🌹🕊️ May peace embrace the echoes of her story.

 

Vale Margaret Robinson ( Robyn ) Lindsay ( nee Chittick ) Born 6th September 1928 Died 4th August 2010

In the shroud of profound loss that suicide casts upon those left behind, memories of the loved ones can be obscured by the weight of their silent struggles.

In the 21st century, there is a growing recognition and compassion for those wrestling with the insidious grip of depression. Families now find solace in newfound support systems, helping them navigate the complex emotions surrounding the tragic choice of a loved one.

This poem seeks to articulate the nuances of my mother’s pain and remembrance, shedding light on the enduring impact of mental health challenges and the evolving empathy that surrounds them.

🌹🕊️ May peace embrace the echoes of her story.

 

In the heart of farming land, where fields unfurled,

Lived a soul, a woman, in a melancholy world.

Born into the hushed years of the Great Depression,

A beauty with auburn waves, a silent confession.

Amidst the bovine whispers and the country air,

She masked her struggles with grace and care.

A daughter of the farm, in shadows she’d roam,

Bearing a heavy heart, a burden all her own.

Her family, a tableau of rustic delight,

Yet, within her, raged an internal fight.

The effort to don a brave face for all to see,

Veiled the storm within, a tempest silently.

In the dance of sunlight on the landscapes’ embrace,

She wore a facade, a delicate veneer of grace.

Auburn strands caught the winds of despair,

As she navigated a world that seemed unfair.

Depression’s grasp, a relentless, unseen chain,

She carried the weight, endured the silent pain.

A puzzle to those who couldn’t comprehend,

The battles fought when the daylight would end.

Alone in her struggles, she faced the abyss,

In the quiet corners where her demons exist.

The beauty that adorned her like a fragile thread,

Yet, in solitude, she found a path to tread.

The farm, witness to her silent cry,

As she soared beyond the earthly sky.

In the solitude of her departure, a poignant song,

A life complex, where her spirit belonged.

Oh, auburn-haired soul, now free from strife,

May you find solace in the afterlife.

In memoriam, we remember your silent plea,

A woman of the farm, now forever free.

 

 

 

Harmony in Unity. Embracing ‘Better Together’ for a Resilient and Sustainable World

In our closely connected world, the idea of “better together” encourages us to break down barriers and focus on the well-being of everyone instead of just ourselves.

When we work together, combining our different skills and ideas, we can tackle big problems in a complete way, encouraging new ideas and making us stronger.

Choosing a shared vision over just thinking about what we want individually lets us join forces, making a bigger impact on global challenges like climate change.

Teamwork doesn’t just make each person’s efforts stronger; it also builds a feeling of togetherness, trust, and respect.

When people with diverse perspectives collaborate, it sparks creativity and helps us adapt for a future that’s both resilient and sustainable. Remember, the idea of being “better together” is a powerful reminder that when we work as a team, we can navigate the complexities of our modern world more effectively. 🌍💙

If anyone can bring us all together – its Cate McQuillan

This is Cate McQuillen’s call to action at last nights AAEE Awards

I first met Cate at Belltrees Public School Regen Ag Workshop last weekend and reconnected last night

If anyone can breakdown silo thinking and convince us to move beyond self interest and we are #bettertogether its Cate

Footnote: Cate is Mememe productions cofounder. They won an International Emmy Award in Cannes for their Dirtgirlworld animation. Check out their website here https://www.mememe.com.au/

#CreatingaBetterWorldTogether #BetterTogether #CollaborationMatters #CollectiveAction #GlobalUnity #SiloBreaking #InnovationHub #ResilientFuture #ClimateCollaboration #UnityInDiversity #SharedVision #GlobalImpact #CommunityFirst #CollectiveWellBeing #Adaptability #SustainableSolutions #HarmonyInAction

When do you give up and acknowledge you are whistling in the wind?

Sadly after 20 years of drawing attention to team members at Dairy Australia  that the organisation who  claims they  best represent agricultural careers is telling the world that all cattle are the same and are akin to  horses, I am walking away from this marketing car crash.

isis

Well meaning it maybe, but the first rule should always be “if you are going to do it, do it well, or don’t do it at all”

Is  it any  surprise I feel I am whistling in the wind?

Its one thing to infer dairy farmers milk beef cattle*. It is  another to have people think cows are horses

No hashtags here I am gobsmacked

FYI * for non dairy farmers all the pix in the first image are of beef cattle not dairy cattle. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It’s time to stop working in silos and partner with others trying their best to get outcomes for agriculture

Industry needs to acknowledge they are a big part of the problem. They should have these resources readily available for any organisation who wants to showcase careers in their industry.

This was reinforced by a recent grant project I was involved in where we had  the opportunity to add agricultural careers to the Become App offering.

We had focus groups with each industry involved to identify those careers and identified 130.

We used ChatGPT to write the descriptions ( it did a very impressive job of it too ) and it was a nightmare trying to get industry to supply pix ( sans Austral who were very quick off the mark)

Speaking of Austral how impressive is this 

 

 

 

 

Don’t leave it too late to follow your dreams

My recent decluttering on my house unearthed a number of things I had forgotten about.

One thing that caused great reflection, was a series of house plans, one for the 1st acre block we purchased in Jamberoo for the princely sum of $16,000 when I first got married. An acre block that would be worth millions now. Other plans were for houses I never got to build either.

Regrets I have had a few.

The dream – that could have been

We sold that acre block to fund our first foray into farming. I wasn’t happy but that’s what women who are bought up in the patriarchal world of farming did in those days.

I did buy houses, for other people to live in. I even bought a house for my sister. The others became investment properties that we later sold to fund farming expansions and even the purchase of two farms that both got sold to fund the expansion of our milk business so it would support our son to join the business.

I found this picture of the Lotus my brother built. My father ( fully supported by our mother) insisted that me and my sister help fund the purchase of the car kit. Its seemed a perfectly logical request to him – after all that’s what farm women do.

We don’t inherit farms, we fund the dreams of men apparently.

It took me a long time to change that mindset and I am so glad I have ( it was a big shock to my family)

In 2012 an opportunity arose to decide what dream I could fund for me and I took it.

Now its time for new directions and I am very excited.

Are you making the same mistakes as me – are you funding others people dreams.  If so, this post is a request from me to not leave it too late to follow your dreams

 

Continuing the Stories of My Family Treasures by Remembering those who came before us – Part Two

Continuing the stories of my family treasures.

This particular item is a real treasure, both of monetary and sentimental value. It is stored in a safety deposit box, to be passed on to the next generation who will appreciate its significance.

As mentioned in “Remembering Those Who Came Before Us – Part One”  Eric Lindsay and his brothers were impressive footballers and tennis players.

In the early 20th century, winning a premiership came with “real” gold medals. Charlie Lindsay played 1st Grade football for Port Kembla, and they must have won the competition in 1922. Eric Lindsay and Charlie Lindsay also played 1st Grade football for Dapto, winning the premiership in 1919.

In 1906, Eric Lindsay won the Junior Tennis Championship, and his victory was celebrated with “real” gold, all accompanied by this beautiful “real” gold fob chain.

To continue the family tradition, I had my son’s national ski championship awards replicated in gold and added to the family history fob chain. I am confident the next generation will value them as much as I do.

While it is sad that these treasures are kept locked away, I would be devastated if I wore the fob chain and lost them. Just having the capacity to share their story gives me great joy

#FamilyHistory #Heirlooms #LindsayFamily #FamilyTreasures #SportsAchievements #FootballHistory #TennisHistory #GoldMedals #FobChain #GenerationalLegacy

Table – John Lindsay and Mary Dunster and children
Name Born Died Status
John Lindsay 1857 1930 Married: Mary Dunster
Muriel 1887 1961 Unmarried
Charles 1888 1964 Married: Eileen McPhee
Joseph Roy 1890 1929 Unmarried
Walter Dunster 1893 1967 Married: Ethel Carr
Eric Stratford 1894 1970 Unmarried
Estelle 1897 1962 Unmarried
Harold Thornbury 1895 1959 Unmarried
Hilda 1900 1963 Unmarried
Doris 1899 1980 Unmarried
Hilton 1902 1964 Married: Edith Martin

 

 

 

Discovering Family Treasures and Remembering those who came before us – Part One

 

I am thrilled to share that my recent house decluttering has unearthed a number of photos and stories I wasn’t aware I had. These treasures from my family history have brought me immense joy, and I am delighted to share them with you.

I feel incredibly fortunate that my great Aunt Soey and my grandmother Ethel Lindsay shared some of the Lindsay family heirlooms with me. Aunty Soey, in particular, provided little stories along with the items—often jotted down on envelopes or gathered from conversations with others.

One treasured item is a photograph of my grandfather, Walter Lindsay (bottom row, 2nd from the right). This was the only photo Aunty Soey could find, as he wasn’t keen on having his photo taken due to a hair lip and cleft palate, which couldn’t be repaired during his lifetime. You can read more about Walter here.

Additionally, I have my grandfather’s bible, another cherished keepsake from Aunty Soey. She also gave me a teapot and jug that belonged to Tom and Lizzie Lindsay (brother and sister), each accompanied by little stories that bring their history to life.

I’m especially excited to have photos of many of the people featured in these stories. From left to right in one of the photos are Eric (Gug) Lindsay, Doris (Dos) Lindsay, and Soey Dunster.

The Story Behind the Teapot and Jug

According to family legend, Eric Lindsay was an impressive sportsman who played first-grade football for Dapto. He won the teapot stand for being the MVP. The teapot and jug were handed down from Tom and Lizzie Lindsay, who lived at Kembla Park.

This little snippet from the Illawarra Pioneers explains the lineage of the family members, including Walter, Eric, and Doris Lindsay.

Table 1– John Lindsay and Mary Dunster and children
Name Born Died Status
John Lindsay 1857 1930 Married: Mary Dunster
Muriel 1887 1961 Unmarried
Charles 1888 1964 Married: Eileen McPhee
Joseph Roy 1890 1929 Unmarried
Walter Dunster 1893 1967 Married: Ethel Carr
Eric Stratford 1894 1970 Unmarried
Estelle 1897 1962 Unmarried
Harold Thornbury 1895 1959 Unmarried
Hilda 1900 1963 Unmarried
Doris 1899 1980 Unmarried
Hilton 1902 1964 Married: Edith Martin

Table 2 Where Tom and Lizzie fit in one generation back

Name Born Died Status
John Lindsay 1832 1894 Married: Jane Musgrave
Ann Jane 1853 1903 Unmarried
George 1855 1946 Married: Sarah I.H. Grey (1886)
John 1857 1930 Married: Mary Dunster
Eliza 1861 1944 Unmarried
Sarah Jane 1863 1948 Married: Evan Eustace Evans
Thomas William 1864 1941 Unmarried
Charles Love 1868 1950 Married: Margaret Campbell
Lavinia  (Lizzie) Florence 1870 1907 Unmarried

See the next post in the series here

Social change is driven by technology not people

Most social changes don’t involve people changing. People’s hopes, wants and motivations stay pretty much the same. Instead, what drives change is the way technologies, systems and practices gradually evolve to become easier, quicker, smaller, hipper, more powerful and more useful. Martin Cohen

Today,  July 15 is the United Nations World Youth Skills Day – a day to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.

The 2023 theme is “Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future.”

Does this sound familiar?

For over 15 years Action4Agriculture has been equipping young people with the skills to thrive in the 21st century and we have long been known for developing the four Cs of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. Building on our cornerstone programs of Young Farming Champions, The Archibull Prize and Kreative Koalas we were thrilled to add two new programs to the stable in 2023 in Young Environmental Champions and Action4Youth to further explore these skills.

The Young Environmental Champions invited students to research the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and choose a global problem from which to derive a local solution for their school and community.

“Over 10 weeks, these young minds dedicated themselves to creating a social impact project that will bring about positive change in their communities and contribute towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” Action4Agriculture director Lynne Strong says. “Our young people are reshaping, rewiring and reimaging the future; a future where they will be the leaders.”

Action4Youth is a purpose-driven program to support young people from all backgrounds and experiences to thrive in a career in agriculture by:

  • Increased employer engagement in work-based learning pathways.
  • Improved learning and skills development experienced by young people.
  • Increased entry-level jobs offered to young people.

“It is widely recognised that the education and training systems we have in Australia aren’t fit for purpose and Action4Agriculture we are working with a dedicated group of people to address that. We were committed to ensuring the right people were at the table as part of our Action4Youth program and we were very excited to be able to identify those people from the Illawarra and South Coast of NSW and share that information with others so they can follow in our footsteps and replicate and scale our work and value add to their outcomes,” Lynne says.

All participants in Action4Agriculture programs have access to workshops facilitated by Josh Farr from Campus Consultancy covering 21st century topics including building teams, design thinking, developing stake-holder relationships, communication and agile project management.

“The benefits of participating in an Action4Agriculture initiative is the authenticity of learning and the development of real world skills. It enables young people to engage in real world systems, to understand constraints and structures on real world problems and to engage with experts in the field.

From each stage of the program students are encouraged to extend themselves and develop their skills. This is supported by their belief in their solutions and their passion to make a difference.” Secondary School Principal

 

According to the United Nations “technological advancements and shifting labour market dynamics increasingly call for agile and adaptable skill sets. It is crucial that we empower young people to navigate these changes effectively. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is well placed to meet these demands by reducing access barriers to the world of work, ensuring that skills gained are relevant, recognized and certified, promoting green skills and practices, and offering skills development opportunities for youth who are not in education, employment and training.

“On World Youth Skills Day, let us unite in recognizing the potential of young people as catalysts for change and commit to providing them with the skills and opportunities they need to build a prosperous and sustainable world for all. Together, we can shape a brighter future where no young person is left behind.”

This is an ethos enshrined in Action4Agriculture and we are proud to promote World Youth Skills Day and our role within the movement.

Image source

#action4Agriculture

#careerswithpurpose

#creatingabetterworldtogether

Identifying the solutions – AUSTRALIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY WORK-BASED LEARNING

As the Action4Agriculture team puts the finishing touches on reporting what we learnt from the delivery of our project “ACTION4YOUTH – Explore-Connect-Support”  funded by the National Careers Institute we are collating the information and sharing it far and wide to encourage others to share their learnings.

One of the things we learnt was Australian students DO NOT have universal access to high quality work based learning.

To find the solutions to this barrier we went on a journey interviewing specialists in their field to find out what success would like for schools, students, school staff and employers.

Action4Agriculture is proud to be a solutions focused organisation sharing what we learn

 

 

Building the confidence to create the possibilities of tomorrow

To build the confidence to create the possibilities of tomorrow I am inspired by this quote

We aspire to make a difference, yet at the same time fear we cannot . Confidence is that magical quality that allows us to transcend the quiet self – doubts that tug at us . It shows us the emotional way forward by allowing us to believe in ourselves and trust the process .

We need a road map that can shift our perspective and free our imaginations, allowing us to suspend belief in the limits of today so we can see and create the possibilities of tomorrow.  Blue Ocean Shift (p. 6). Pan Macmillan UK. Kindle Edition. Mauborgne, Renee; Kim, W. Chan.

The last ten years have been a time of significant change for me. Firstly exiting the family dairy business after I realised I had a vision for the business my business partners didn’t share.

The exit process taught me realising my vision for the business had consumed me. It had become my identity.

So I then put everything I had into the charity I had founded and it too became my identity ( you can see a pattern forming here). Last year it became very clear to me I was suffering from founder syndrome and it was time to hand over the reins. A defining moment was the feedback from the judges of the Banksia Awards – “there doesn’t seem to be a clear plan to replicate and scale”. Scaling what we do was the last thing on my mind – all I wanted to do was to add value to what others are doing.

I had a long chat to my contact at St Vincent De Paul – one of our funding partners. He said the work your charity does must continue and Vinnes can  provide support for you to package up all your programs and find others with the capacity to replicate them and scale them. I found this idea very exciting. There is no shortage of others out there doing great work.

So far we have been very successful with Kreative Koalas and the Young Environmental Champions programs finding the perfect new home. We are are having exciting conversations about The Archibull Prize’s capacity to have an AGSTEM role as part of a major university program and the Young Farming Champions will be workshopping what the next stage looks like for their program – could it be a youth led, youth driven initiative?

St Vincent De Paul have even engaged some-one to mentor me through the process and I very grateful for that. Defining what the future looks like at my age means spending a lot of time reflecting on the mistakes of the past and asking myself , am I too old to change.

What does proving you are never to old to change look like?

To start with I am going to focus on positive language

The breakdown of my family business taught me:

đź’ŞWhatever journey you are on get the foundation right.

đź’ŞEverybody needs to part of a shared vision – it must be a co-design process

đź’ŞSurround yourself with people who:

âś…share your vision

âś…have skillsets that complement yours

I am reading a book recommended by my mentor. I love this extract from the preface of  “Blue Ocean Shift by Mauborgne, Renee; Kim, W. Chan”

In the poem “ O Me ! O Life ! ” Walt Whitman , the American poet and essayist , reflects on the trials and tribulations that define the human experience . “ What good amid these , O me ! O life ? ” he asks . His answer — that all of us , individually and collectively , may contribute a verse to the powerful play that is life — has never left us . Life has its challenges and tribulations , no doubt . But it is not beyond our ability to shape . By our very existence , we all are able to contribute a verse and , in doing so , influence life’s course , and maybe even its beauty , if only by an inch . What will your verse be ? What will ours ? We have never stopped asking ourselves this question . What do we want to stand for ? What narrative arc do we want to focus our efforts on in the hopes of adding a small verse to the powerful play that is life that can help our world to advance ?

We need a road map that can shift our perspective and free our imaginations , allowing us to suspend belief in the limits of today so we can see and create the possibilities of tomorrow . And for that we need to inspire confidence in ourselves and in our people because , although we all are replete with creative energy and resilience , at our core , most of us are also incredibly tender and vulnerable . Without the confidence to act , few will venture down a new path , no matter how clear the road map .

We aspire to make a difference, yet at the same time fear we cannot . Confidence is that magical quality that allows us to transcend the quiet self – doubts that tug at us . It shows us the emotional way forward by allowing us to believe in ourselves and trust the process .

As Nelson Mandela once noted , “ It always seems impossible until it’s done”