Country Women's Wisdom

The pandemic might have put a hold on agricultural shows in Australia for the foreseeable future, but that makes it even more important to celebrate this important tradition. In this episode Liz takes us to Queensland where it would normally be peak show season, and shares stories about prize-winning show cooks Enid Cox and Monica Smith, from Maleny, and Edna ONeill from Murgon. These three farm women juggled milking cows and raising families with outstanding volunteer efforts at their local shows, and hold generations of baking knowledge.
With apologies for sound quality, Liz also welcomes her first guest, Pittsworth student teacher Kait Schultz, representing a new generation of show enthusiasts. Kait explains  some of the clever ideas Queensland country shows have come up with to keep the tradition alive. She also reveals how she met her future husband stewarding in the poultry shed at her local show, the world that opened up to her when she won the State's hotly contested Miss Showgirl Award, and the contribution of the organisation she now leads, Next Generation. A youth committee set up by the Queensland Chamber of Agricultural Societies, it aims to strengthen the Queensland shows movement by increasing youth participation within local show societies.
And to conclude the recipe, a traditional favourite from The Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook - Edna's prize-winning recipe for afghan biscuits.