Ducks on the Pond

• Is the Only Option Boarding School? Feat. Louise Martin and Alana Moller

  It can be a hard case to argue… that your children should be subsidised to attend a private boarding school. But when you live in rural and remote Australia, boarding school is really the only option.The Federal Government doesn’t fund state boarding schools (and you could only imagine the expense if they did). So if you are running a farm 600 kilometres away from the nearest high school, your only option is an expensive private school or distance education. But how many teenagers do you know, want to hang out with their Mum and Dad all the time?Yes, some farmers can draw down on their land assets to help afford private schooling. But what about the wage earners in town? Many of them are forced to leave small towns, so their children can go to school in the cities. This has a huge knock-on effect for rural communities. So is there a way to make it easier for everyone?Hear from:*Louise Martin - President, Isolated Children’s Parent’s Association. Louise lives on a sheep and cattle property 30km from Tambo, in QLD. She is the mother of twins.*Alana Moller - lives on a cattle station in central, west of Clermont, QLD. She is the mother of children at boarding school.Louise and Alana share the realities of what it’s like to send your children to boarding school.  From the fees, to the restrictions… and simply not being able to see your child every morning. These mothers share it all.Follow Ducks on the Pond on Instagram. Like this podcast? Check out Two Smart Blondes and Town Criers. This is a Rural Podcasting Co. producton.Want to contact us? Email: [email protected] us a text

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• ‘Say Their Name’ - How to help someone through baby loss

  For too long, we as a society have dealt with the loss of a baby, by almost pretending he or she didn’t exist. But for the mother, that baby is always with her. The love is the same as it would be for any child; it’s just as strong and fierce. But the grief is unique. The grief is for the baby they love, but also the future they never got to have. This can then be compounded by a healthcare system that doesn’t always assist grieving mothers in the way that’s needed.In this special episode of Ducks of the Pond, we hear individual stories of grieving and baby loss, as well as a collective response from a group of Warrnambool mothers, who call themselves “the Electric Eight”. It’s a support group that started forming 13 years ago, for mothers whose babies have died.You’ll hear the voices of:Louise Murrihy - Mother of 3 who is speaking on behalf of the Electric Eight. She lost her first born son, Max. She’s based in Warrnambool, VICRochelle Olsen - Mother of 3 who founded The Baby Loss Mentor. She lost her first born son, Edward. She’s a pharmacist, based in Hillston, NSWThis collective response is so valuable, because it’s a reminder that we all grieve differently - and that mothers who have lost a baby have different needs at different times. You’ll gain insight how a mother might be feeling and how to best support her as a friend, family member or co-worker.Send us a text

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• Finding Courage and Acceptance through the Chapters of Life - Ashley Molloy

  We get to design some of the chapters of our life… but others we don’t.  Ashley Molloy has been a police officer, worked in marketing, built her own home and now designs  jewellery. Each chapter seems very different on face value. But Ashley sees her life as a continuity of growth; in skills, experience and understanding what’s right for each chapter of life.Her most difficult chapter was the unexpected loss of her daughter, who was stillborn. It was in this Chapter where Ashley learned courage, acceptance and perspective about what really matters in life. Ashley is now channeling her passion into a new Australian gold jewellery business, ByCC Fine Jewellery. Her aim is to align her values with a business that supports other rural women.Ashley’s business ByCC Fine Jewellery is also the sponsor of this season of Ducks on the Pond. Thank you Ashley!Send us a text

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• Opportunities in Agtech and Sustainability - Sarah Nolet and Ebony Greaves

  We are hearing more and more about the use of agtech for precision farming tech, for water level monitoring, soil carbon accounting, and so much more. So where do you even start? And is it even worth the time and effort? In this episode we look at how you can better engage with these emerging technologies - whether that’s on farm, as an investor, or getting involved in the industry itself. In the future, we can also expect more regulations around sustainability, whether that’s in the form of carbon accounting or another form of environmental governance. So should we be getting ready now?To discuss, we have two industry leaders:Ebony Greaves - CEO of Sea Oak Consulting, which helps agriculture businesses transition to more climate resilient practices. Ebony is based in Victoria’s High Country.Sarah Nolet - CEO and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, an agrifood venture capital firm and advisory in climate resilient systems.We also have some very frank discussions about the role of women in driving this change. Let's face it, when you get the technology industry mixed with the agriculture industry…. you generally get a lot of men. So, how can we, as women, get more involved to even up the scale?This episode is hosted by Kirsten Diprose.This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production. Love this podcast? You might also like: Two Smart Blondes and Town Criers. Send us a text

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• Getting the Issues that Matter to Us on the Political Agenda

  We’re in the middle of a Federal election campaign…and you can already see that issues such as the cost of living, housing, health and crime are going to be crucial areas of focus for pretty much any candidate hoping to get elected.But what if the issue that matters most to you, or to your family or your community… is NOT one of those hot button topics?  And while we are seeing progress being made in terms of the representation of women in politics, there's still a long way to go before we have true parity on issues that affect women's health, safety, and general wellbeing.So how can rural women make sure they're heard when it comes to raising important issues in the lead up to the election? And how do you have productive and meaningful conversations with people who are on the completely opposite side of the political spectrum? That's what we are talking about in this episode, with our guests:* Cynthia Mahoney - Facilitator, Mentor and Author of “Cultivate: How Neuroscience and Wellbeing Supports Rural Leaders to Thrive”* Gillian Fenell -  Farmer at Lambina Station, SA and ‘Agvocate’This episode is sponsored by ByCC Fine Jewellery. Australian made, ethically sourced, keepsake pieces. Check out the ‘Beyond the Pond’ drop made for Ducks on the Pond!This podcast is produced by the Rural Podcasting Co. Love this podcast? You might also like, Two Smart Blondes. Send us a text

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