For many years now, New Zealand born Fiona Baird has been bringing fun, fashion and a feverishly hard work ethic to her work as a stock woman on live export shipments from Australia throughout all of South East Asia. Her story is so unique because she doesn’t allow the grit and grime of working with animals all day, dampen her style standards of well done hair and strong red lipstick. But it wasn’t always about live export for Fi, she’s lived a colourful life, with a few stops and starts since her childhood days on a farm in the south island of New Zealand. We started by asking her – on reflection – how she feel about the path she's led so far.

You can read more about her story and she some beautiful images of her in the Spring Edition on sale now in your local stockist, or you can gift a subscription to a friend at graziher.com.au.

Thank you to this week's sponsor Blundstone Australia.

And thank you so much for your warm welcome of this new podcast. We are beyond stoked about how it's been received. If you like this episode – or any others – we would love it if you shared it with a friend and if your listening on apple podcasts a rating and a review is still the best way for new people to discover these wonderful stories.

We’ll be back in your ears next week with our another episode of Life on The Land.

Christine humbly refers to herself as a farmer, living mostly in central west NSW but between there and two properties in the far western corner New South Wales with her partner, affectionately know as the Ginga Ninja and she has two grown children living in Canberra and Adelaide.

But her story is remarkable –Christine has always had a deep love for the land and for animals – and her drive to have her own farm and be amongst the natural world has seen her face some huge adversities. She hasn’t escaped these events unharmed – but she tells Skye Manson she just loves the wisdom that comes from getting older and living life – labelling it one big beautiful mess.

This podcast talks about some challenging issues including Domestic Violence. If this raises anything for you, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Thank you to our sponsor for this episode RB Sellers.

You can purchase the Spring issue of Graziher now at your local stockist or subscribe for a friend at graziher.com.au.

This episode has some language which isn’t suitable for little ears, and deals with the aftermath of a bushfire and mental ill health. If this brings anything up for you, you can speak with someone right now at Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Today's guest Georgia Mattschoss is a mum and farmer from South Australia.

What a rollercoaster Georgia has ridden. A series of unforeseen circumstances have thrown some serious curveballs at Georgia over the last decade and her story, which she shares with Emily Herbert, is ultimately one of survival and triumph through some pretty dark times.

A defining moment in Georgia’s life was in 2011, when her dad was tragically killed in a farming accident, something that Georgia and her family continue to grapple with up to this day.

You can find Emily here on Instagram.

Thank you to our sponsors for this episode Seed Terminator.

The Spring issue of Graziher goes on sale this week 17th September 2020, subscriptions are in the mail awaiting delivery. Head to your local stockist to pick up a copy or you can send a friend a subscription via our website here.

Annabelle Hickson isn’t your average country girl, in fact, even though she’s written extensively about her life on the land she still feels like a foreigner travelling to another wonderful planet. She's lived in Moree and now on a farm near Tenterfield in northern New South Wales for almost a decade with her husband Ed and three children and continues to be astonished by her life, lifestyle and the people within it. Her story is about learning the worth of simple things, harnessing ambition and that sometimes a big house in the country isn’t what’s going to make you happy.

This episode of Life on the Land is sponsored by birdsnest. For the month of September birdsnest are giving you $10 off your next order, for orders over $70 - simply enter the code LIFEONTHELAND at the checkout.

If you're enjoying our stories please share them with a friend (or several0 via a text message or show us where you're listening on Instagram stories tagging Graziher.

You can find Annabelle here on Instagram and her updates on her new publication Galah can be found here.

Our guest for today's show is Grace McLeod, a young farmer from Western Victoria.

If you fancy a McLeod's Daughters joke she's already beat you to it - often seen on horseback with her three working dogs never far behind she lives her own version of Drovers Run every day.

Grace is currently managing her family's two properties which straddle the Victorian and the South Australian border with around 6,000 acres of arable and 2,000 acres of grazing for just under 3,500 head of sheep it's been a busy 3 years since Grace came back to work on the farm full time.

She very kindly drove to town to get reception for this conversation with Emily Herbert. They speak about a vast array of topics from mental ill-health, the challenges of isolation on the farm, this year - compounded by COVID-19 and properties by a state border to the importance of travel beyond the farm gate to gain new perspectives.

Thank you so much to this episode's sponsor, Just Country.

Just Country offers gear for out here, designed to keep up with the demands of life on the land, whether that’s Graziers, broadacre or hobby farmers through to rural community groups and committees. Check out their range of workwear and more here.

If you've enjoyed listening to the independant Graziher podcast they help us spread the word by telling a friend (or several) - you can text them this episode or share it on your Instagram stories! Take a screenshot of your app, or show us how you listen by messaging or tagging us @graziher

If you would like to read more stories on interesting and inspirational rural women, you can do so by picking up a copy of the latest edition of Graziher magazine, or you can head to our website www.graziher.com.au to subscribe.

It's fitting that Julie McDonald is our first guest for the Life on the Land podcast. Her story is extraordinary, but many of the challenges and triumphs she's lived through, run parallel to the experience of other women all over rural and regional Australia.

For Julie, her story is about falling in love; a life on the land; her husband Zanda, her four daughters; being CFO of one of Australia largest privately owned, beef enterprises, McDonald Holdings and so many more things. Sadly life was to become unhinged seven years ago, when Zanda, passed away after a farming accident on their cattle property 75 kilometres south of Cloncurry in Queensland. She shares this story and talks about life now with Skye Manson for this edition of Life on the Land.

Thank you so much to this episode's sponsor, the Zanda McDonald Award.

To apply for the 2021 Zanda McDonald Award click here www.zandamcdonald.com

We'll be back next week with the story of another wonderful rural women - make sure you Subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss it.

If you would like to support this independant podcast publication please share it with a friend (or several).

Either text them this episode, or share it on your Instagram stories! Take a screenshot of your app, and show us how you listen by messaging or tagging us – whether that is checking the waters; baking at home; going for an afternoon walk, doing whatever you are doing.

Life on the Land is produced by the Manson + Company podcast production house.

Welcome to our new podcast telling stories of women who live in rural and regional Australia. Stories from all kinds of women, who have lived all kinds of lives from all different walks of life. In our first season over 8 episodes, join our hosts Skye Manson and Emily Herbert as they speak to women from all over Australia. Hear from farmers, mothers, photographers, business owners, teachers, nurses and doctors too. Hear from women who have moved to the country and women who have moved away from the country. Everyday women, we all have a story to tell.