“Butts for Bales” is the name of a bold and brassy fundraiser that’s throwing aside inhibitions to help out struggling farmers.
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The fundraiser is producing a calendar that will give a revealing rear end view of dairy farmers from the south-west and elsewhere in the nude.
Organiser Tennille Moffitt, of Upper Minjah, north of Woolsthorpe, said all the farmers who participated said it had boosted their flagging morale.
“It made them feel good. It gave them self-confidence.” Ms Moffitt said.
Dairy farmers have been battling low milk prices and high feed prices this milk season, which follows years of industry downturn and upheaval.
Ms Moffitt said she was inspired to create the calendar after seeing lots of other fundraising calendars featuring unclad farmers.
“But there was not one for dairy farmers,” Ms Moffitt said.
Funds raised from the sale of the calendar will go towards the Lions Clubs’ Need for Feed disaster relief group that provides hay and fodder to farmers in emergency situations.
Need for Feed provided countless tonnes of hay earlier this year to south-west farmers burnt out by the St Patrick’s Day fires.
Ms Moffitt, a former dairy farmer, said she recruited farmers for the calendar by asking for participants on the internet.
It took only a month to recruit the dozen required for the calendar images with Need for Feed founder Graham Cockerell also putting his butt on the line and getting snapped.
Warrnambool photographer Stacey Knowles of Ocean View Photography volunteered her time to take the photos and Azeus Print and Design is printing a number for free.
Ms Moffitt said she had already received a number of orders for the calendar that she expected would be available in the next few weeks, making it a novel Christmas gift.
The calendar will sell for $21 including postage. Details on how to order a calendar are available on the Butts for Bales Facebook page.