Summary

Cloth carry bag used by delegates at the 2001 North East (Beechworth) Women on Farms Gathering. This bag was given to participants at the beginning of the Gathering during registration and contained a range of local pamphlets, tourist information and samples of regional produce. Students from the Myrtleford High School made and screen printed the calico bags for this Gathering.
Part of Museums Victoria's Invisible Farmer Project Collection. The Invisible Farmer Project was the largest ever study of Australian women on the land, uncovering the histories and stories of Australian women in agriculture. It began as a pilot project (2015-2016) and evolved into a three year (2017-2020) nation-wide partnership between rural communities, academic, government and cultural organisations, funded by the Australian Research Council.the absence of rural women in mainstream histories and museums.

Physical Description

Natural cotton rectangular carry bag with shoulder strap, green printed logo depicting a computer screen, two women joining hands in the shape of a satellite dish, with a stylized image of an agricultural seed head.

Significance

A key feature that unites all Victorian Women on Farms Gatherings is the tradition of giving gifts and souvenirs to participants. These gifts are usually sourced from the region that the Gathering is held and include local foodstuffs, pamphlets and handcrafted goods. They are usually handed to participants at the beginning of the Gathering during registration, and are often contained within a bag, such as this 2001 North East (Beechworth)l Gathering bag. This tradition of gift-giving allows the local organising committee to showcase their region's produce, as well as to make their guests feel welcome from the outset of the Gathering weekend.

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