With gender roles for men not being as defined as perhaps they once were, what does this mean for our rural men who grew up with certain ideas of 'what a man should look like?'

Does how we talk about our blokes matter too? Whether that's whinging about our husbands who seem to always miss kids bath time... or on a broader societal level about what men should or shouldn't be?

This is a tough issue for a women's-centred podcast to dive into. But if we're ever going to tackle two major killers in rural Australia; suicide and family violence, we need to have some tough conversations.

This is a 2 part deep dive into two complex problems. In this episode we speak to Leila McDougall, producer of the movie "Just a Farmer," about gender roles, the pressures of generational farming, and our own roles as wives, mothers and daughters. She's also a farmer and mother in Tatyoon, in the western districts of Victoria.

Suicide rates amongst farmers in Australia is 94% higher than non-farmers. On average one farmer dies by suicide every 10 days. And it's mostly men.

In Part 2 of this series, we dive into family violence and how we can better involve men in these difficult conversations to help prevent violence against women.

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**EPISODE SPONSOR: Moore Australia**

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a massive change. And most people who have experienced this, speak about a grieving process for your old life and even your old identity, especially if it was based on being physically active.

But our two guests insist a medical condition is not the end of your life. In fact, they say their illnesses have forced them to be innovative, creative and push for change - resulting in opportunities that never would have opened up for them otherwise.

This episode is not just for people who are dealing with health conditions - it’s for their friends, family and colleagues (so everyone really). We can all learn how to be more inclusive and supportive of people who can’t do the same things we can.

Hear from:

• Chrissy Symeonakis - who founded PR firm, Creative Little Soul in 2013, not long after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Chrissy grew up in Renmark, SA and has many rural clients. She has designed a workplace that not only helps her to balance her health needs, but also provides the same flexibility to her employees (many of whom also have an illness or are busy rural Mums).
• Kelly Barnes - a mental health and wellbeing advocate based in Dunkeld, VIC. Kelly was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2015. She was named the Victorian Rural Women’s Award Victorian Winner in 2020 for developing workshops using working dogs to help spark conversations about mental health. She says her own experience with chronic disease was the catalyst to realising the significant role dogs can play in a person’s wellbeing.

Thank you to our episode sponsor: Moore Australia

Would you like to sponsor an episode of Ducks on the Pond? Contact us here.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production. Would you like to create your own podcast? We can help! Find out how.

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**EPISODE SPONSOR: Rural Women’s Day**

There’s this persistent notion that starting up a retail store in the main street of town is just too hard. From the high rents, cost of living crisis, to the relatively low foot traffic in country towns, finding a physical space to sell things, the ‘ye olde way’ can seem impossible.

But in this episode, we meet three business owners who have found success by leaning into the community side of their business. Economically, this might not make a lot of sense at first. How do you put a price on community? Well, in the country, it’s worth something.

The Botanic House in Nagambie, VIC and Workshop 26 in Kimba, SA have transformed their local streetscapes, created a community space with good coffee and atmosphere, as well as a retail store to sell their wares.

This episode features:

· Krystie Holley – Founder and owner of The Botanic House in Nagambie, VIC

· Heather Baldock – Co-Founder of Workshop 26 and owner of High Street Vintage

· Danna Kassebaum – Owner of Zozo and Ace

So if you dream of opening up a store in your town, you will learn A LOT from this episode!

Thank you to our episode sponsor: Rural Women’s Day. Book to attend an event near you in October 2024.

Would you like to sponsor an episode of Ducks on the Pond? Contact us here.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production. Would you like to create your own podcast? We can help! Find out how.

Send us a text