GROWING up on the land at Mumbil and Eglinton, 89-year-old Naomi Smith knows all too well the challenges faced by farmers in drought, so she was delighted when aged care provider, Whiddon, announced a $100,000 donation to Rural Aid, to help farmers in need.
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A resident at Whiddon’s Kelso aged care facility, Mrs Smith, who also lived on the land with her husband Jack at Evans Plains and Eglinton said she remembers how hard it was to keep going.
As such she was one of the residents asked to help deliver hay, purchased through the donation to Rural Aid, to farmers in need in Blayney.
Mrs Smith recalled how tough things were on the land.
“The droughts went on for two, three years, the one in the 80s was the worst,” she said.
When asked how they kept going, she said there really wasn’t any choice.
“I don’t know how we did it, we just did,” she said.
Mrs Smith has nephews on the land in Yeoval and Forbes, and said she knows things are tough for them.
“My nephew in Forbes said there are clouds of dirt rolling off the property, it’s awful,” she said.
She said it was great there was support for farmers through charities such as Rural Aid, and Buy a Bale.
“I think it’s absolutely wonderful, I’ve never seen anything like it happen before.”
Whiddon CEO, Chris Mamarelis said it was great to be involved.
“Being able to support these communities and the people that live in them, including our staff and families, is something that is incredibly important to us.”
