An initiative to introduce Gippsland dairy farmers and Melbourne baristas to each other and talk about milk has grown beyond the organisers’ expectations.
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When Gippsland Jersey co-founders Sallie Jones and Steve Ronalds held the first on-farm barista day three years ago, they were surprised that 84 people attended.
This year, the third annual barista day, 224 people registered and attendees represented café and restaurant owners, chefs, cheesemakers, baristas, coffee roasters and milk drinkers.
People travelled from as far afield as Wagga and Sydney, and Victoria’s Western District, and as close as Shady Creek and Warragul, to the on-farm day held on a dairy farm at nearby Jindivick, in Victoria.
Most attendees were from Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
“Our on-farm barista day is an opportunity to learn about milk, especially Jersey milk, meet our farmers and just generally learn about what goes into making a bottle of milk,” Sallie said.
The day included coffee, scones with jam and cream, a lunchtime dessert of coffee gel with butterscotch, cream and ice-cream, a farm walk to meet the cows, milking and coffee art contests, a discussion about dairy farming, the state of the dairy industry, how milk is processed and mental health.
Gippsland dairy farmers Mark Wilms and Joe Meggetto shared their personal mental health stories.
“In our discussions in the paddock, among the cows, we talked all things farmers, farming, milk brands and, of course, our Jersey cows — they are the stars of the show,” Sallie said.
“We feel the gap in understanding between country and city shrank a bit, and all those people from the city now understand a bit more about farming’s challenges and opportunities.
“The dairy farmers were able to interact with people who value what they do – producing milk and in an environmentally responsible way, looking after their cows.”
Steve Ronalds spoke about the importance of the dairy industry in Australia — since Gippsland Jersey was founded, the national annual milk pool has shrunk nearly two billion litres.
In that time also, pricing at the farm gate has varied and often been unsustainable.
“The farm gate milk price has been too low for too long, and that’s led to shrinkage of the number of dairy farmers in the industry,” Gippsland Jersey supplier Luke Wallace said.
“The $1 for one litre of milk game played by the supermarkets devalues milk and the hours that go into producing a quality product.
“Farmers have to slut themselves around to get the best price for our product,” Steve said.
Imports of dairy products have risen, and continue to carve into the offerings for consumers.
In May, Australia became a net importer of dairy products.
“The coffee beans you use are only half the story,” Steve said.
“You’re here today to learn about the other half of the story — milk, particularly Jersey milk.”
One of the pillars of the Gippsland Jersey brand is mental health and the company does that by producing a calendar each year, highlighting 12 dairy farmers, and supporting dairy farmers to speak about their industry and the challenges they face.
Joe Meggetto was profiled in the first Gippsland Jersey calendar, and has since become an advocate for pursuing mental wellbeing.
“At the end of the day, farmers are working on their own up the back paddock and it can be lonely,” Joe said.
“I have mates from school, from football, and from community groups I’ve been involved in.
“But there’s things you don’t want to talk to them about, and your mental health is one of those things.
“The biggest thing that changed my life was seeing my GP.
“I’m on a bit of medication that I take every day.
“There’s someone out there for everyone to see and talk to.”
Joe spoke about how, talking to people, meeting new people and telling his story was a key part of his mental health therapy.
Joe recently reached out to Mark Wilms, who dairy farms alongside his wife, Lisa.
They are profiled in the 2024 calendar produced by Gippsland Jersey.
Lisa noticed Mark become withdrawn and was struggling to do his work around the farm.
It took a long time for Mark to finally admit he needed help and to seek it.
He is at the start of that journey.
“Share your problems. A problem shared is a problem halved,” Mark said.
For more stories and pictures from the barista day, go to: https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/