Now the stories of farming women have been told through a book commissioned by the Tasmanian Women in Agriculture organisation.

‘A Place in the Stockyard’ details not only the 22-year history of the TWiA, but the remarkable stories of the pioneer farmers who paved the way for today’s professional agricultural women.

Author Fiona Stocker originally had no link to the TWiA, but after being hired to write the book, she soon became a fully-fledged member.

Reading through 20 years of newsletters over “two months and plenty of cups of tea” gave her a strong sense of who these rural women were.

“It is honouring all the women who were involved,” Ms Stocker said.

“The women farmers were invisible, and they were called the invisible farmer – there were no photos of women on the land … there was no mention of them in the media.”

Writing the book gave Ms Stocker an insight into the organisation’s focus on strong friendships.

“You can go to one of their meetings now and there’ll be 30 women in the room and they’ve all known each other for 20 years,” Ms Stocker said.

“They’ve really recognised how powerful those sorts of friendships are … they’ve all helped each other face everything that farming and everyday life can throw at them.”

TWiA president Annette Reed said ‘A Place in the Stockyard’ started out as a small idea but grew into a three-year project.

“Our mission is about connecting, supporting and celebrating Tasmanian rural women, and we do that in all sorts of ways,” she said.

“Just getting [Ms Stocker] on board was one of those things, what it’s done for her in developing her skills as well as what it’s done for us – that’s how it works.

“We have this beautiful publication which we’re all very proud of.”

Mrs Reed said that at the book’s launch at Petrarch’s Bookshop, a young woman currently studying agriculture mentioned that she hadn’t realised how much work had taken place to normalise women in agricultural careers.

“She said ‘I didn’t realise how hard the people before me had had to fight for what I now take for granted’,” Mrs Reed said.