Summary

Interview with Marion Rak by Tagen Baker at Goomalibee, Victoria, on 13 August 2016. Original recording.

Originally from Sydney, Marion Rak married into the farming lifestyle, as her husband was a member of a strong farming family in Victoria. Once established, she and her partner eventually started up their own farm in Mount Bruna in 1988, where they specialised in cherries, wine grapes, and olives. Marion is representative of a modern-day woman in agriculture who speaks passionately about farm administration, farming practices, irrigation techniques, and dealing with crises within the industry.
This interview is one of 13 that were conducted by Tagen Baker as part of the Invisible Farmer ARC project, in initial research undertaken in August 2016.

Tagen Baker is a Research Associate with Museums Victoria and is a PhD student at Utah State University in the Department of Environment and Society. Tagen describes her research involving an exploration of: 'the diverse landscapes of Victoria by interviewing and photographing women farmers - to learn from them about their histories, responses to climate change, and how they have adapted their agricultural practices to sustain themselves and their families. I wanted to know how their experiences have been similar or different to women in my home state of Idaho, USA. How have women been key agents of change embedded in their environments? How do women farmers provide unique perspectives and contributions to the futures of agriculture and to their communities?'

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.

Description of Content

Digital audio recording, MP3

Physical Description

Digital audio recording

Significance

These 13 interviews of farm women were undertaken by Tagen Baker as part of the Invisible Farmer ARC project. A key aim of the ARC project is to redress the absence of rural women in mainstream histories and museums.

As a visiting research associate for Museum Victoria, and a PhD student in Utah State University's Department of Environment and Society, Tagen Baker had the opportunity to explore the diverse landscape of Victoria and interview and photograph women farmers as part of The Invisible Farmer Project-to learn from them about their histories, responses to climate change, and how they adapted their agricultural practices to sustain themselves and their families. Tagen wanted to know how their experiences have been similar or different to women in her home state of Idaho, USA. How have women been key agents of change embedded in their environments? How do women farmers provide unique perspectives and contributions to the futures of agriculture and to their communities?

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