More Than Milk

Victoria Mulchay has always known farming was going to be in her life, but what started as a fill in for the herd manager, at their family corporate business 10 years has into evolved into a separation from the corporate business, construction of 2 compost barns and plans for further expansion with water use efficiency, animal welfare and business sustainability at the forefront. In this week's episode Vic shares openly about the changes on the farm, how they’ve worked through the planning and buildings of the barns and why they’ve chosen the compost system. 

We were grateful to tour the barn for Day 2 of Cream of the Crop Conference in July. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Over 110 incredible women joined us on July 30 & 31st in Northern Victoria, and we are excited to announce we are heading to Gippsland in 2025. Keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or check it out on the Website for all of the details. 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Jess Gavenlock grew up in the United States, in a large family passionate about cows and was heavily involved in the handling and showing of cattle. But it was whilst on exchange that she met her husband Brad and fell not only in love, but found a home in Australia. They now run Cherrylock Cattle Co in Northern Victoria where they board and manage elite genetics as well as prepping and showing cattle. 

If you are wanting to get in touch about maximising your genetics or how they can help in the show ring you can find Cherrylock Cattle Co. on Facebook  

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Over 110 incredible women joined us on July 30 & 31st in Northern Victoria, and we are excited to announce we are heading to Gippsland in 2025. Keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or check it out on the Website for all of the details. 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Nick Mignanelli is an energetic young farmer who is focused on doing better every day, whether it’s pastures, fencing or breeding, he is making small but impactful changes on farm to get the most out of his patch of dirt in South Australia and has such a great outlook on life and farming. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Over 110 incredible women joined us on July 30 & 31st in Northern Victoria, and we are excited to announce we are heading to Gippsland in 2025. Keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or check it out on the Website for all of the details. 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

Sally Bethune is from Lake Boga in Victoria and alongside managing a 1000 cow dairy farm, her and husband Paul have value added to the business in the form of a micro milk processing facility producing milk, yoghurt and Bethune Lane Dairy’s star of the show belgian chocolate plus milk. Sally joined me before Cream of the Crop at the end of July, sharing all about her non-traditional farming skills which have since become an essential part the farming business, how the farm has changed drastically over the years and is incredibly open and honest about the many challenges and opportunities when starting a value add. 

For a full list of Bethune Lane Dairy Stockists to get some of their products head to the website. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Over 110 incredible women joined us on July 30 & 31st in Northern Victoria, and we are excited to announce we are heading to Gippsland in 2025. Keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or check it out on the Website for all of the details. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Emma Poole is a dairy farmer and veterinarian from the Waikato region in New Zealand and joined us at the Cream of the Crop Conference sharing her experience as the first female to win the FMG Young Farmer of the Year in 55 years. In this chat we cover everything from Emma’s experience as a vet, the transition to Chris’s family farm, their calf rearing & embryo transfer business and the future of calf rearing and dairy more broadly in New Zealand as well as what it takes to win Young Farmer of the Year. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Over 110 incredible women joined us on July 30 & 31st in Northern Victoria, and we are excited to announce we are heading to Gippsland in 2025. Keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or check it out on the Website for all of the details. 

Rachael McGrath simply loves Jersey cows, and has a real passion for improving the genetics so they’re not only great in the paddock but also perform well in the show ring. Although as a teenager a farming accident fundamentally changed the family farm it was obvious to Rachael that the farm was where she wanted to be. In this chat she shares how she found her love for the farm, how she is working towards the genetic improvements of the herd and how she’s developed a passion for showing cows. Rachael was also recently awarded the Young Leader Award at the WestVic Dairy Awards and she shares what she is doing within the industry. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

About CREAM OF THE CROP 

The conference, in it's third year is an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and reflect. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. 

The 2024 event will be on July 30 & 31, with the first day held in the Dungula Event Centre, Moama, followed by an inclusive evening networking event in Echuca and a then half day tour in the surrounding region. 

With a carefully considered 1.5 day program, attendees will have the opportunity to be challenged and inspired by speakers, panels, workshops, and farm and factory tours; as well as having the opportunity to network with like-minded people in the industry. The conference is open to farmers and service providers of all ages and stages, and the organisers encourage both group and individual registrations.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW and can be purchased HERE

More information can be found on their Website or via Instagram  or Facebook  

Kim Wilson and husband Greg are 50/50 share farmers in South West Victoria, where they are running a really successful business that is simple and repeatable and an incredibly positive representation of share farming done well. Kim is managing a large team of staff, but believes it’s doing the doing alongside them all, with a focus on communication and teamwork that allows them to achieve what they are, which has a real focus on growing grass and fully feeding their cows and getting better every single day. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. We are heading to Echuca Moama on 30-31st of July. Tickets and the program can be found on the Website but be quick if you are coming because tickets are selling fast. You can also chcek out the Instagram  or Facebook   

Can't wait to see you there ! 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Sammie Smith has a passion for getting people in a room and helping to make dairy the best it possibly can be. Coming from the Bega Valley, she is currently sharing her time between one of the smallest farms and one of the largest in the region, working both on her family farm milking 150 and working at Kimba’s down the road milking 1200. And whilst there isn’t enough room to return to the home farm right now, she’s using this time to build her skills and knowledge and get ready so when the time comes to return home she can grab it with both hands! She is also the YDN leader for the bega region, where she is super passionate about making sure dairy is thriving for many years to come - and as you may have seen if you’re following along on my socials, I attended the inaugural YDN conference which Sammie and the other YDN leaders across NSW held, which was a brilliant event. 

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. This year we are in Echuca Moama in Northern Victoria on the 30-31st of July.

The prorgam has been released and tickets are NOW ON SALE. 

To stay up to date with all of the details keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or if you would like to purchase tickets get these at early bird pricing HERE via Eventbrite 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

Jimmy Eggert runs a micro dairy where he is currently milking 30 cows and producing Hastings riverlands, an organic milk and yoghurt, and whilst he might be laid back in nature and very young, he certainly has a work ethic and mindset that is all about making the most of the opportunity he has.

In today’s chat he shares how he started the business, what goes into pasteurizing and bottling milk, and whilst he doesn’t like making too many long term plans there was certainly plenty of optimism about the future.

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CREAM OF THE CROP 

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Save the Date for the 30-31st of July. More details are coming soon, so keep an eye on Instagram  or Facebook   or check it out on the Website 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you. 

Erica Dibden and husband Nic farm on the South Coast of NSW where they have created Tilba Dairy, producing milk, yoghurt, cream and a mix of soft and hard cheeses to add value and help create a profitable farming business. Although the ultimate goal would be to have a factory on  farm, they’ve built a brand, processing factory and retail shop that continues to go from strength to strength. In today’s chat Erica shares how she became involved in dairy, her passion for connection to the food system, how the business has evolved and what it looks like as well as the layers of complexity around starting and the testing and regulations required to produce a product and her hopes for the future. 

Giving some great advice to do your research, know your market, know your budget and start learning your products and i’m more than happy to offer my services as a product tester. 

Want more info about Tilba Dairy or where to puruchase their products visit their website here https://tilbadairy.com.au

CREAM OF THE CROP 2024

Cream of the Crop is a two day conference, providing an opportunity for women in the dairy industry to come together to learn, connect and grow. Recognising the contribution, regardless of their role, they make to the industry and their wider community. Save the Date for the 30-31st of July. 

With a carefully considered program, attendees will have the opportunity to be challenged and inspired by speakers, panels, workshops, and farm and factory tours; as well as having the opportunity to network with like-minded people in the industry. The conference is open to farmers and service providers of all ages and stages, and the organisers encourage both group and individual registrations.

More information can be found on their Website or via Instagram  or Facebook  

In the spirit of reconciliation we would like to acknowlegde the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

If you know someone who you think would be great on the podcast, or you would like to share your story, please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you.