Goose and Gosling
Artists: Amanda Diamond
Materials: Wools and wire

Artist

I love all the animals that roam through Flock, Stock and Basil Farm! The geese in particular are such wonderful characters, and for me represent the pure joy of being on a farm surrounded by organic plants and free-range animals!
chocolatestudio.com.au Instagram : amandadimaondart

Farmers

Located at Flock, Stock and Basil
1672 Inverloch – Venus Bay Road, Tarwin Lower

International artist Amanda Diamond’s ‘Goose and Gosling’ are perched side by side elegantly at the entrance of the farm gate at Flock Stock and Basil, an 82 acre property located in Tarwin Lower owned and farmed by husband and wife Anna Briggs and Chris Muggeridge. The young couple run a farm gate each Saturday where they sell their homegrown pesticide free vegetables, eggs, ethically raised meat, as well as a selection of home made preserves and condiments. They also service the surrounding community and local IGA whilst they deliver further afield into Melbourne through the Prom Coast Food Collective.

‘I have always had a passion for animals’ shares Anna. She majored in animal science whilst Chris was raised on a dairy farm in New Zealand and is a chef by trade. The couple established their market garden amazingly only two years ago with one ethos in mind - Everything has to have a couple of purposes – each action they take must not be a burden on the environment nor on their purse.

With regenerative farming at the forefront, the young couple farm over 2 acres of seasonal market garden. The stock comprises of pigs, cows and sheep whilst their flock include chickens, geese and guinea fowl. At the onset of each planting cycle, the pigs are sent in each of the paddocks – ‘for the phosphorous’ –  shares Chris. There they stomp, chomp and plough. Next come the travelling chickens that peck and scratch, depositing nitrogen – the two a perfect combination for vegetable growing. Once this process is complete, the plot is almost weed free and is covered for a little longer. The couple employs a combination of no dig methods and a manual push rototiller to mound the beds.

Framing the trees as you arrive, you will notice several bird nesting boxes –the birds form part of a natural approach to pest control. Anna and Chris also cut some of their hay by hand and provide homes and food for their bees. There is little waste around the farm – all is shared around their flock and stock and vegetable patches. Excess produce is turned into curries, pies, jams and sauces by Chris.

The inspiration for the ‘Goose and Gosling’ art piece came about during one of Amanda’s visits to the farm when she witnessed Anna in shorts and Wellington boots, goslings at her heels taking the geese for a swim. The art piece reflects the circle of life through the seasons on a farm, in this instance the birthing of the young goslings. The large-scale installation is fabricated from gathered materials around the farm – from old recycled stakes from the garden, fences and fence wire, which form the elegant curves of the birds. The white feathers are replicated using sheep and alpaca wool twisted and tied to its frame. The waddling mother goose and gosling appear to be in a dance together.

Amanda Diamond’s studio is located in Venus Bay where she is strongly inspired by the wild nature of the seasons, the ocean and birdlife around Cape Liptrap Coastal Park. Amanda considers herself an artist and apiarist – her two vocations intertwined and interwoven in the very fabric of her art.

Apart from creating large-scale murals, installations and water tanks public art, Amanda runs various workshops both in art and natural bee keeping. She often invites the public to interact with her pieces and this will be no different. Although the sculpture is complete, upon your visit, you may find some left over wool to tie to the geese.

This Great Southern Bale Trail installation is the perfect showcase of skills and talents of the local community coming together to not only celebrate its environment but to approach it respectfully and share old knowledge in a new way.

So why not make your way to Flock, Stock and Basil and whilst you can do a drive by, why not stop on a Saturday, grab some local organic produce and you will also have the opportunity to speak to the farmers directly about their holistic farming practices and ethically raised animals.

By Beatrice Imbert

Artist
Amanda Diamond

Farmer
Anna Briggs and Chris Muggeridge