲ Jessica Horstman at work on the farm. Jess' husband Rob has started a blog that talks about life as a
farmer's husband.
▲ Zach and Amelie Horstman look pretty happy with life on the farm.
is that someone who comes
from a non-farming background like me can better
understand and appreciate
the pressures and benefits of
farming,” he said.
“There is a perception
around farmers that can
sometimes be quite negative
which can be frustrating, that
they can be a little introspective.
“I don’t mind a bet and so I
like to equate it to putting a
$500,000 bet on something
and you wouldn’t know for
five months if you won or lost,
you would probably be a little
introspective at times too.”
While starting the blog was
something he never would
have done without the
encouragement and support
of Jessica, Rob said he had
thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far.
He plans to continue writing for many years to come
and likes to think it will be
somewhat of a legacy for Zach
and Amelie to enjoy reading
when they are older.
“It’s going to be part of my
life for a long time and it will
change and evolve as we do,”
he said.
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17
Pastoral community unites at Central
By BOBBIE HINKLEY
K
NOWLEDGE is power.
And in the case of
negative public perceptions surrounding WA’s
live cattle trade, perhaps
there’s not enough ‘knowledge’ going around.
It has been well-documented rural-dwellers would like to
see more comprehensive coverage of agricultural issues
like live trade in mainstream
media.
But the fact is, many of our
city counterparts are unaware
of the scientific and statistical
facts surrounding the State’s
live trade – a valuable
Australian industry that’s
worth more than $800 million
to our economy each year.
Rural media outlets continue to preach to the proverbial
choir about the devastating
economic and human
impacts of export bans, ongoing welfare improvements and
the industry’s work to remain
sustainable.
But it’s frustrating to know
that many of these messages
don’t reach the large majority
of everyday consumers.
That’s where these ladies
(and the occasional man)
come in.
Central Station is a website
created by Jane Sale and run
by a group of women who
love their way of life in the
northern cattle industry.
Jane and her husband
Haydn run Yougawalla, Bulka
and Margaret River stations
with their young children Tilly
and Gus.
Other contributing authors
to the site include Helen
Campion from Anna Plains,
Connie Gray from Blina, Nikki
Elezovich from Country
Downs, Anne Marie Huey
from Dampier Downs, Jo
Bloomfield from Hodgson
River,Wave Camp from
Kalyeeda, Kristie de Pledge
from Koordarrie, Karen
O’Brien from Liveringa, Tess
Camm from Mystery Park and
the list goes on.
The site and its associated
blogs provide up-close and
personal accounts of day-today life in the north.
While it would be easy to
say that the site attempts to
give a face (or many faces) to
an industry which has been
perceived as ‘faceless’ by certain members of the public, it
would also be too simply put
and therefore untrue.
Central Station gives its
readers an uncensored taste
of remote station life without
the sugar coating - it wasn’t
developed as a knee-jerk or
Band-Aid reaction to the 2011
live export ban.
It’s not an attempt to romanticise the industry (despite
there being a romantic blog
tale or two) - instead it
describes northern life as it
really is and gives the reader a
glimpse of real life on the
land.
After living through the live
export ban and witnessing its
consequences impact heavily
on her family and rural businesses, Ms Sale decided to
take matters into her own
hands.
She attended the first
Influential Women’s forum in
Broome in May 2012 and
walked away with the inspiration to connect consumers
with producers (the overarching theme of the conference).
After the ABC’s 2011 Four
Corners ‘expose’ of the brutal
mistreatment of Australian cattle in offshore processing
plants, Ms Sale decided she’d
never rely on anybody else to
tell her story, or the story of
her friends, family and northern cattle counterparts, again.
By March last year the concept was up and off the
ground and the site’s first hosting week took place in June
of the same year.
The initial stages saw 12-15
host bloggers take the reigns,
including WA, Queensland
and NT cattlewomen.
By the end of the season
others including a contract
mustering crew, a research
and extension team, an
Indonesian cattle importer
and the Indonesian Australian
pastoral industry student program had all hosted a blog.
The site registered more
than 100,000 hits in its first
year of operation which
encouraged Ms Sale and her
crew to keep growing and
evolving the concept.
▲ Station life. Photos courtesy of Central Station.
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18
Station
▲ Muster time at Koordarrie station.
Throughout this year’s dry
season (or what the authors
call the blogging season) the
site will host up to 40 bloggers
keen to give readers a glimpse
into their everyday lives in the
northern cattle industry.
They’ll write every day from
March until the end of
November in a digestible and
casual format.
It has only been a matter of
weeks since the 2014 blogging
season started for Central
Station and it has already
received about 5000 hits in the
very short timeframe.
▲ Tilly (left), Jane, Haydn and Gus Sale at Yougawalla station in the Kimberley.
Statistics have shown the site
has recorded 3000-5000 individual page visitors each
month – the largest audience
percentage from Australia and
the second largest from Poland
(you heard right, Poland).
Facebook has also played a
huge role in promoting the
site, with more than 4000 ‘likes’
having already taken place.
“It’s so hard to describe what
this site and its blogs are doing
for northern cattle industry
awareness,” website manager
Steph Coombes said.
“It recounts day-to-day life
and includes personal blogs
from a number of very courageous and everyday people
about love and loss, children
and education, health, transport, technology and weather
while living in isolation –
things that people who don’t
live remotely take for granted
every day.
“There are also a number of
in-depth accounts of how families manage to survive on one
grocery shop a year (June 4
blog), near death experiences
(June 9) and the hardships
faced while living on the land.”
The site is currently sponsored by Landmark Broome
and a Toowoomba-based business called Ag Workforce.
There are also a number of
other sponsorship deals currently being brokered in order
to keep the site up and running.
So if there’s one thing you
do today, please punch
www.centralstation.net.au into
your search engine and have a
look for ‘Central Station’ next
time you log on to your
Facebook account.
The blog reads are addictive
(in the best possible way) and
it’s a small (but not insignificant) gesture you can make in
support of an industry which
helps to support the rest of
WA’s agricultural industry.
You’ll understand what I
mean when you have a look
for yourself.
Happy reading!
◗ Central Station website
◗ www.centralstation.net.au
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Come and join
Free Entry for
children 16 and under
The LiveLighter Donnybrook Apple Festival, proudly sponsored by
Healthways and Events West.
The Festival will be held over the Easter weekend, 19th & 20th
April. From 10am until 9pm on the Saturday, and 10am until 4pm on
Sunday.
The LiveLighter Donnybrook Apple Festival celebrates all things
fruit, all fresh produce grown in the clean, green growing
environment of the South West will be on display, available for
tastings and purchase.
A chef will demonstrate cooking with fresh ingredients available
from the region.
The variety of produce is very diverse, though fruit production is still
the main industry. The Festival will be celebrating many things,
60 years since the first Festival in 1954, International Year of Family
Farming and Pink Lady apple 40th birthday.
A reunion is being held for all contestants who have entered the
Apple Queen / Ambassadors competition over the 60 years, there
are over 260 contestants.
Department of Agriculture & Food have kindly provided funding to
enable Free admission for 16's and under, when accompanied by
an adult.
There will be non stop entertainment over both days, with local and
visiting artists.
A free Family Concert with Fireworks on Saturday evening.
Sunday will feature Log Chops and a Street Parade with floats,
vintage cars and other interesting vehicles.
All the Fun of the Fair. Free children's activities.
All children will have a passport to encourage them to investigate /
visit various interesting exhibits and the opportunity to win a
skateboard kindly donated by Sportfirst Bunbury.
20
Fruit Pavilion Fruit Display
Vintage Machinery
Collect a FREE juice and
sample some apples
Rock Climbing Wall –
wear the harness and
have your photo taken
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A D V E R T O R I A L
Classic car lovers set for fun day out
CLASSIC car lovers keen for
a fun-filled family day out
have marked Sunday, April
13 in their calendars.
The All Australian Waroona
Car Day will be returning
once again to the Waroona
Showgrounds, bursting with
classic Australian cars and
something for the young and
young-at-heart.
After Event Assist
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community event at Yarloop,
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year means the event has
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Street Machiners.
Just Cruizin Street
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car lovers and in 2012 it was
awarded the Premier’s
Australia Day Award for its
community efforts and
participation.
This was awarded, in
particular, for the group’s
running of the annual
Christmas Light Cruise, a
highlight on the Waroona
calendar.
Community members and
some of the elderly citizens
from the Quambie Park
Complex were taken on a tour
of the best Christmas lights
of Waroona in classic cars.
Bringing this event to
Waroona was yet another
opportunity for the club to be
involved in bringing the
community together.
Just Cruizin Street
Machiners co-organiser
Naomi Purcell said they were
extremely excited to bring the
event back to Waroona, as
many community groups and
volunteers benefited from the
day.
“We are very proud to be
able to return this very
successful event back to
Waroona, where both the
exhibitors and enthusiasts can
enjoy the green grass and
lovely surroundings of the
Waroona Showgrounds,”
Naomi said.
“We were offered the
opportunity to hold the event
in Waroona and thank Event
Assist for having established
such a solid, well revered and
thoroughly enjoyable
community event.
“Not only is it a great day
out for the family, but the
22
event also benefits a number
of community groups and
volunteers.
“We appreciate their
support and hopefully we are
able to give something back
to them for their efforts.”
Anyone and everyone is
welcome to attend, and those
that have vehicles they wish
to display can simply roll up
on the day.
All that is required is a
gold coin entry donation at
the gate.
Motoring clubs and
individuals are also welcome
to come along, with a number
of displays, activities and
market stalls all set up to
ensure a great day for visitors
of all ages.
The gates are open from
10am until 4pm and just a
few of the attractions include
the Old Machinery Club,
which will have a range of
stationary engines on display.
The musical talents of
regular Waroona artist Rod
Drummond will add to the
relaxing day out and he will
be singing throughout the day.
Then there’s the children’s
entertainment which is bound
to keep the young ones happy
with a bouncy castle and
pony rides, while a variety of
market stalls for the big kids
will make sure there’s
something for everyone.
Adding to the festivities
will be a small gourmet hall,
where those with a refined
palate can join in the wine
tastings, while enjoying a
plethora of other freshly
made produce.
All this excitement will be
sure to make you hungry, so
of course there will be a food
court area to satisfy your
tastebuds and fill your belly
on the day.
The best part about it is
that Waroona is only a short
drive from Perth, and can
comfortably be done in just
under an hour and a half.
Waroona is located on the
South Western Highway
between Pinjarra and Harvey,
so if you are coming from
Perth, take the John Forrest
Highway to Greenlands Road
(just south of Pinjarra Road
exit), journey to the
roundabout and turn right to
Waroona.
“The All Australian Car
Day has been an annual event
for many years now,” Naomi
said.
“Over the previous years,
this event has attracted many
tourists to the Peel Region
and is a great community
supported event.
“We encourage everyone to
come down and have a look.
It’s a very relaxed and
enjoyable way to spend the
day.”
The event is supported by:
■ Event Assist
■ Shire of Waroona
■ Waroona Lions Club
Sponsors include:
■ Water Corporation
■ BP Placid Ark – Coolup
■ Shannons Ltd
■ Alcoa Australia
◗ Naomi Purcell
◗ 0418 936 952
◗ [email protected]
N E W S
WA jujube industry
set for growth
1421421
▲ WA Jujube Growers Association Inc. secretary Nola Doswell (left), Jelcobine and Peter Dawson,
Gidgegannup, with DAFWA's Rachelle Johnstone at the group's recent meeting at Market City, Canning Vale.
T
HE jujube may still be a
novelty for many
Western Australians but
after three years work by the
Department of Agriculture
and Food (DAFWA) the fruit
is gaining more prominence.
Jujubes, formerly known as
Chinese red dates, are in season until April and DAFWA
development officer Rachelle
Johnstone believes their
future is bright.
“WA is currently Australia’s
leading jujube producing
State with about
10,000 trees
planted and 30 growers in
the Perth Hills, Wheatbelt and
South West,” Ms Johnstone
said.
“Demand continues to outstrip supply, and fruit has
been retailing through specialist outlets for $8-15 per
kilogram.”
Jujubes resemble small
apples but have a unique,
sweet flavour and are mainly
sold at Asian grocery stores
in the Perth metropolitan
area and farmers markets.
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They are very popular in
China, both fresh and preserved.
Ms Johnstone said the
jujube’s easy management,
drought and salt tolerance
could enable it to become a
niche crop in many areas of
WA.
DAFWA’s work was supported by the Rural Industries
Research and Development
Corporation (RIRDC).
This has enabled a growing
guide to be developed using
data from orchards at York,
Gidgegannup and Bindoon.
This information is available
on DAFWA’s website at
agric.wa.gov.au.
DAFWA has also assisted in
the recent formation of the WA
Jujube Growers Association
Inc.
This should result in a more
cohesive industry, improving
varieties, marketing and quality
control.
Any growers wishing to
join the group should email
Nola Doswell at
[email protected] for
more information.
“Jujubes grow and produce well in WA with
excellent fruit quality,” Ms
Johnstone said.
“With ongoing
research and good
promotion, they
could become a
valuable industry.”
23
A D V E R T O R I A L
Narrogin salon offers
that special feeling
YOU know that feeling of relaxation you get from having complete trust in your hairdresser?
When you can just relax into
the chair, enjoy having your head
massaged, sip a cup of fresh
plunger coffee – all the while
knowing that your hairdresser is
working her magic.
It’s a special relationship and
once you’ve found it, it’s worth
holding onto.
That’s how clients at the
Ornatrix Hair Lounge in
Narrogin must feel.
Owners Donna Marie Hardie
and Jonnelle Zabajnik pride
themselves on making their
clients feel special and providing
an absolute professional service.
Donna and Jonnelle have been
friends for more than 16 years, a
pretty solid basis to start a business together.
“I owned a salon in Williams
for over eight years and Jonnelle
worked there part time and we
always discussed the idea of
opening a salon together in
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4
7, 201
May 1
◗ Ornatrix Hair Lounge,
Narrogin
◗ Ph: 9881 2849
◗ [email protected]
◗ www.facebook.com/
ornatrixhairlounge
Narrogin one day,” Donna said.
“At the time Jonnelle had
small children at home so working full-time was not possible.
“I ended up closing my business and moving to Narrogin
after marrying a local farmer
and starting a family.
“Not long after closing we
were catching up for lunch when
Jonnelle told me, ‘I’ve found a
business premises in Narrogin for
us’.”
Two weeks later, the ladies
signed a lease and opened their
salon soon afterwards, Ornatrix
Hair Lounge – with Ornatrix
being Latin for a female hairdresser.
That was more than two years
ago, and it seems Donna and
Jonnelle’s vision for creating a
luxurious hair salon is appreciated by many.
“We provide our clients with
absolute professional service,”
Jonnelle said.
“Coming into Ornatrix is not
just about a great haircut and
colour; it’s about giving 100 per
cent service to everyone and providing a complete package, from
having a relaxing scalp massage
to enjoying a plunger coffee and
reading current magazines.”
Qualified stylist Kahli Murray,
from Wagin, completes the
Ornatrix team.
With no apprentices, clients
can rest assured their hair is
always styled by a fully-qualified
professional.
One of Jonnelle’s specialty
skills is bridal hair, with wedding
parties visiting the salon on their
special day or the team travelling
to locations anywhere from
Perth to Margaret River.
Continued training is vital for
the Ornatrix team and they love
keeping up to date on current
styles and trends in order to continue to be leaders in their creative field.
Kahli and Jonnelle travelled to
Brisbane last year to attend a
week of training with international hairstylist Sharon Blain.
With such a beautiful, contemporary and classy salon stocking
only quality products such as
Wella and L’Oréal, it’s easy to
forget you’re in downtown
Narrogin and not in a high-end
Perth salon.
But that’s exactly what Donna
and Jonnelle wanted to create –
a hairdressing haven where people don’t have to compromise on
quality simply because they live
in the country.
“We love our job and we take
a lot of pride in making our
clients feel relaxed and giving
them a fantastic hair-do that’s
current, low maintenance and
stylish,” Donna said.
“Our business is extremely
▲ The Ornatrix Hair Lounge in Narrogin offers a special experience to clients.
24
▲ Ornatrix Hair Lounge owners Jonnelle Zabajnik (left) and Donna
Marie Hardie have created a professional,luxurious retreat in their
Narrogin salon.
important to us and we have a
lot of respect for our salon and
our partnership.
“Together with Kahli, we work
as a team and we have immense
respect for each other and work
extremely well together.
“We are very thankful to
everyone that supports our business and has given us this opportunity to provide a service in the
country that people used to have
to travel to Perth to get.”
With five children between
them, Donna and Jonnelle confess that maintaining a balance
between work and family is often
a challenge – particularly when
both their husbands work on the
land with long hours involved.
For that reason both Jonnelle
and Donna only work part time
in the salon, which is why their
partnership works so well as they
are there for each other and the
business, but agree that family
comes first.
“As all working mothers know
you can still have a happy family,
kids and husband and a career
but it does take a lot of organisation and support,” Jonnelle
said.
“Thanks to our very supportive husbands we are able to have
a good balance between running
a successful business and also
being wives and mothers.”
Ornatrix Hair Lounge is open
from Tuesday to Saturday with
late nights on Tuesdays and
Thursdays.
Bookings are not essential but
are best to avoid disappointment.
Chilli festival heats up
A
T the end of the day it’s ‘just a
herb’, but there is something mystical about the humble chilli that
has captured the world’s imagination
since the dawn of human history.
This fascination was on show with the
annual LiveLighter Araluen Chilli Festival,
supported by the City of Fremantle, attracting near-record crowds to the port city’s
Esplanade Reserve.
The crowds also spilled out into the
streets of Fremantle, bringing a healthy
boost to local businesses.
Australia’s largest and most successful
chilli festival and arguably the world’s
most popular hot food festival, saw about
100 stalls full of everything from chilli
plants, condiments, sweets, foods, beverages and more, as well as roving entertainment and cooking demonstrations by
local celebrity chefs.
Rod Ross, general manager of event
organiser Araluen Botanical Park
Foundation, said that since its introduction
in the summer of 2003, Araluen’s Chilli
Festival has firmly established itself as one
of WA’s premier cultural events.
“The Araluen Botanic Park Foundation
relies on this event as an important
fundraising and promotional opportunity
to assist its not-for-profit cause at Araluen
Botanic Park,” Mr Ross said.
“At the same time we seek to benefit the
Fremantle community. One of the initia-
RIPE
READS
tives we employ is to offer all-day pass
outs so that visitors can also explore all
that the port city offers.
“We are delighted to acknowledge and
thank our naming rights partner,
Healthway, promoting the LiveLighter message. For the health and comfort of others
both this event and Araluen Botanic Park
are smoke free venues.”
“It’s been an ongoing success since the
first one was held more than 10 years ago,
but the move to Fremantle in 2011 has
given the festival the chance to grow even
more and it now attracts thousands of visitors from all over WA - this year was no
exception.”
With the near-record crowds not only at
the event, but venturing though the city’s
streets, Fremantle Chamber of Commerce
CEO,Tim Milsom, said the event was a big
boost to the local economy.
“These types of events provide a much
needed boost for traders and anecdotally,
many local businesses have told me that
they did a roaring trade over the weekend,” Mr Milsom said.
MOWERS
WITH
Stella’s Sea, Sally-Ann Jones
(UWA Publishing, $24.99)
WESTERN Australian author Sally-Ann Jones has previously published several romance novels but Stella’s Sea is her
stunning debut novel for a general readership.
This beautifully written novel, set in Cottesloe, begins with
Stella, a middle-aged woman whose formerly conventional
married life in a Wheatbelt town has been torn apart.
Stella has fled to the coast, where she walks daily with her little dog Pom
along Cottesloe beach.
When her yellow scarf draws the attention of Ari, a local Coastcare volunteer, he waves and a friendship begins.
Written in short sections that are set within larger ones that move from one
summer to another, Stella’s Sea unfolds at a gentle pace over a period of a
year.
As a friendship slowly unfolds between Stella and Ari, the act of sharing
their very different stories helps each of them begin to reconcile the aspects of
their lives they struggle with and to find confidence to embrace their futures.
The grief, loss and loneliness both characters suffer slowly heal as the seasons turn.
Ostensibly, Stella’s Sea is a book about loss, and the ebb and flow of nature
and life.
But ultimately it is about friendship and nurturing, courage, hope, love, and
the richness of human experience.
It is a book to savour, to learn from and return to.
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1421505
25
Exotic pests detected
R
EGULAR quarantine
inspections by the
Department of
Agriculture and Food
(DAFWA) have recently
detected exotic insect pests
on fruit, vegetables and flowers brought into WA.
These include two detections of ‘inchworm’ caterpillars
on cut flowers from commercial flower growers in Victoria
and raspberries from
Tasmania.
Mango seed weevil was
found in a mango brought in
from Sydney which was seized
at the Perth Domestic Airport
and weevils detected in
Queensland sweet potatoes
that were inspected prior to
sale at Canning Vale markets.
The items were fumigated
and the mango was
destroyed.
“Quarantine WA works hard
to prevent the introduction of
exotic pests, diseases and
weeds found in other States
and territories of Australia,”
DAFWA Agricultural Resource
Risk Management executive
director John Ruprecht said.
“These three pests are significant and could damage WA’s
cut flower, fruit and vegetable
growing industries if the pests
became established in our
State.
“Our team at the airport
and Canning Vale markets are
to be commended for their
Voice of the Outback
I
HAD a small disagreement with a lady on
Twitter a few weeks ago. She was at the
ABARES conference and someone had
said there had been a decrease in the amount
of kids living on farms.
Tweeting back, I agreed and said I thought
we were in trouble, as an industry, because of
this.
Well, I stirred up a bit of hornet’s nest –
unintentionally!
Her argument was that she had met plenty
of people who hadn’t grown up on the farm
and had taken to it ‘like ducks to water’.
I agreed with her, but responded that I
thoughts kids who had farming around them
all the time, lived and breathed the land. It
was ingrained in their soul.
They learned by osmosis, therefore understood the moods of the land and weather,
they understood stock and cropping, from a
young age because it was around them all
the time.
(Now obviously, I’m talking about kids who
want to be farmers – there are plenty of kids
who have grown up on the land who haven’t
got that passion and don’t want to stay.)
This woman didn’t agree at all, saying that
if farm kids stayed farming they’d all be broke
because they needed fresh eyes and fresh
ideas to be viable.
About this stage I backed out of the conversation because I was so wild!
I am certainly not saying that people without an agricultural background can’t be successful farmers or intelligent contributors to
our industry.
And I’m not saying that ‘city people’ (which
is a term I shouldn’t use, according to this
1421440
26
vigilance, as these pests are
not easy to detect.”
Quarantine WA inspected
more than 143,000 plant lines
from interstate during 2012-13
and almost 42,000kg of quarantine risk material to the
State.
“The quarantine team was
protecting WA’s $6 billion agricultural industries which
export about 80 per cent of
production overseas,” Mr
Ruprecht said.
“Our enviable biosecurity
status reflects our strict quarantine and freedom from
major animal and plant pests
and diseases which give us
access to high value markets
throughout the world.”
with Fleur McDonald
woman, because it infers negativity) can’t
work the land with the same love and consideration as a second, third or fourth generation
farmer can.
What I was trying to get across, is that it is
going to take them time to learn what is second nature to our kids.
I believe and have seen this in many farm
kids - if they are driven to become farmers
because of their love for it, then these kids
aren’t going to need to get up to speed, the
same way as others who haven’t been
brought up on the land.
Farm kids can look at the sky and feel the
change in the wind and know it’s going to
rain.
They’ve seen their mum and dad work
stock, and they’ve helped.
They instinctively know how to work animals; it’s natural to them.
Their mums and dads will have taught
them about diseases in crops, talked to them
about seeding rotations and rates.
These are all things other people need to
learn, because their up bringing has been different.
And they can learn it, but it will take time.
Farm kids are going to be forward thinking
– not afraid to try new things and when they
take over, won’t necessarily use the same
methods as their forefathers.
They know how integral it is to be viable
and the only way to be that way is to be forward thinking!
And what a lifestyle! Freedom, space, clean
air.
I wouldn’t have ever wanted to raise my
kids anywhere else.
C O O K I N G
By BETH
JOHNSTON
The Everyday
Baker
“Y
OU buy figs?! You
want? You buy?” I
distinctly recall the
calls of broken English bellowing down my driveway,
coming from the tiny Italian
woman who lived down the
street.
This was many years ago
now, I was only 18, new to city
living and I was quite frightened of the little woman
bearing bags of fruit I had no
interest in and had never really tasted.
Nowadays I’ve tasted
enough figs, both alone and
in sweet and savoury dishes,
to regret not taking that little
old lady up on her offer.
Instead, I find myself pushing the two lads in my roadtrain-esk pram down the
street to knock on the door of
the Italian couple down the
road who I’ve heard have got
the goods.
I’m informed they’re all
out. Sigh.
Dejected, I call my dear old
Nan and get her on the case.
After a quick dash to the
Manning Farmers Market,
Nan’s got the gold.
I pick up my non-descript
brown paper bag and dash
home to finally start on the
recipe I’ve been dreaming
about for the last few weeks
(I’ve stalked many fruit and
veggie shops and markets
during that time).
As suspected, the result was
well worth the effort of tracking down some figs! So if
you’re lucky enough to have a
bountiful fruiting fig tree then
do try this recipe and perhaps send some my way...
For more recipes and foodrelated musings, head to The
Everyday Baker headquarters at
www.theeverydaybaker.com
FIG FRANGIPANE TART
Ingredients
Pastry:
1 ¼ cups plain flour
120g butter
2 ¼ tablespoons icing sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cold water
Filling:
2 tablespoons fig jam
115g butter
½ cup raw caster sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 ¼ cups almond meal
3 tablespoons plain flour
6-8 fresh figs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Method
Place butter, flour and icing sugar in a
food processor and blitz until the mixture
resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add water
while the food processor is going, stopping
when a dough starts to form (you may
not need all the water).
Take out the dough and roll on a
floured surface, or place baking paper on
the bench as I do, and carefully place into
a flan or pie dish. Prick with a fork and
refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
Bake at 160C (180C if not fan forced)
for 15 minutes, then remove from oven
and brush the pastry case evenly with fig
jam. Allow to cool.
For the filling, mix butter and sugar
until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a
time and the vanilla. Add the almond
meal and flour and mix until just combined. Spread onto the pastry case and
smooth the top.
Cut the figs in half and dip the flesh
side in brown sugar and push them (flesh
side up) into the tart filling as desired.
Bake tart at 160C (fan forced) for
about 40 minutes until lightly golden, then
switch the oven off and allow the tart to
rest for 10-15 minutes before removing.
Serve with a generous dollop of fresh
cream.
1417841
On a fig mission
Bees Neez Apiaries is proud to be
part of the organising committee
for an annual industry event.
MAY IS
HONEY MONTH
Visit SCITECH to see the honeybee
exhibition where you can see a live bee
display and speak to bee experts.
Be part of a long table lunch
featuring honey, to be held in May.
(For more details please
telephone 0428 290 029)
HONEY
FESTIVAL
4th May 10am-4pm
To be held in the grounds of
The House of Honey
867 Great Northern Hwy,
Herne Hill
HIGHLIGHTS
• Discover how to become a
beekeeper
• Have fun with the SCITECH
gang (lots of fun for the kids)
• Beekeeper talks at 11am,
1pm, 3pm.
• Watch beekeepers loading their
trucks
• Meet the lovely Honey girl
• DEC staff with forest news
• Scientist from UWA with lots
of bee biz
• Refreshments available
• HONEY MONTH HONEY FOR
SALE
This event is proudly sponsored by
Bendigo Bank, UWA and CIBER
27
1421389
28