‘The Farmers Wife Hampers’

At Rural Room HQ it has occurred to us that Christmas is just around the corner so we need to get some presents under the tree ASAP! Fortunately, one of our Rural Room Media Stringers, Perin Mulcahy, is a one-stop shop when it comes to gifts. Perin’s bespoke handpicked hampers are a natural choice because all the inclusions are sourced from local, regional, Australian businesses. We had a chat with Perin of ‘The Farmers Wife Hampers’ to hear about her life on the land and what it’s like to run a thriving creative start up in the sticks.

Q: Where do you live and how did you come to live in the country?

We live in Cranbrook, a little farming community about an hour north of Albany in Western Australia. We feel pretty lucky as we’re not too far from the beautiful Southern coast and our community sits at the base of the rugged Stirling Range.

We moved to the country two years ago, from Perth. My husband spent his early years in Denmark and has extended family who are farming in the Kojonup region so he knew this area well. For me, it’s rather serendipitous that my grandfather had a sheep farm in Cranbrook, Tasmania. So, although I was raised a ‘city girl’, I can still say I am carrying my grandfather’s farming tradition, in the same town but on the opposite side of the country.

Q: How did The Farmers Wife handpicked hampers start?

It is an unfortunate misfortune that, for a farmer’s wife, Mother’s Day and Christmas fall within the two busiest times of the year…seeding and harvest. Our busy farmers are always time poor and it’s not always easy to shop in the country, especially for a bloke! There are some amazing local women producing quality goods and produce in our region, so I thought gift boxes would be a great way to promote some of these products and provide a great local gifting service for our farmers.

Q: Tell us about some of the local suppliers

I love social media platforms and the ability it has given us to find and connect with creatives. I try to chose my products based their uniqueness, quality, value and beautiful design, with a focus on makers in the Southern region of Western Australia and rural mums like myself who just create really lovely things.

Some of my key products are the Willow Tree Lane skincare range from Margaret River; skincare from the talented mother daughter duo at Nina Bailey; Diddums design washcloths made in Bridgetown, preserves made by Little Birds Preserves in Albany, Sally has some really great blends and uses lots of locally grown fruit; I also love the candles by Beau at Drip Designs in Cranbrook. Beau is also my good friend and neighbor, and has been a great support in getting this little venture off the ground.

Q: What do you love about living in the country?

I am very lucky that I have an incredibly supportive group of women in my area. But as I get to know rural women across the State I am learning that is how most country women are. What a gift!  I love the quiet moments, and I love that you can organise a cup of tea or wine with a rowdy bunch if you need that too.

I love that you challenge yourself to try new things that you would probably never do in the city…tennis…gardening…pulling big machinery out of the bog.

And you meet interesting people and explore places that you know you know you’d never uncover under normal circumstances. And I really love the space and light down here, it’s ever changing and inspires me to take loads of photographs, usually of the same thing.

Q: What do you find challenging about living in the country?

It’s a funny thing because the challenges we face in the country are often the things you love the most. It’s often frustrating working with a lack of services and facilities but at the same time, with the right people these services can often work for you, for the better. The mechanic that drives your car to your door, the bus driver that picks up your mail if you can’t make it to town, the neighbour that fixes your water pump because there is no plumber in town, the shop that opens just for you on a Sunday just so you can sneakily get a parcel away.  I do find a farming life is always a busy one and we are so dependent on the elements. Like any profession you have to set goals and you have to tear yourself away once in a while. Otherwise you can get stuck in your little patch of the world.

Q: What advice to you have to other young women starting their businesses in regional Australia?

I think the regional spaces are the greatest places to start your adventure. You’re not comparing or competing with the bustling city world around you. Regional communities are very nurturing and supportive and it’s incredible how that will carry you through your business. With my marketing hat on…it’s so important to always have a business plan, stay true to your brand and utilise social media and social media advisors as best you can.

Q: What does Christmas day look like at your house?

Honestly, it’s usually pretty quiet here on Christmas Day. If we’re lucky, harvest has finished and husband can relax. They are the best Christmas’s. I always like a real tree, usually decorated in mismatched tinsel and kids craft from school, some nice seafood for lunch and a swim in the dam is a must. December is always an incredibly busy time for us with three small children, a gifting business and harvest so a restful Christmas Day is always the best.

To snap up one of Perin’s beautiful hampers you can contact her here:
Phone 0417 985 676
or email  thefarmerswifehampers@gmail.com

You also view her range via Instagram or Facebook – make sure you jump on board and follow her to support local, regional, creative business!

Postage is available on most gift boxes and The Farmers Wife Handpicked Hampers are also available at Gallery Aura, Kojonup or the Pingrup Community Resource Centre, Pingrup.

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Perin is a city girl who has recently embraced the farming life with her partner and three young children in Cranbrook, Great Southern. Previously from a background in marketing, communications and the arts, Perin has channeled her creative eye and love of the handcrafted gift into the farmer’s wife…a gift giving venture to initially help farmers with a place to go for lovely gifts, to spoil their hard-working wives. The Great Southern has provided a great place to meet some amazing farmer’s wives in business and creatives, which has helped her business bloom.