Farmers pride themselves on looking after the environment that provides their livelihood.

That’s why country people understand recycling and upcycling. Working in tune with nature and being mindful of how we use natural resources is a way of life.

Organic beef producer Phil Cook – partner of leadership colleague Ele Cook – goes one step further in modelling his sustainably upcycled wool jumper this morning as he headed outdoors to work in the cold windy weather at Coolah in New South Wales. 

The warm hand-knitted jumper belonged to Phil’s dad and had been mended over the years, but the hole in the front was getting bigger with each wash. Last night, Ele cut out a double-thickness heart shape from a beyond-repair jumper and we zigzagged it over the hole. Maybe one day Ele and Phil’s son Jed will be wearing this jumper.