Growing up with cotton and wool at their fingertips, it's no surprise Sarah Wilson and Melinda Palmer would one day find themselves with a business showcasing one of Australia's great fibres.
The pair recently launched Love thy Farmer, a business which is clearly founded on a passion for farming, rural communities and natural fibres.
Working on their brand from their kitchen tables for quite some time, Sarah said the Buy from the Bush campaign had given them the kickstart they needed.
"We launched our website one evening and Buy from the Bush picked us up the very next morning," Sarah said.
"We barely slept for the next two months.
"We had been looking for some time to work on a project together, and having grown up farming with cotton and wool we naturally wanted to use natural fibres.
"Our biggest hurdle was finding Australian cotton fabric, and we realised quite quickly that we'd need to source our own.
"This was something that Melinda's father had been trying to get her to do for years."
The Wilson family's long association with Auscott made them the first port of call and Melinda said the company had been on board from the beginning.
"We couldn't have done what we've done without them," Melinda said.
"Initially, we were able to get some small batches of fabric to get us started.
"The next hurdle was finding a manufacturer in Australia, and they are as rare as hen's teeth."
The most popular products from Love they Farmer are grown, designed and made in Australia.
These include tote bags, tea towels and toiletry bags.
"We have a range of Australian cotton t-shirts, which our kids have become great at modelling and putting through the quality control test of life on the farm, as well as linen tote bags," Sarah said.
"Our t-shirt range also caters for women and men.
"We added these soon after launching as there was a huge demand.
"And we have a few more exciting projects in the pipeline."
Advocating for agriculture
If the name Love thy Farmer doesn't send a message, then the image on their products is one that can't be missed.
The brainchild of Sarah Wilson, Brisbane, and Melinda Palmer, Dalby, their cheery tractor logo shows a love for farmers, the land and Australian agriculture.
"We are two local Wee Waa girls, daughters of farmers and graziers," Melinda said.
"My husband and I now live in Dalby with our four children, and Sarah lives in Brisbane with her husband and two children.
"Our families have been friends for four generations and our fathers farmed together for many years."
Strong advocates of farmers and the land, Sarah said they had always admired how much farmers are revered in the United States.
"Australian farmers are hardworking, resilient, sincere and passionate about the land," she said.
"They are genuine optimists and, we believe, environmentalists in the truest sense.
"We are passionate about farming, rural communities and natural fibres, of which we believe Australia produces some of the best in the world."
In addition to showing their support for farmers, the Love thy Farmer image is also a throwback to days gone by.
"We found an image that was similar to an old tractor at home in Wee Waa that we played on as kids," Melinda said.
"Our kids are now playing on it."
