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 podcast.morethanmilk@gmail.com 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 podcast.morethanmilk@gmail.com 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 podcast.morethanmilk@gmail.com or stay connected by following us on Instagram or Facebook and send us a message - I'd love to hear from you.