S3 Ep 2 - A Country Calling

Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story

You could describe my guest today as a country girl trapped in the city. Growing up in Adelaide, there was always a country calling for Meridie Jackson. But it certainly hasn’t come easy. She’s had to take the long road to get there – from a corporate career, to the job of being a mum. Only in the last few years has her dream come true. She’s officially a farmer, producing beef in Central Victoria around 1.5 hours north-east of Melbourne. To learn how she’s done it without inheriting a family farm – Meridie Jackson joins me to discuss:

• Meridie’s favourite place on the farm.
• She shares a little about her childhood because, it may surprise a lot of people to learn that it wasn’t a rural one.
• Her first real taste of the country was during her gap year when she did a stint as a Jillaroo.
• At the beginning of her career Meridie had an exciting corporate career that took her to New York which gave her experience in banking, business and the value of a strong work ethic.
• How she reached a point within her life – when she had the career, the husband, three kids but, the calling of a country life drew her in.
• Her story is inspiring and uplifting for other women in Agriculture so, how do you become a first-generation farmer in the Yarra Valley producing beef?
• About 5 years ago Meridie managed to buy her own farm and says, ‘I just put in small steps, which would walk me down the path of where I wanted to go.’
• The landscape for women farming at the moment, and the network of women who are the decision makers on the farm.
• The importance of monitoring mental health while working on the land, which can be isolating.
• What Meridie loves most about being out in the country and living this lifestyle.
• The most common misconceptions about farming.
• The most unexpected thing to happen on the farm.
• Meridie’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

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