Kate Gunn (Farmer, Merrivale Partnership) - a lot at stake

Just about everything we do at Dirty Linen and across the whole Deep in the Weeds food podcast network rests on farming. Without productive farmers we don’t have restaurants, we don’t have those resonant, connected stories of cuisine and culture that we love so much - and that we know you appreciate too. And fundamentally, without farmers, we don’t eat. It’s basic. We also know that we need to cease coal and gas mining because of the emissions they create. The science is unequivocal. The catastrophic climate risks are too great. The move to net zero makes allowances for legacy mining but it’s clear that any new coal or gas extraction tips into dangerous territory. Given all this, we are keeping a close eye on the Liverpool Plains, and the gas mining exploration licences held by energy giant Santos. Join us all week as we talk to people in the region who are likely to be impacted by any mining activities and are mobilising against them. What becomes clear in these conversations is that this is a local fight with broader implications. If you eat, if you live on Earth, this fight matters.    By the way, we’ve reached out to Santos for comment. We look forward to a response. Our first guest is Kate Gunn, generational farmer and Chair of Liverpool Plains Action Group. Kate gives us an overview of the region as a food bowl and series of connected communities. She talks about what’s at stake and why she’s throwing herself into activism. https://www.facebook.com/liverpoolplainsag/ Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirtylinenpodcast Follow Dani Valent https://www.instagram.com/danivalent Follow Rob Locke (Executive Producer) https://www.instagram.com/foodwinedine/ Follow Huck (Executive Producer) https://www.instagram.com/huckstergram/ LISTEN TO OUR OTHER FOOD PODCASTS https://linktr.ee/DeepintheWeedsNetwork Dirty Linen is a food podcast hosted by Australian journalist Dani Valent. A respected restaurant critic and food industry reporter in her home town of Melbourne, Dani is a keen, compassionate observer of restaurants and the people who bring them into being. Whether it’s owners, waiters, dishwashers, chefs or members of ancillary trades from tech to pottery, Dani interviews with compassion, humour and courage. Dirty Linen goes deep, both in conversations with individuals and in investigating pressing issues.  Dirty Linen is an Australian food podcast produced by the Deep in the Weeds Podcast Network.