After days of torrential rain, it was lucky the dress code included gumboots for the 10th anniversary of the North Central Catchment Management Authority’s Chicks in the Sticks event.
With COVID restrictions preventing the event from running for two years, almost 100 women were delighted to meet face to face in the beautiful gardens at Camp David Farm in Spring Hill. The event was celebrating more than a decade of achievements by women in agriculture and the environment.
NCCMA’s regional landcare coordinator Tess Grieves said it was wonderful to see inspiring women – from flower growers to chook farmers, croppers and creatives – from all over central Victoria, gathering in person for the first time in two years.
“It’s been great to bring women with a diversity of skills and leadership together to share and learn from one another,” Tess said.
“We started Chicks in the Sticks because NCCMA demographic data showed that women weren’t as present as men at our events.
“I thought we should do something about that, so I designed Chicks in the Sticks for women.”
The women explored the beautiful extensive gardens, learnt botanical drawing from artist Paula Zetlein, and were inspired by speakers such as farmer Madeleine Jenkins from 3 Bears Farm author, gardener and landcarer Dr Jill Teschendorff, and producer of hemp products from Bunjil Farm Lyn Stephenson, before enjoying lunch in the spring sunshine.
Writer and presenter on ABC TV Gardening Australia, Millie Ross, also spoke at the event.
“Women are like the natural landscape, resilient, complex and diverse. So often in the past they’ve been undervalued and overlooked,” she said.
