Not "Just a Farmer" - meet Leila McDougall the farmer turned film maker tackling on-farm mental health through both storytelling and film

Vocal About Local

Having grown up on a farm Leila McDougall finished school, and headed straight to the big city lights of Sydney to study fashion design. Home on the farm was never far from her thoughts though with fashion being a pathway brought about from years on the sheep farm and a want to use the Australian Wool she was so familiar with. The Big Smoke charm wore off though and it wasn't long before the country came calling, with Leila settling down with now husband in down in rural NE Victoria.
In this podcast Leila speak openly and articulately as she credits her fathers willingness to talk mental health and his struggles as why her life has since taken a vocational turn towards championing mental health. Leila's mother also attempted to take her own life so with real life lived experience, Leila has become a fierce mental health advocate not just for farmers but for all of rural Australia.
This manifested into a Mellow in the Yellow or MITY as it is known. MITY is an annual event, now in its 8th year that celebrated Aussie Farming communities by hosting a day out in a flowering canola crop. The funds raised are distributed into various community incentives that aim to strengthen the health and well being of farmers as well as encouraging conversations around Mental health.
Not content at that Leila has now moved her talents onto the big screen in her newly released film "Just a Farmer". Just a Farmer is a fictional movie, that Leila wrote and which she starts in, playing the lead character. The film touches on some very real and powerful messages about farming and rural mental health and even had input from Hollywood Star Hugh Jackman along the way.
We hope you this chat with Leila but be please be warned, there are triggers in the conversation which are around mental health themes and suicide.
Hosts: Sam Baff and Jayde Timms from Grown Not Flown
Guest: Leila McDougall - Writer and Star - "Just A Farmer"
Related Websites: www.justafarmer.net & www.mellowintheyellow.com.au
Watch YouTube trailer - "Just a Farmer"