Tim Warren in “Twin Town Times” Sep 6, 2021
The book puts an emphasis on why farming is a critical part of everyone’s life and exactly why we should all have an interest and care in the farming industry.
Gabrielle raises the point that we must focus on and address the tough challenges that the farming industry faces, if we want to keep sourcing the food we eat and buying the clothes we wear.
Ultimately, whatever the lifestyle, everyone either directly or indirectly has an influence on farming.
An excerpt from the book’s introduction reads; “Eaters will be the ultimate arbiter of where and how food is grown and how the land is cared for … We all have a stake in the future of food and farming. I am going to show you why.”
Gabrielle sheds light on some important changes that are currently occurring in our food system, and where major cracks are appearing.
Farming is at the heart of some of the biggest challenges faced in the world today, as climate change, soil, water, energy, and natural disasters continue to evolve.
The Australian farming landscape is changing rapidly, and Gabrielle wants urgent conversation to start, instead of looking back in coming years and being shocked by the outcomes.
The most fitting thing is that Gabrielle is the perfect author for this book, as she has sat both sides of the fence.
Growing up in Sydney and becoming a journalist for major newspapers, before moving to Canberra to work at the Press Gallery, Gabrielle was a world away from the farming world.
However, after marrying a sheep and wheat farmer in 1996, Gabrielle relocated to Harden to start a new life on the farm with her partner.
“If you had told me thirty years ago that I would be moved to write a book in my fifty-fifth year about farming, I would have said you were barking mad. I literally didn’t give a stuff about farming,” Gabrielle said in the book.
“And then I met The Farmer. I suppose you could fall in love with someone and hate their occupation. I didn’t; I became thoroughly fascinated by The Farmer’s job. “It just gets so much more personal when your livelihood depends on it.”
‘Why You Should Give a F*ck About Farming’ is a realistic view on the industry of farming from a totally balanced and unbiased perspective.
———————————————
Podcast On ‘Nightlife with Indira Naidoo’
When Gabrielle Chan shifted from the Canberra press gallery to a sheep and wheat farm near Harden NSW, not too far from the ACT, she began to realise that there was a gulf between parliament and the realities of farming life. And so she wrote her first book about it, called “Rusted Off- why Country Australia is fed up”.
Well, now she has written a new book, looking at how farms are facing risks ranging from climate change to soil depletion to future pandemics – all of which could drastically affect the future availability of food and fresh water for the Australian population.
It’s called, provocatively, “Why You Should Give A F* About Farming” and it explores these threats as well as the conundrum of why farm policy-making falls so far short in a nation where over 50% of the country is farmland and politicians, ostensibly representing farmers, sit on the government benches.
Duration: 23min 54sec
———————————————–
Podcast on The Guardian:
Katharine Murphy speaks to journalist Gabrielle Chan about her upcoming book, Why you should give a f*ck about farming. Gabrielle talks about how farming is at the intersection of the world’s greatest existential threats. She also explains how food consumption has become increasingly tribal and polarised, which is very similar to the changes we’ve witnessed in politics over recent years
“We MUST respect this earth - it is all we have
Claudio Dametto - South Australia
“I will always Vote to Preserve Our World.
Liam McGregor - Western Australia
“A simple message that even a politician can understand
Felicity Crombach - Victoria
“Please show you care about our future generations!!
Phil Harmer - New South Wales
“Save our world , Life & health before profits.
Kerry Lillian - New South Wales
“Close down all coal mines and Do not mine gas . Make these Companies
Daniel Johnson - New South Wales
“We want carbon free energy!
Edan Clarke - New South Wales
“Feels good to be taking a voter action step
Beaver Hudson - New South Wales
“Great Initiative. Let’s Hold elected officials Accountable to their bosses, us!
John Paul Posada - New South Wales
“We need actions not words we need honest democratic govt We need a pm
Bob Pearce - South Australia
“Thank you for this great resource. I was feeling helpless. Even this small step
Silvia Anderson - Victoria
“If political parties continue receiving political donations, we will rarely have politicians working for
Dan Chicos - New South Wales
“I only vote for people who will take urgent action to restore a safe
Susie Burke - Victoria
“Current government is not representing the opinion of the majority of Australian to meet
Neil Price - Tasmania
“We are fighting to rescue our kids' future from those who seek to steal
Vanessa Norimi - Queensland
“No time to waste Now or Never My vote is for NOW
Rosalie White - Victoria
“I am only 9 but I already care
Ava Bell - New South Wales
“From New Lambton Uniting Church - Caring for our world is a moral imperative.
Niall McKay - New South Wales
“Our federal govt is an International climate Embarrassment - its about time they stepped
Oriana Tolo - Victoria
“Vote earth this time!
Sue Cooke - Queensland
“We are in one on the wealthiest countries in the world. we have the
rowan huxtable - New South Wales
“The climate Emergency is the public health opportunity and urgent priority of the 21st
Mike Forrester - Victoria
“If they want my vote they better act now
Barbara McNiff - New South Wales
“We need to act locally now for the earth. Our only home. Vote Earth
Anne Miller - New South Wales
“I often look at the places I've known all my life and see how
Jim Baird - New South Wales
“Strike one For people power!!! Democracy might prevail outside the current cronyism that faces
Lorraine Bridger - New South Wales
“Our federal politicians Are Afraid to make action on climate change a major election
Jennifer Martin - New South Wales
“climate election, let's go!
Fahimah Badrulhisham - New South Wales
“Great to see this website that is a focus on action for climate change
Lynette Sinclair - New South Wales
“Let’s show politicians and the Murdoch media that climate change is by far the
Jane Aitken - Australian Capital Territory
“If you want to stay in power You need to take action to stop
Jane Bulter - New South Wales
“We are all that stands between terminal climate change and the vulnerable. We are
Carol Khan - Queensland
“We need a Government that Believes this is real and not taking money from
Ken Gray - New South Wales
“I'm voting for my childrens future
Anneliese Alexander - New South Wales