NSW drought: Inverell farmer gifts sanitary items to rural women in need

Struggling to feed cattle and put food on the table for her family, Margy Perkuhn’s health had reached a dangerous point. But lifting the spirits of other drought-affected farmers helped Margy find a “sense of purpose”.

Inverell cattle farmer Margy Perkuhn founded Fierce Female Farmers to help other drought-affected women like herself get access to basic sanitary items.

MARGY Perkuhn knows the devastation of drought all too well.

She knows what it’s like to struggle to feed her family and go without showering because water is so scarce.

And she knows she’s not alone.

“Everyone’s either destocking or going further and further into debt taking on more of a gamble,” said the Inverell farmer, who was forced to say goodbye to her own cattle last month.

“Most planted crops in June and July and watched them die.

“I’ve never met so many women so afraid for their husbands in my whole life”.

Margy Perkuhn’s farm at Inverell, NSW, in May this year.

Ms Perkuhn reached an extremely dangerous point herself, last Christmas.

“We had 12 months of feed on hand, which was a saving grace,” the mother of two said.

“But I had eating disorder issues as a teen, we were struggling to feed the cattle, struggling to feed ourselves — my mental and physical health was really struggling.

“I felt a lot of guilt that there was no grass for them to eat.

“It snowballed into critical at Christmas and I honestly nearly lost my life”.

With a smile from ear to ear and joy now in her voice, it’s hard to imagine that Ms Perkuhn was talking about herself.

Margy Perkuhn finds joy in helping lift other farmers’ spirits during the drought.

It was helping others that helped her find a “sense of purpose” in such a difficult time.

On a whim, Ms Perkuhn founded Fierce Female Farmers in July, an initiative that creates and distributes boxes filled with donated items such as sanitary products, body wipes for those that have no water to clean themselves, cream for hardworking hands and toilet paper.

She says the boxes have become lifesavers in a rural community where women are sometimes too embarrassed to leave their properties.

“I can’t believe how many women have cried over getting cans of deodorant in their box,” she said.

What remained of Margy Perkuhn’s herd before she finished destocking in July.

In her first attempt she made 74 FFF packs and like a “sign from the universe” received 74 nominations of women in need.

“Some people don’t like receiving them but it’s not a charity, it’s love in a box, from one sister to another,” Ms Perkuhn said.

And she’s making sure no one who needs a little love misses out, which she says is filling the gap in Australia’s welfare system.

Ms Perkuhn said most farmers in her area were unable to access basic welfare items because they believed they would ineligible for a Centrelink card due to the actual value of their farm.

“It doesn’t matter how much cows or money you have, we are seeing the same drought,” she said.

“The (FFF packs) go to someone who needs that lift not someone who’s poorer than someone else.”

The FFF packs currently go to women within 100km of Inverell, a town of less than 12,000 people.

Ms Perkuhn is currently collecting donations for her second round of boxes.

To find out how you can help visit Fierce Female Farmers on Facebook.